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August 06
12:30
90'
外国語教育研究におけるRを用いた統計処理入門
川口勇作
本ワークショップでは、統計解析環境Rを用いた、外国語教育研究における統計処理の手法を習得することを目指します。はじめに、統計分析の際に必要となるRの基本的な操作方法や動作についての導入を行います。その後、記述統計量(平均、標準偏差など)の算出、t検定、分散分析、相関分析、回帰分析といった、外国語教育研究においてよく用いられる分析方法の実習を行います。参加条件等:会場PCがご利用いただけます。持参されたPCを使用される場合は、事前にRのインストールをお願いいたします。
Workshop
R3 (601)
 
90'
発音指導の心・技・体〜国際英語時代だから発音なんてどうでもいいでしょ?〜
靜哲人
いいえ。全然どうでもよくありません。(1)なぜ、どうでもよくないのかについて共通理解が得られるよう、「心」を論じます。(2)そしてどうやったらその「心」が40人の生徒に効果的に伝わるのかについて具体的な「技」を説明し、指導風景のビデオ録画をお見せします。(3)でも汚部屋の住人、他人の汚部屋の汚れがわからず、と言います。そもそも教師自身の発音がいまいちであれば生徒の発音が気にならないでしょう。お部屋の清掃のお手伝いをし、生徒の部屋の汚れがわかるようになるための「体」を鍛えます。
Workshop
R5 (603)
 
90'
Gain without Pain: Simple BYOD Tools for the Classroom
YAMAUCHI, Mari
This workshop offers hands-on learning about (i)Duolingo, a self-study language learning software, (ii)FlipGrid, a tool for asynchronous discussion using videos, and (iii)Google Classroom, a simple LMS. You will learn through activities how you can utilize these tools in your language classrooms. Related materials, including the manuals for implementation and example cases of using them with the presenter’s students, will be organized and shared in the Classroom for this workshop (a Google account required).
Workshop
R4 (602)
14:15
90'
Basics of thematic analysis in qualitative research
TAKAGI, Akiko
Systematic data analysis is key to conduct rigorous qualitative research. However, novice researchers often struggle in discerning their approach to qualitative data analysis among various choices. This workshop focuses on thematic analysis, the process of identifying patterns or themes by coding within qualitative data. Thematic analysis is not tied to a particular epistemological or theoretical perspective, but can be applied within an array of qualitative methodologies.
The workshop begins by explaining fundamental terminology such as coding, category, theme, and basic steps of coding. Participants then analyze a few research papers and identify how thematic analysis is conducted, followed by a brief hands-on coding experience. Resources about thematic analysis are also provided.
No prior knowledge is necessary in order to attend the workshop.
Workshop
R5 (603)
 
90'
英単語の綴りを活用した発音指導
手島良
単語の発音練習というと「範読のあとに生徒が繰り返す」のが一般的です。しかし、語のどの部分をどう発音しているかを意識しないまま鸚鵡返しするだけになりがちです。単語を読ませるのに、単語の綴りの一部から始めて少しずつ文字を書き足しながら音読させていく方法があります。これにより生徒は、文字・綴りと発音の関係を意識しながら、教師のモデルなしで単語を音読できるようになります。子音連続もなめらかになりますし、綴りを覚えるのには正確な発音をするのが近道だということも理解します。その方法を紹介します。
Workshop
R6 (604)
 
90'
Extensive Reading and Listening: Why and How
AMELSVOORT, Marcel Van
Interest in extensive reading (ER) and extensive listening (EL) has been growing in recent years along with positive research results and developments in technology that facilitate the delivery and monitoring (tracking) of students performance. A considerable amount of research into the benefits of ER and EL has emerged, as well as a better understanding of the conditions that need to be met and what program features can lead to greater rates of success. Tangible benefits of extensive reading (such as reading speed improvements and proficiency test score increases) come with reading very large quantities of text, hundreds of thousands of words, requiring sufficient engagement over long periods of time. Teachers and administrators can do a lot to encourage such reading and listening by adding various features that nudge students toward greater engagement.
This presentation will explain the rationale for establishing an ER/EL program or adding this activity to existing courses. We’ll look at some of the options for all budgets available for choosing and delivering texts (both web-based and web-blended). We’ll also cover monitoring student performance and ways of improving compliance. Participants will also get a chance to explore the XReading online ER/EL system.
Workshop
R3 (601)
16:00
90'
外国語教育(研究)における量的データの視覚化と解釈
浦野研
外国語教育に携わる私たちは、研究においてだけでなく、テストや成績処理といった場面で日ごろから数量化されたデータを扱っています。本ワークショップでは、教育や研究で量的データを扱う際にまず行うべきデータの視覚化と、データの特徴を理解するための基本的な概念としての代表値・分布・効果量の意味について学び、フリーでオープンソースの統計ソフト jamovi を使って、実際にデータの簡単な分析ができるようになることを目指します。
参加条件等:実際にデータの分析を行いながら進める予定です。そのため、受講者のみなさんには jamovi をインストールしたPC等を持参していただきたいと考えています。Windows, MacOS, Linux, ChromeOS 用のものが以下のサイトよりダウンロード可能です。ソフトの操作がワークショップの中心ではないので、PCなしでの参加も問題ありません。
https://www.jamovi.org/
Workshop
R3 (601)
 
90'
英語の音韻認識アクティビティ〜音から読み書きへとつなげる指導
村上加代子
英語の単語読み書きがスムーズにできるようになるためには、文字を覚えるだけでなく、文字に対応する音への気づきや操作スキルが十分に育っていることが重要です。単語よりも小さな音節やオンセット-ライム、音素などの音韻単位はどのように指導すれば良いのでしょうか。またそれらの音韻単位は読み書き発達にどのように関係しているのでしょうか。主に小学生向けの、文字を使わない楽しい音韻認識アクティビティをご紹介します。
Workshop
R6 (604)
 
90'
An Exploration of Moodle Features in the Late 3.x Era
HARASHIMA, Hideto
This workshop will focus on some useful features adopted lately in Moodle. The topics will include the new interface, the cool new dashboard, the standard Boost theme, how to enhance the front page appearance, an easier and more secure way of authentication using OAuth2, searching for and installing new plugins, improving Moodle mobile compatibility, using LTI for connecting to other LMS sites, applying some basic Learning Analytics tools to students’ performances, and testing the built-in audio and video recording function, among other things. If time allows, we will also investigate the new enhancements in the Forum module adopted in Moodle version 3.7. Moodle teachers with the Administrator role may benefit most from this workshop, but ordinary teachers will nonetheless be able to learn new things which they may apply to their everyday teaching.
Target audience: Teachers with some experience teaching with Moodle
Workshop
R4 (602)
August 07
10:00
30'
How collaborative learning helps Kosen students become motivated and develop their English abilities
MIZUNO, Chizuko (National Institute of Technology, Akashi College)
The purpose of this study is to investigate how collaborative learning helps students at Kosen, National Institute of Technology, who do not like English become motivated and develop their English abilities. The study has conducted at three schools: two campuses at Kagawa College and at Akashi College since 2013. Students’ attitude toward English learning improved as well as English abilities based on GTEC and TOEIC scores at Takuma campus at Kagawa College. Kosen is a unique institution of higher education in Japan, which provides students a five-year engineering education from the age 15. Kosen has produced excellent human resources and supported Japan’s high economic growth period. However, it is said that there are many students who dislike English at Kosen, compared with other educational institutions such as high schools and universities. Ito, Nishizawa and Yoshioka (2010) describe that many engineering course students including university students have negative attitude toward English learning. They emphasize the importance and necessity of effective English teaching to promote these students’ motivation and English abilities. The writer has tried to have her students enjoy learning and become more confident in her classroom with collaborative activities. She includes many pair work activities which are considered to be effective in promoting students’ English abilities including reading aloud and interpretative reading. These activities also help to develop friendships among classmates. The ratios of students’ preferences to English language learning are compared at the beginning and at the end of the first term or again after the one-year of teaching in the writer’s classroom. The outcome indicates some positive correlation between students’ attitudes toward English learning and that to pair work.
Practice Report
R1 (502)
 
30'
The practice and challenges of an internet-based seminar: Using Facetime, Line, Digital Paper, shared Pages, and Dropbox
WAKAMOTO, Natsumi (Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts)
KITAO, S. Kathleen (Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts)
The purpose of this study is to report on the effects of an internet-based seminar at a Japanese university by teachers located in Japan and in the UK in 2018 academic year. The participants of this study were 17 students in an applied linguistics seminar that we?a Japanese teacher and an American teacher?team taught at a Japanese women’s college. The session consisted of two sessions back to back, starting at 3 pm through 6:30 or 7 pm (JST). The Japanese teacher in the UK took the leading role, using the following system, and the American teacher in the Japanese classroom supported his class. The seminar was conducted using a synchronous (Facetime) or asynchronous (LINE messages) computer-mediated communication (CMC) environment. In addition, Apple Pages documents were shared between the Japanese classroom and the UK office and was used as a shared blackboard. Because this was a senior seminar for writing a graduation thesis, feedback on students’ thesis drafts was necessary. For that purpose, Digital Paper (SONY) was employed for giving feedback on students’ drafts, and Dropbox was used for sharing the feedback. For evaluating this seminar, we administered a questionnaire which consisted of 19 items (18 six-point Likert scale and one open-ended) at the end of the course. The results indicated that, while all the participants answered that the CMC using Facetime was effective, 80% of them replied that their concentration on class was sometimes lowered due to occasional disconnection of Facetime. In this presentation, we will report the results of the questionnaire and this practice in detail. We will also discuss the effects and difficulties of conducting an internet-based seminar through 30 sessions in one academic year and consider the possibilities of classes conducted from a remote place using the internet.
Practice Report
R2 (503)
 
30'
LMS-based ESP programme for Gerontological Nursing in collaboration with universities in Finland フィンランドの大学との提携によるLMS活用型高齢者看護学ESP
YAMASHITA, Iwao (Juntendo University)
YOKOYAMA, Etsuko (Juntendo University)
本学保健看護学部は、2017年度からフィンランドユヴァスキュラ応用科学大学(Jamk University of Applied Sciences:以下Jamk)、ラハティ応用科学大学(Lahti University of Applied Sciences:Lamk)と高齢者看護学へのロボットやAI導入可能性を探る共同研究を実施してきている。本研究ではOptimaProというLMSを活用し、gerontechnology(加齢工学)を中心に据えた高齢者看護学の授業展開を模索している。JamkとLamkでは英語による高齢者看護学の授業を実施するが、本学側は英語コミュニケーションと高齢者看護学のESP形式の授業となる。半期15コマの授業は、Gerontological Nursing, Health Promotion, Rehabilitationの 3ユニットから構成される。各ユニットの学生の主な学習活動は、高齢者を対象に実施したインタビューを実施し、それを各ユニットごとのテーマに沿って分析し、その内容を10分程度の英語プレゼンにまとめLMSにアップし、電子掲示板を活用した非同期型のディスカッションを行うというものである。本発表では、参加している本学部学生のプレゼンや、英語教員と看護教員の役割分担、Jamk・Lamkとの連携について詳しくお伝えしたい。
Practice Report
R3 (601)
 
30'
Large Class Spoken Assessment
NAKAGAWA, Yuya (Suzuka High School)
GIBBON, Benhanan Richard (Suzuka High School)
Assessing L2 speaking in large classroom environments is a pertinent challenge facing Japanese universities through to elementary schools; twinned with MEXT’s policy alterations to teaching English production, we need innovative models to address current student skill-gaps. In L2 spheres, listening, reading and writing assessments are efficient and practical. However, oratory assessing stands as our field’s biggest shortfall. This present case report will provide educators with a manageable model to measure large class spoken production; but ultimately it attempts to provide scaffolding from which students can develop behaviors synonymous with autonomous learning. In a real classroom setting in Japan, students enacted peer-performance assessments during a term-long project aimed to teach peer-reviewing. As such, a peer-assessment rubric was designed to limit subjectivity. It employed specified, quantifiable and understandable criterion for the student markers because scoring was the key assessment challenge (Brown, 2003). Through an active learning lens, students were tasked with group retelling activities designed to encourage higher-order thinking by forcing use of their active vocabularies. Retelling reveals students’ knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and sense of story, as well as the ability to convey information to their listeners (Allen and Allen, 1985). Therefore, students were instructed to collaborate in order to create a group speech intended for recital as a spoken assessment. According to Johnson, Johnson, and Smith (1991), within cooperative activities individuals seek outcomes that benefit themselves and all other group members. Consequently, each pupil was entrusted to review their peers’ contributions consistently and reflect as a team using the criterion. Bransford, Brown, and Cocking (1999) mention that “metacognitive” approaches to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress to achieve them. Fundamentally, the flipped responsibility allowed students’ to experience peer-to-peer communication instances that required heightened metacognitive engagement.
Practice Report
R4 (602)
 
30'
A vocabulary program ensuring engagement & review
MCLEAN, Stuart (Kansai University)
Nakata (2011) lists design features that empirical research suggests contribute to ideal vocabulary learning. While research can inform classroom activities, implementing research findings in pedagogical settings is often problematic. This presentation describes the creation and implementation of a research-based institution-wide vocabulary learning program that integrates online out-of-class learning with in-class self-marking spelling and speaking vocabulary tests. The presentation also describes the steps taken to overcome the implementation challenges experienced. The online vocabulary program allows teachers to select the range of vocabulary which students study over a semester or academic year. Teachers can select general English and/or specialized word lists for learners to study. In line with research findings, students learn both words and phrases in context using L2 definitions, and with presentation and increasingly difficult retrieval modes using both orthographic and phonological forms. Uniquely, the vocabulary program ensures the review of vocabulary by presenting new lexical items mixed among those that require review at a ratio of 1:4. Students can remove mastered lexical items after correctly producing the orographic and phonological form once, otherwise, the program implements adaptive sequencing and spaced retrieval ensuring that learners experience multiple retrievals of lexical items. Most critically, to motivate learners to use and review previously learned vocabulary, the vocabulary program produces weekly vocabulary tests based on an expanding test range. Each week's test range includes five items from the most recent week's new lexical items and five items from lexical items first learned in previous weeks. The online tests automatically assess students’ ability to recall both orographic and phonological forms and allow teachers to download weekly tests scores. Results show that students’ knowledge of high-frequency words significantly increased. More importantly, relative to previous years’ students, those who used the online vocabulary program significantly increased their knowledge of high-frequency vocabulary.
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
Review of Foreign Language Learners’ Beliefs from Perspectives of Social Media
BABA, Shotaro (Graduate Student, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
The purpose of this study was to review the process of learners’ beliefs about language learning from perspectives of social media literature. In literature in psychology, beliefs are revealed to have effect on motivation, strategies, and behavior. For example, Akamatsu (2017) investigated the effect of learners’ beliefs about learning English on their learning strategies and academic outcome. Also, Baba (in press) examined the effect of beliefs about language assessment on learning motivation and strategies. Although these studies revealed that what kind of beliefs would promote desirable English learning, it is yet under-researched how these beliefs are built through past experience (i.e., their use of soscial media). Concerning about recent prevalence of social media among the young (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 2018), and the fact that internet-communication can serve as outlets for negative heterogeneous groups attitudes (e.g., Duchscherer & Dovidio, 2016), it is necessary to consider the effect of social media on learners’ beliefs. Studies about beliefs indicated that learning experience (e.g, studying abroad, environment of high school) built and/or change beliefs (e.g., Baba, in press). Also, recent studies found that social media have positive and negative effect on its users’ beliefs (e.g., Martino, Setodji, Dunbar, Gong, & Shadel, 2018; Riles, 2018; Strandberg, Siv?n, Hall, L., Johansson, & P?rnamets, 2018). Based on these findings, it can be theorized that the process of construction of learners’ beliefs through social media is that they are built through their learning experience, are changed by learning and using language and using social media, and are reinforced through the exposure to social media. This three-step model will be useful when researchers investigate learners’ beliefs today. Specifically, there should be more research not only about what kind of beliefs learners have, but also how their beliefs are built, change and become stable through using social media.
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
What do language teachers really think about technology for teaching-purposes?
ITO, Yurika (Graduate Student, Waseda University; Hosei University Kokusai High School)
In recent years, technology has increasingly become a prominent tool used in language education in Japan. As the Japanese Ministry of Education advocates the use of technological devices, such as computers and tablet computers, for language-learning purposes, many schools in Japan have been investing heavily in them in the past decade. Merely providing language teachers with these technological devices, however, does not guarantee that they will be smoothly integrated into language-learning classrooms. Teacher-related factors, such as teachers’ personal beliefs and attitudes towards technology, previous experience with technology use, and the amount of confidence using technology, also need to be considered. Since there is currently a dearth of research investigating the attitudes and needs of language teachers and the issues that they hold when integrating technology into their classrooms, this presentation will aim to address the following research questions: 1. What are language teachers’ attitudes towards the use of different technological devices for teaching? 2. What are the incentives of using technology in class and the barriers for not? 3. How are they currently learning about technology use for teaching purposes? If they are not, are they actually motivated to do so? Language teachers teaching at a private high school in Japan were the main focus of the research. The findings obtained from questionnaires, interviews, and observations will be discussed and suggestions regarding language teacher education will be made.
Research Presentation
R7 (701)
 
30'
Practice report on Slack as a social communication platform to boost student interaction and motivation in pre-entrance English education
KONDO, Yukie (Ritsumeikan University)
Japanese universities commonly conduct pre-entrance education for prospective students, but as these students are not yet formally enrolled, motivation is a consistent challenge. Students are expected to self-motivate for several months of study after they have been accepted to the university. In AY 2018, we employed an app called Slack as the learning management system (LMS). Slack is a chat-based business communication app, self-described as “a collaboration hub for work,” on which users can exchange messages, share files, and create channels for collaboration. Students were instructed to post their assignments on the app, making their work visible to everyone in an effort to boost interaction and motivation. Specifically, students were required to keep a journal on a topic of choice. After two months, 92% of the students who continued posting assignments provided positive feedback about their learning experience; the majority found that posting assignments was “fun” and a good way to interact with future schoolmates. The student feedback also revealed that they considered the mode of communication as more like “speaking” than “writing.” The platform was functional and user-friendly for both students and faculty; students could post easily from their smartphones and did not have to worry about making mistakes thanks to the closed environment, and faculty could easily intervene to control the mode of communication. The use of emojis is one example. At first, students wrote text only, but after a teacher and a few students started using emojis, almost all the students followed suit. This accelerated the interactions and created the atmosphere of a real-time discussion. The primary drawback of our approach was that students tended to use expressions they already knew, so we recommend a combination of other types of assignments to promote more advanced learning.
Practice Report
R8 (702)
 
30'
Web Enhanced Language Learning in EFL: Web 2.0 technologies for Weblogs, Text to Speech and eBooks and audiobooks
YASUDA, Masami (ex Kwansei Gakuin University)
This paper reports on over a decade long action research of mine, in adopting various technologies for Web Enhanced Language Learning for EFL on the university level in Japan. Since an early stage of CALL that started with the mainframes, PCs and Macintosh, I have been interested in applying text to speech (TTS) technology for text-based interactive drills, such as ELIZA. When internet days came, utilizing Web 2.0 technologies and TTS, I have succeeded in the so-called Web BlogCast project for teaching writing. This report focuses on how weblogs projects were managed in and outside the classes, to discuss how much error feedbacks were given both in face to face interviews and on online comments as e-Feedback. Students from three regular and one advanced EFL classes participated in Weblog projects to help to improve writing and presentation skills. Analyses to be reported include overall quality of students’ writing, electronic feedback, class feedbacks, class evaluation and students’ revision works, with respect to linguistic characteristics, accuracy levels, and revision rates, in the hope of discussing pedagogical recommendations for a blog-based English writing environment. As the ICT trends turned to Bring Your Own Device (BYD) setting and, with the emergence of tablets, iPads and smartphones, I have succeeded in adopting e-Books, audiobooks and videos for peer to peer communicative drills. This e-Book and video project involves both texts aloud reading with human narration or TTS technology. I will discuss the rationale for the projects and syllabus designs, and the findings of students’ perceptions of the online assignments. I shall share a few successful ways that would help ease anxieties in course delivery and assessment by teachers, so that we can encourage autonomous learning on the part of learners, and possibly implement the authorship learning mode even in language teaching.
Practice Report
R9 (703)
 
100'
Aiming at improving students' English ability throughout the liberal arts education periold (II) 共通教育期間を通じた英語力の維持・向上に向けて(その2)―長期休暇中の英語学習の実態とeラーニング活用の可能性―
AOKI, Nobuyuki (Hiroshima City University)
発表者らはこれまで、学習環境、専攻、英語力などが様々に異なる大学において、同一の英語eラーニングシステムとLMSを用い、授業期間における英語eラーニングの効果的な活用について研究を進めてきた。しかし、長期休暇期間も含めて、共通教育の終わる2年終了時にしっかりとした英語力を身につけさせることができているかという点については、検討すべき点がまだ多くある。英語に限らず、外国語の力は学習し続けないと衰えることは誰もが実感として知っている。しかし、長期休暇期間も通じて、学生の英語力維持や向上について、大学が主体的に取り組んでいる例を寡聞にして知らない。本シンポジウムでは、夏季休暇中の英語学習に関して、昨年に引き続き7大学で実施したアンケート調査の結果を示しながら、長期休暇中の英語学習の実態、長期休暇期間における英語力低下の実態、長期休暇期間にeラーニングによる英語学習を活用する可能性、その際の実施方法や考えられる課題について議論する。今回は特に、長期休暇中の英語学習について、学生の自律的な学習に任せるのがよいのか、それとも大学が学習機会を提供すべきなのか、また、学生は大学による学習機会の提供を望んでいるのか、といった点を含め、これまでほとんど議論されてこなかった長期休暇期間も含めた、共通教育期間全体を通じた英語力の維持・向上と、そのための英語eラーニングのあり方について議論を深めたい。
Public Symposium
Room505
10:35
30'
Creating Successful First Year Learning in University English Classes
FUSHINO, Kumiko (Rikkyo University)
The purpose of this presentation is to report in what way a freshman English class was successful and useful as a first-year learning experience at a university in Japan. Freshman English classes play important roles that greatly affect students’ university life regardless of their majors. Yet, this importance seems to be often overlooked by many university English professors. I took data from a class, English Communication, held twice a week for 90 minutes throughout the 2018 academic year at a university in Tokyo. The class consisted of 19 students, four females and 15 males, majoring in law. Their average placement test score (TOEIC Bridge) was approximately 100. At the beginning of the first semester, most of the students in the class did not like English and had a strong fear of English communication. In the first lesson, I encouraged them to make friends with classmates and emphasized the importance of cooperation. I also explained clear academic goals. One of the goals was to become able to keep talking with a peer for six minutes. Based on cooperative learning principles, the students worked in small groups throughout the course. I used mainly English in this class. The class turned out to be a wonderful learning community. Moreover, being able to keep conversing for six minutes on the final examination gave them a great sense of accomplishment. My lesson observation and content analysis of students’ course reflection revealed that they realized the importance of cooperation with peers and became confident in their communication abilities. Every student certainly became a member of the university learning community, with friends they can trust and being equipped with study skills.
Practice Report
R1 (502)
 
30'
EFL interview training through CMC
TOYAMA, Michiko (Bunkyo University)
This study developed a conversational question set for interview simulations through CMC. The question set consisted of four subsets: (1) tell me about yourself, (2) personal view, (3) reasons to study abroad, and (4) plans. All questions in the set are commonly asked in college, study abroad or job interviews. Japanese undergraduates in two different classes of the same EFL course practiced asking and answering the conversational questions in pairs, playing the role of the interviewer or interviewee. Then each student was connected to an instructor in the Philippines on the internet so that they could practice English conversational skills for 25 minutes, simulating an interview in English. The students received the interview training through CMC for five weeks. To examine the effect of the training, self-efficacy scale for interviewee skills was devised. The scale consisted of seven items such as “I can understand common English interview questions about myself.” For each item, the students rated their perceived self-efficacy or confidence according to a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 = Does not correspond at all to 7 = Corresponds exactly. A questionnaire including scales for measuring motivation and international posture was also administered to the students. To evaluate EFL perceptive and productive skills, the scores of a listening test and a word production task containing some of the interview questions were obtained. Data were collected in a pretest-posttest design. Paired sample t-tests revealed that the students significantly improved their interviewee self-efficacy, listening test scores, and word production. These findings suggest that the training helped them enhance confidence, perceptive and productive skills. Contrary to expectations, this study did not find a significant improvement in international posture, amotivation, and identified regulation. Further work is required to fully understand the roles and effects of EFL training through CMC.
Practice Report
R2 (503)
 
30'
The Robot Teacher Came to the Reading Class: Prospects of Using a Mobile Robot in Language Instruction
YOSHIMURA, Yuki (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)
This study introduces the use of a telepresence robot in an extensive reading class. The robot we used is Double 2 that Double Robotics manufactures, which is a built-in, i-Pad-controlled robot that allows users to have a video conference with a remote function to control and move the robot anywhere they would like to. The primary difference between using an i-Pad and the teleconference robot as a video conference tool is that the robot’s user can turn its head, i.e., the camera, to see whatever s/he would like to see in the meeting space without asking on-site attendees to rotate the i-Pad. Users also have full remote control over the robot’s mobility. In a language classroom, this allows instructors to walk to a student or a group of students who need attention. We used the telepresence robot in 5 out of 12 Japanese extensive reading classes in which students are expected to read their choice of books based on their interests and proficiency. The class consists of instruction/advising time and individual reading time. During the reading time, the instructor participated in class by using the robot to walk around the classroom and help individual students when necessary. The results of the semester-end survey showed that the experience of having the robot present in class was somewhat different from having the instructor in the face-to-face environment. While half of the students were comfortable interacting with the instructor via the robot, the majority of them indicated that they still would choose face-to-face interaction with the instructor if they had the option. The presentation will describe these results as well as ways in which the robot’s use can be maximally effective in language learning.
Practice Report
R3 (601)
 
30'
How to motivate students who aren’t good at speaking and writing English to improve their skills for their presentations by the arousal of positive emotions ポジティブ感情の喚起で英語が不得意な学生のプレゼンテーション技術を伸ばせるよう動機づける方法
IKUTA, Yoshie Shirishi (Kindai University)
英語を不得意とする学生が最も苦手なものの一つに英語でのプレゼンテーションがある。その理由は主に、英語でスクリプトを書けない、うまく発音できない、という英語力に関する問題と、プレゼンテーションする内容が思いつかない、人前で話すことに慣れていない、という人前で意見を述べることに関するものである。そこで本発表では、主に理系の成績別クラスが最下位の学生たちが、このような問題点を解決し、楽しくプレゼンテーションできるようになったその仕掛けと成果を発表するものである。鍵になる理論的背景はポジティブ感情の喚起である。授業では4月から映像や英語の記事などを使って学生に文法と発音の関係に興味を持たせておいた。英語の面白い記事を訳し、自分なりの日本語で説明させたり、「好ましい感じがする」英単語を教科書から3つ選ばせ「なぜ好きか」と単語のルーツや使い方を日本語でプレゼンさせたりした。これらの発表で人前に立って話すこと、聞き手が興味を持つようなパワーポイントを工夫して作ることの重要性を経験させ、プレゼンテーションに対する心の壁を低くしていった。最後に「自分の好きなもの」について英語で話してもらった。ここでは通年を通して指導してきた文法と発音ポイントを確認させ、可能な限りリハーサルを行った。その結果、英語が苦手な、最下位クラスとは思えないほどのプレゼンテーションをする学生が多数見られた。
Practice Report
R4 (602)
 
30'
An Empirical Study on the Processing of Incongruent Collocations by Japanese EFL learners
DAVIS, Emi (Otemon Gakuin University)
This study presents the results of a computer-based experiment to compare the effectiveness of two learning methods in the processing of incongruent collocations. Seventy university students participated in the experiment, each of whom learnt via either the Word-Based Translation (WBT) or the Phrase-Based Translation (PBT) method in the learning phase. All participants took the same pre and post test in which they were asked to judge 80 collocations in terms of their legitimacy. The hypothesis behind the study was that L2 learners would access the meanings of individual component words in their L1 when they were exposed to multiword expressions because they are said to process L2 contexts on a word-for-word basis (e.g., Wray, 2002) Therefore, it was hypothesised that explicitly guiding their attention towards the translation of each component word would facilitate their learning as learners would notice the gap between the concept of collocations and the use of the component words in the light of their L1 perspective. Based on the hypothesis, the WBT method asked the participants to judge the appropriateness of the L1 translation for component words in collocations based on their intuition, whereas the PBT method provided the participants with collocations only as a phrase. A 2-way ANOVA was conducted to compare the correct answer rate (CA) and reaction times (RT) between the two tests. There was some indication that the WBT method could potentially contribute to a better distinction between correct and idiosyncratic word combinations (CA: p = .017; RT: p < .001). It was also found that the WBT method could be more effective in the teaching of adjective-noun collocations rather than verb-noun collocations. The possible reasons for the results were discussed from the phraseological point of view.
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
Fostering Self-Regulated Learning via Technology in and out of the L2 Classroom
LAGE-OTERO, Eduardo (Yale-NUS College)
In this presentation the author will discuss how language course design and in particular, the structure of various tasks and assignments can contribute to students’ self-regulated learning (Zimmerman, 1989) and their potential positive effect on L2 learning outcomes. Cleary (2018) describes self-regulated learners as motivated, strategic, and reflexive with respect to their learning. The integration and use of educational technology in language instruction, such as e-Textbooks, has the potential to foster this type of learner. It is important to consider, however, how the design of the language learning environment can contribute to students’ motivation to continue studying the language outside of the classroom and beyond. To illustrate this approach, this presentation will look at the design features of an introductory Spanish course and how it takes into consideration the way students process information (by selecting, organizing, and integrating it with what they already know (Mayer, 2004)) to help students optimize and self-regulate their learning. Zimmerman lists several self-regulated learning strategies present in successful learners: self-evaluating, organizing and transforming, goal-setting and planning, seeking information, keeping records and monitoring, to name a few. The presentation will include examples of various tasks that aim at developing this strategic thinking among successful language learners.
Practice Report
R6 (604)
 
30'
A reflective tool for Japanese student teachers’ professional development in foreign language learning and teaching
ENDO, Yukie (Showa University)
The purposes of this paper are 1) to find out how Japanese student teachers in English acquire and develop attitudes and skills essential for self-direction and self-control through reflection in foreign language learning and teaching, and 2) to attempt to develop and suggest self-assessment check-lists as a reflective tool for Japanese student teachers’ professional development in English classes. For this study, two kinds of questionnaires about micro-teaching were made: one on a 15-minute lesson by peer student teachers during micro-teaching, another for student teacher’s self-assessment after micro-teaching. The former is for peer observation (with using “A Peer Review Sheet”) and the latter is for critical reflection by the student teacher who conducted micro-teaching (with using “A Reflective Sheet”), and both play important roles for improving student teachers’ teaching skills. The student teachers are 3rd year Japanese university students and data of those 100 students is analyzed in this paper. “A Peer Review Sheet” consists of 16 questions, and “A Reflective Sheet” includes a student teacher’s prose description of what went on in the 15-minute micro-teaching and self-evaluation. Results of the analysis suggest that the information obtained through the process of reflection can be useful to help achieve a better understanding of student teacher’s assumptions about foreign language teaching, and give a valuable insight into his/her growth in experience. The paper also views studies on the characteristics of J-POSTL (Japanese Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages) and the results of questionnaires about J-POSTL responded by Japanese student teachers of English. J-POSTL comprises self-assessment check-lists, which may be regarded as a set of core competences language teachers should strive to attain. And these check-lists are expected to help student teachers periodically reflect on their overall professional competencies and thus enhance their growth as EFL teachers.
Research Presentation
R7 (701)
 
30'
Language Learning using a CALL system and a MALL system CALLとMALLシステムを活用した言語学習
YOSHIHARA, Manabu (Tokyo Keizai University)
本発表は、2017年から2018年の間で、東京の2つの私立大学で行われたCALLシステムとMALLシステムを導入した授業の実践例とmラーニングの教材を活用した授業の実践例を報告するものである。1つ目の大学では、CALL教室でCaLabo EXと呼ばれるCALLシステムを利用し、4技能を鍛える90分の授業を週に1回、1学期間行った。また、このクラスには、日々の課題としてmラーニングの教材ABLishを使用した。2つ目の大学では、英語力及び人間力を育成するための特別プログラムの中でABLishを使用し、英語力、特に会話力、読解力、聴解力に焦点を当て学習活動を行った。2学期間、学生は週2回昼休みに集まり、約30分間の活動を行った。今回、この2つのクラスで使用した教授法及び指導法、実際の授業から見えてきたCALLとMALLの持つ長所と短所、そして可能性と課題を紹介する。今後もICTの発展は続くと思われる。CALL及びMALLシステムをさらに有効に活用した英語学習を確立するために、今後さらにCALL及びMALLシステムを活用した実践を積み重ね検討していく必要があると考える。
Practice Report
R8 (702)
 
30'
Implementing a program-wide online writing fluency component in a mandatory ESP course
HASHIMOTO, Shinichi (University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo)
This presentation introduces the features of a timed online writing fluency component that has been adopted program-wide in a mandatory ESP course for third-year students at a national university of science and engineering. First, a description of the five-minute writing fluency activity is given within the framework of the ESP curriculum along with a list of writing topics. This is followed by a demonstration of the online interface for the university LMS (UEC WebClass) which students use to input their writing and some of the ways it can be customized. The presentation ends with a discussion about the type of data that can be mined from the system and how that data can then be used to inform the teaching of the instructors. Some anecdotal evidence of the benefits of this type of fluency writing activities suggests that students improve not only their writing speed, but also the speed of their ability to think in English.
Practice Report
R9 (703)
11:10
30'
Wikipedia translation in class: Fostering active and responsible use of online resources for language learning
KRISTINA, Hmeljak Sangawa (University of Ljubljana; National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (in 2019))
The growth of online resources (dictionaries, encyclopedias, grammar reference sites) and social media environments (language exchange portals and other social networks) in the last decades has brought an unprecedented opportunity to foreign language learners who live far from the environment where their target language is spoken. Learners of Japanese in Europe are also benefiting from these new opportunities, and especially students of the digital native generation rely on these resources as a normal part of their learning process. However, in my classes I observed that not all students are equally familiar with these opportunities, and that some use them passively and uncritically, without considering the reliability of the resource they are using and its suitability for the task they are performing. In order to foster a more active, critical and responsible use of online resources, and to encourage students to discover their own potential as legitimate participants in a Japanese language community and develop both their linguistic and social skills, I included a Wikipedia translation activity in a class of upper-intermediate learners of Japanese at tertiary level. Students of Japanese as a foreign language were matched with exchange students from Japan to form small groups of native and non-native speakers of Japanese, and translated Wikipedia articles about Slovenia into Japanese. Through an analysis of Wikipedia page revision histories, class observation data, questionnaires and interviews, I observed that some goals of the project were reached: students reported a clearer awareness of how Wikipedia works, improved language ability, and increased confidence in their language skills. However, they were often overwhelmed by the technical details necessary to edit Wikipedia articles, and some were demotivated by negative comments by other editors. These are problems that need to be addressed in future reiterations of this activity.
Practice Report
R1 (502)
 
30'
Preparing 2-Column Data for Phrase Reading Worksheet Builder Assisting with Google Translate
KAMIYA, Kenichi (Osaka Institute of Technology)
Google Translate is recently improving the quality of translation better and better. Now it is time to start thinking how to use it in language educational settings. One of the ideas is to use it for preparing 2-column data of Phrase Reading Worksheet Builder (PRWB), which is developed and repeatedly improved by the author himself. The data, an English (or any language) phrase and its translation into Japanese (or any other language,) are arranged side by side. On a sheet of A4 or B5 paper, we can print vertically up to 40 lines (at least 16 lines). This style of worksheet is called Phrase Reading Worksheet, or PRW. With PRWB, we can publish more than 1000 patterns of layout from one source. So far we had to translate one by one using 2-column data editor. In a recent improvement, PRWB became to be able to import from already-divided data translated. Although translation is a time-consuming and a complicated job, Google Translate could be an assistant for this step. Still there are several problems. One of them is an awkward or a wrong translation which needs to be modified. The AI-based system divides translation according to an invisible newline character, either or both of Carrige Return (CR) and Line Feed (LF) depending on OS (Operating System). For example, a pair of English sentences “This is a pen” and “This / is a pen” (in this case the slash means a newline character) are translated differently into Japanese, which means the machine translates each phrase without context. The presenter categorized some errors of short phrases by Google Translation into several groups, from passable-as-they-are to impossible to be used. This categorization may help AI translation improve the system. In the talk we will see some example phrases of English-Japanese translation.
Practice Report
R2 (503)
 
30'
“Learning for all”―Is it even possible? : Benefits and challenges in personalizing learning with flipped teaching
MATSUI, Hisae (Princeton University)
People learn at different rates and have different learning needs as Reigeluth stated (Reigeluth, 2012). A curriculum that is truly designed to maximize learning would not force the learners to move on before they had learned the current material, and it would not force faster students to wait for the rest of the class. Although it is extremely challenging to put the idea into practice in language classes, personalized flipped curriculum for a second-year Japanese class, which will be presented in this presentation, was introduced in 2016 to make the curriculum closer to an ideal one. In this curriculum, before attending class, students have the choice of watching a lecture video in Japanese, one in English, and/or reading their textbook to learn grammar points, allowing them to learn at their own pace and in their own way outside of class. Furthermore, homework, which was previously assigned uniformly, has been also revised by adding options so that the students could choose the homework in an appropriate level after receiving recommendations from the teacher. In order to verify the effectiveness of the curriculum, the following two elements were analyzed comprehensively; 1. results from the student survey, which includes five elements of “First Principles of Instruction (Merrill, 2002),” effective utilization of time, improvement level of learning, students’ satisfaction level, and the overall quality, and 2. kinds of instructional methods and homework assignments that students actually chose. Accumulated results in the past three years show that the instructional choices vary widely with different reasons. The findings also show that while this curriculum has been giving lower level students great benefits, the higher level students desire improvement with in-class activities. As a conclusion, the benefits and limitations of personalizing learning as well as the roles of in-class activities will be discussed.
Practice Report
R3 (601)
 
30'
Incorporation of L2 four skills into short movie productions―A conclusive project for the English Communication class―
NAKATA, Hitomi (Dokkyo University)
This study presents a series of procedures and results of production-based tasks utilized in an English Communication class taught in 2018 by the author. The syllabus stated that students were expected to develop their English skills through reading, listening, writing, and speaking tasks. During the year, students were engaged in tasks that included all four skills, and other skills such as vocabulary and grammar acquisition, using a textbook. However, currently, the method for learning English has broadened beyond acquiring or receiving skills into a more creative and autonomous learning style. At present, it is encouraged to interact with peers by using technology skills to produce voice and motion recordings which can be exchanged through digital networks rather than receiving only unidirectional communication from teachers. Under this premise, students were encouraged to produce original English stories in short-movie video format as their conclusive work of the year-long class. While quality varied, all groups managed to use new editing skills to incorporate subtitles, draw cartoons, and include custom soundtracks. Students demonstrated their capacity to critique each other's work during peer review. Their comments revealed empathy for their peers as well as the ability to form and express opinions. Although they still require a great deal of practice to speak and write English fluently, this study suggests that their potential for creating original work in spoken form can be reinforced further. It can also be proposed that this type of production work combines analog tasks like teamwork and speech with the mastery of digital skills that are now fundamental in modern society; this combined method enhances students’ awareness of the realities they will face after graduation.
Practice Report
R4 (602)
 
30'
Examining the contributions of using dictionaries
KOYAMA, Toshiko (Osaka Ohtani University)
YABUKOSHI, Tomoko (Nihon University)
It has long been considered necessary to use the authentic dictionary information for language learning. The advent of smartphones, however, has brought about great changes in language pedagogy. The present study is a replication study of the authors’ previous study, which attempted to clarify how Japanese college students use gadgets and apps to obtain necessary information when encountering unknown words and to explore its relationship with English test scores. 73 Japanese university students, whose English proficiency levels ranged from intermediate to false-beginners, participated in the study. They were assigned a word definition quiz composed of 15 questions with their mobile gadgets such as smartphones and electronic dictionaries. There was no time restriction during the quiz. They were later asked about what dictionaries, applications, or apps they used to complete the quiz. The analysis showed that Weblio, Google Translate, and electronic dictionaries were the top three dictionaries used by the participants. They were then divided into these three dictionary groups, and the look-up frequency, time to complete the quiz, and the English test scores (i.e., the word quiz and the cloze test) were investigated. The analyses revealed that although the electronic dictionary group consulted the dictionaries more frequently than the other two smartphone groups, there were no considerable differences in the time to complete the quiz and English test scores among the three groups. These results are consistent with the authors’ previous study, suggesting that the frequent lookups using electronic dictionaries are not likely to ensure high scores on English tests. In order to explore the factors contributing to success in the word quiz, this study further examined how students consulted dictionaries (i.e., what words they looked up and whether they found correct word definitions) in the given word quiz.
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
Using Wordpress as a Tool for Reflection and Teacher Feedback
HALL, James Meriwether (Iwate University)
TOWNSEND, Simon (Intersat)
The process of generating insights on teaching and learning in reflective practice has been criticized for relying on subjective observations. The presenter used Wordpress to develop a LS Application (LS APP) which would enable student-teachers to receive feedback on their teaching and then reflect on their class. Feedback on the LS APP consists of a combination of comments, video, or pictures and can be tagged with keywords. The rationale for developing this app was to encourage student-teachers of English as a foreign language to substantiate their insights on the teaching and learning process with concrete data. It was also hoped that student-teachers’ reflection would go beyond improving pedagogical techniques to articulating their own unique principles about the teaching and learning process as well as a rationale for their type of instruction. This kind of reflection is called critical reflection. So far, the application has been used for teaching practicums in both Japan and Thailand. In this paper, the presenter looks at the principles pre-service teachers elucidated in their post-practice ePortfolios and then, through interviews, asks the teachers to identify recorded observations in the LS APP which influenced the development of these principles. It will be argued that the LS APP was effective in providing student teachers with feedback that they could immediately put to use in ensuing lessons. The findings are not as conclusive concerning the facilitation of critical reflection. Teacher development is a longer process than just a few weeks and novice teachers’ most immediate needs are to develop techniques which will produce quick results. It is hoped that participants of this presentation will receive ideas about using technology in English teacher education as well as encouraging student-teacher reflection in general.
Research Presentation
R7 (701)
 
30'
Rethinking Foreign Language Writing Processes for Novice Writers
TSUJI, Kayo (Graduate Student, Kyoto University)
The use of first language (L1) plays an important role in a process-focused foreign language (FL) writing education as it allows students to activate their ability to think analytically. However, the debate regarding its effectiveness is still ongoing. To determine its efficacy for novice writers with an intermediate or lower level of English ability, the researcher examined how ESL/EFL learners use their L1 during second-language (L2)/FL writings, and what benefits they receive through L1 use. The presenter will first summarize the findings of previous studies that investigated learners’ L2/FL writing processes. The results suggest that the use of the L1 is indicated in the writing process between the Planning and Translating phases found in Hayes and Flower’s 1980 model. L1 activities utilized in the writing process can enable learners to visualize the detailed flow of L2/FL written texts. Second, the presenter will outline the investigative process whereby FL texts were examined to explore how L1 use contributes to the development of the content area. Two groups of participating students were compared cross-sectionally and longitudinally in a Japanese pedagogical context. Students in the treatment group were promoted to efficiently use their L1 to formulate their ideas, while the contrast group was encouraged to only use the FL. The treatment group outperformed the contrast group in terms of the logical development of ideas. The data from the study revealed that L1 use during activities in the process can allow students to clearly visualize their cognitive processes, and establish a clear argument with logical flow. The presentation will conclude by introducing suggestions for how a formulating activity in first language can be implemented in the classroom, as well as providing a newly-developed writing model for novice writers.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
13:05
60'
Analyses of JLEs’ Passive Errors: Focusing on the Sentences with Unaccusative Verbs
INABA, Eiri (Graduate Student, Aichi Prefectural University)
The present study investigated the acquisition of English passive voice by Japanese learners of English (hereafter, JLEs). It focuses on the learners’ overpassivization errors. These errors are caused by passivizing a kind of intransitive verb known as an ‘unaccusative verb’ (Perlmutter, 1978) and result in incorrectly produced sentences. The previous studies, such as Yamakawa (1994), showed that the English learners often make overpassivizing errors. Shin (2011) revealed that errors of overpassivization can be remedied as English learners’ proficiency levels increase. Ju (2000) and Kondo (2005) investigated whether the conceptualizable agent affects learners’ cognition when they choose voice in a sentence. Yamakawa (1994), by analyzing production data of translated sentences from Japanese to English, discovered that some JLEs might not accurately understand the agent-patient relationship. To examine these findings and confirm their claim, the researchers conducted a grammaticality judgment task including three types of sentences: Type A) active voice sentences with transitive verbs (correct sentences), Type B) active voice sentences with intransitive (unaccusative) verbs (correct sentences), and Type C) passive voice sentences with intransitive (unaccusative) verbs (overpassivized and incorrect sentences). The participants are 50 JLEs at a university in Japan. The central issue here is whether JLEs accept or reject the overpassivized unaccusative sentences. The results indicate that the JLEs accept Type A, but they tend to reject Type B even though those sentences are correct, and they tend to accept Type C, overpassivised sentences. The results added further evidence to the research by Yamakawa (1994) that JLEs tend to make overpassivization errors of particular verbs and contexts, and support the claim by Ju (2000) and Kondo (2005) that learners’ overpassivization errors do occurs in the sentences with intransitive (unaccusative) verbs. However, further analyses on different verbs are needed to investigate the factors causing overpassivization errors.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Developing JFL Teacher through Teaching Practice and Reflection 学部生を対象とした日本語教師養成の実践研究―模擬授業と省察―
INABA, Midori (Aichi University of Education)
本研究は、日本語教師養成に関する実践研究である。日本語教育を主専攻とする学部2年生を対象とし、日本語教授法に関する理解を深め、実践力の基礎を養成するため、外国語教授法を応用した模擬授業を課題とした授業を実施した。ここでは、授業後に行った学生の省察(調査)の結果を分析し、本実践の教育的効果を検証する。授業は以下の手順で進めた。様々な外国語教授法(文法訳読法、直接法、オーディオリンガル、サジェストペディア、コミュニカティブアプローチ等)の一つについて各グループで調べ、その教授法を用いて日本語の模擬授業を行った。そして、当該の教授法の特色、短所、長所、日本語教育への応用可能性等をクラスで討論した。参観者は模擬授業に対してフィードバックを行った。授業を総括して、各自省察を行った。省察の主な内容は、1)外国語教授法の理解は促進されたか、2)模擬授業の方法は適切であったか、3)模擬授業の実践や観察から何を学んだか、4)フィードバックから何を学んだか等に関する5件法の設問である。学生の回答を分析した結果、当該の教授法を日本語教育に応用する際に難しい点があること、学習レベル・環境、ネイティブ、ノンネイティブ等、教師の資質によっては向き不向きがある教授法があることが分かった、及び、批判的な意見から気づくことが多かった等の教育的効果が見られた。発表では参加者と意見を交換する。
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Phonetic Symbols in English Dictionaries for English-Learners in Japan
KOCHIYAMA, Mari (Kansai University of International Studies)
ARIMOTO, Jun (Kansai University of International Studies)
Dictionaries are essential for language-learners. In Japan we have many English dictionaries which can be classified by learners’ proficiency levels; introductory, pre-intermediate, intermediate, and advanced. Introductory level means mainly children of elementary school or junior high school. Pre-intermediate level is for junior and senior high school students. Intermediate is for senior-high school students preparing for university entrance examinations. Advanced is for university students, office workers or professionals. In English dictionaries pronunciation is usually described by International Phonetic Alphabets (IPA). Some dictionaries especially for beginners also use kana letters, or Japanese syllabaries. However, these symbols are slightly changed and each dictionary has its own rules to show pronunciation. For example, the vowel in “book” are shown like /u/, /U /, /ウ/. The vowel in “air” is written as /ε?r/, /e?r/, /エア/, /エア(〜)/ , etc. The differences are found not only in the dictionaries of the same series but in the different editions in the same dictionary. Kana seems to be easy to understand for Japanese, but kana used for pronunciation is different from orthography and it sometimes causes misunderstandings of English sounds. In a dictionary “lead” is described as /リード/ and “read” is /ゥリード/, in another dictionary “lead” is /りード/ , and “read” is /リード/. How can students know the differences between /り/and /リ/? This is the problem to show pronunciation by kana. In the poster, we will show these differences and problems for learners in English dictionaries. We also mention electric dictionaries, dictionaries on the Internet, and other language dictionaries published in Japan.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Introduction of significant and applicable aspects in educational settings in Denmark
SEKINE, Hannah (Graduate Student, Waseda University)
FUJISHIRO, Haruka (Waseda Univeristy) HOZAKI, Norio (Waseda Univeristy)
This report introduces a series of Danish school events and advocates several significant aspects of the comprehensive Danish education, some of which could be reasonably applicable to educational settings in Japan. The first fundamental concept to be applied is democracy or democratic dialogues in educational activities in Danish school. Many schools in Denmark implement democratic school events and educational activities, such as “democracy meeting,” in which all students have dialogues with other students and teachers once a week. Students have the right and responsibility to decide agendas for discussion and methods to solve and improve various school issues. Participating in these activities, students learn the ways to express their own opinions and criticize other’s opinions properly. Another important concept would be an active and teacher-learner-centered aspect. Active learning is advocated anywhere in education as well as Japan. The intriguing aspect exemplified in Danish class is teachers legitimately and democratically participate in educational activities as not teachers but participants. Another interesting aspect in instructional activities is students are not evaluated or graded for something they performed, but is appreciated by community members including teachers. This aspect should be more or less applied to Japanese class. What are highly competitive class activities in Japan for? This presentation includes introduction of several educational activities themselves as well as photos, and intends to raise important questions and hunches for discussion.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
On the Assessment of Reading and Writing in Elementary School English Teaching
YAMAUCHI, Yuka (Hiroshima Bunka Gakuen University)
YANAGI, Yoshikazu (Nagoya Gakuin University) TAKAHASHI, Miyuki (Aichi University of Education)
This study discusses and proposes some approaches for assessing elementary school children’s reading and writing abilities. The foreign language reading and writing instruction will first be included in the elementary school curriculum in 2020; however an appropriate perspective and methodology for assessment has not been fully discussed and prepared. The present study reviews literature on language testing and pedagogical assessment and shows an assessment framework for summative evaluation that matches the Japanese elementary school curriculum. The existing elementary school level English tests which have been provided by various testing service companies are not based on the elementary school curriculum. We analyze the language activities and tasks provided in two commonly used English materials for elementary schools in Japan, Let’s Try! and We Can!. For reading assessment, the proposed foci are (a) recognizing alphabet letters and (b) reading basic words and phrases. For the writing assessment, (a) writing alphabet letters, (b) writing basic words and phrases, and (c) writing basic sentences using examples. In all the question patterns or formats, there must be some clues to answers: Children might listen to the alphabet or English words, see pictures, or read their first language (Japanese). We propose the question and answer format based on the commonly used materials in elementary schools, which encourages practitioners to have clearer images towards assessment of children’s reading and writing abilities. In this study, we focus only on paper-and-pencil tests for the summative evaluation as the first step to assessing elementary school children’s English reading and writing abilities. There should be more discussion to establish criteria and standards for performance tests.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
“Small talk” as a tool for improving speaking ability by using a flipped classroom teaching method
OTSUKA, Tomomi (Osaka Jogakuin College)
IMAI, Yumiko (Doshisha Women’s College) WAKAMOTO, Natsumi (Doshisha Women’s College)
The purpose of this study is to improve learners’ speaking ability under an EFL setting like that in Japan. Though learning opportunities for EFL students are often limited within the classroom, we introduced a “flipped classroom” to increase their learning time. The participants were 26 female university students who are majoring in English and were in a teacher training course in 2018. They were divided into two groups: one focusing on oral reflection (OR), and the other on written reflection (WR). In a weekly classroom activity, students present a two-minute “small talk” in front of group members, and after class, within a week, they need to submit a reflection of their own talk or another classmates’ talk through the educational learning cloud. In-class talks were recorded every time, and they could access it and listen to their talk any time. OR students needed to submit oral reports by summarizing their own talk and questions that they get in class within two minutes. WR students needed to submit written reports by summarizing two other classmates’ talks in about 100 words each. When they prepare for their talk, topics could be chosen from their interests, and they needed to include five words from the assigned vocabulary list. As pre- and post-tests, students took both a computer-based speaking test (OPIc) and a Vocabulary Levels Test, and they also answered a survey related to their self-efficacy. A two-way ANOVAs was conducted for the phase (pre- and post-tests) and treatments (OR and WR), and the result of the OPIc showed statistically significant improvement for the phase, though the difference between the treatments was not significant. In addition, there was no significant difference in VLT scores. From our study, a certain improvement in speaking was found, and learners could take advantage of the “small talk” project.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
The Effects of Verbal and Acoustic Short-Term Memory on Japanese EFL Learners’ Sound Recognition Skills
KONDO, Akiko (Hyogo University of Teacher Education)
Phonological short-term memory can explain individual differences in second language (L2) listening skills, because the ability to temporarily hold aural information is indispensable for listening comprehension. However, the relationship between phonological short-term memory and L2 listening skills has received relatively less attention from researchers, and the results of the studies that do address this topic have been inconclusive. Thus, this study investigates the degree to which phonological short-term memory contributes to L2 listening skills. Significantly, it examines not only verbal aspects but also acoustic aspects of phonological short-term memory capacity. The participants of this study were 223 Japanese learners of English as a foreign language. The participants’ verbal short-term memory was measured using the Forward Digit Span Test and the Non-Word Repetition Test, both of which are based on the participants’ first language, while their acoustic short-term memory was measured using the Tonal Memory Span Test and the Rhythm Memory Span Test. Their L2 listening skills were measured by the English Listening Dictation Test. The results of the regression analyses indicate that both verbal and acoustic short-term memory measured by the tests significantly contributed to listeners’ sound recognition skills.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Relationship Between Learners’ Beliefs and Learning Strategies Regarding Chinese as a Second Language and English as a Foreign Language: A Case at Shanghai Japanese High School
SEKITANI, Koki (Hiroshima Jogakuin University)
This study had two purposes: (1) to compare Shanghai Japanese High School students’ beliefs about Chinese as a second language (CSL) learning with their beliefs about English as a foreign language (EFL) learning, as well as to compare their use of learning strategies for both languages, and (2) to identify the factors determining the learning strategies used in foreign language learning. A total of 104 students (38 first-year students, 39 second-year students, and 27 third-year students) participated in a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire consisted of questions about the school year, length of stay in China, learners’ beliefs about CSL and EFL learning, and the learning strategies used for each language. The results of a two-way mixed-design multivariate analysis of variance and multiple regression analyses suggest that, although high school students following the Japanese curriculum in a non-English speaking country shows stronger beliefs and more frequent use of strategies for EFL learning than for CSL learning, living experience in the country and formation of beliefs based on such experience would work as a transfer to the use of strategies for EFL learning. In an educational context, this implies that, even when a foreign language (e.g., EFL) is the target language for improvement, a stay program in non-English speaking countries, such as many Asian countries, could be suggested as an option for English language learning. It is hoped that longitudinal studies will be conducted taking into consideration students’ changes in their beliefs and strategy use over time to test and reinforce the validity of these results.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Preliminary Development of an Evaluation Method for Learners’ English Knowledge Utilization While Speaking
NAKAYA, Kae (The University of Tokyo)
HIROKAWA, Sachio (Kyushu University) ONO, Yuichi (University of Tsukuba) MUROTA, Masao (Tokyo Institute of Technology)
In order to support language learning, it is equally important to develop learning methods and evaluate learners’ performance. One problem for intermediate learners of English as a Foreign Language who already have a basic knowledge of the language is that they cannot utilize their English knowledge more effectively and smoothly while speaking, although they can read or listen to English texts to some extent. The skills required for such utilization are related to “strategic competence”, which includes the skills of approximation or circumlocution for enhancing the effectiveness of communication. In approaching this issue some studies have proposed teaching or learning methods for improving strategic competence (e.g. Nakatani, 2010; Kongsom, 2016). However, in most studies, examiners only evaluated learners’ performance qualitatively in terms of strategic competence. In order to support the skills more effectively, it is necessary to identify obvious characteristics of learners’ speech to classify performance levels on the basis of spoken data. This research’s final goal is to propose a method for evaluating skills of utilizing their English knowledge effectively while speaking. In this method, we chose some specific contents, and prepared English words and phrases of various difficulty levels for expressing each content. After that we asked learners to speak the contents in English, and evaluated their performance based on the types of words or phrases they used. To clarify characteristic words or phrases for classifying performance levels, we used the support vector machine method. As a preliminary experiment, we applied this method to data from a speaking task in a classroom and compared the result with the evaluation by experts. The comparison showed some tendencies in learners’ spoken expressions, for example, learners tried to express content more effectively by adding some phrases. Furthermore, some improvements to the method are also discussed.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Learner Cognition and Orchestration of Strategies in Tandem Language Learning
MUKAE , Haruka (Graduate Student, Waseda University)
MORIYA, Ryo (Graduate Student, Waseda University)
Tandem language learning, defined as one of the learning methods where two people with different L1 work together to learn from each other (Brammerts, 1995, 2001), is referred to as effective strategy training (Otto, 2003), enabling learners to become autonomous (Little, 2003). Although L2 learners inevitably utilize their strategies to interact with the Tandem partner as well as the context during sessions, many studies tended to focus on frequency of strategy use, not optimal use of strategies (Mizumoto, 2018). Moreover, to understand learners’ orchestration of strategies in a particular context, it necessitates what they know, think, and believe (i.e., learner cognition) as well because, from sociocultural perspectives (c.f., Douglas Fir Group, 2016), learners themselves can be one of the indispensable constituents of Tandem learning. Therefore, to address these issues, this exploratory single case study investigates how learners’ cognition and orchestration of strategies are intertwined each other in Tandem learning. A pair of different L2 learners (i.e., Japanese and English) participated in a Tandem session. The session was video-recorded and lasted about 60 minutes. After the session, retrospective semi-structured interview (i.e., about 30 minutes for a person) was conducted with the aim to understand the participants and to contextualize the session for data triangulation (see Denzin & Lincoln, 1994). To analyze their cognition, we applied thematic analysis with no pre-determined framework (see Braun & Clarke, 2006), and microgenetic analysis (c.f., Guti?rrez, 2008) for orchestration of strategies. By showing multiple data sources, some findings specifically focusing on ongoing strategy use in Tandem and changes of their use are to be shared, and this study concludes by discussing some potentials of Tandem learning to foster learner autonomy within and beyond the classroom.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Karaoke Use for English Phonetic Training and Motivation
YUBUNE, Eiichi (Toyo University)
INOUE, Takashi (Big Apple Company) HAMAYA, Munehito (DAIICHIKOSHO CO., LTD.)
Authors have found through our series of practices and experiments so far that Japanese katakana is not suitable for representing sound of English single words and that it is rather effective in transcribing English formulaic expressions or chunk expressions and thus it is useful in English phonetic training for Japanese learners. We then started to apply this findings to lyrics for English Karaoke made and distributed by the leading karaoke company, Daiichi Kosho, in 2016. We also introduced karaoke system devices to English education curriculum at college and high school level. Once in a school year, we hold a school-wide English Karaoke Competition as one of the accomplishments of phonetic and singing training through the academic year. In 2018, we conducted an experiment to verify the effect of singing English Karaoke repeatedly using our katakana system developed particularly for singing and enjoying English Karaoke songs. The result demonstrates that 86% of the participants who practiced singing the assigned English song five times outperformed the first recording before practicing in six different norms of phonetic elements we tested with the help of four English native speakers who all hold TESOL degree. At our poster presentation, we are going to report our efforts so far in Karaoke use in English Education settings particularly for phonetic training and motivation of learning English.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Redesign and rethink SALC to facilitate learners’ autonomy from a behavioral point of view 行動経済学を用いたSelf-Access Centerの利用活性化の実践
KATO, Tetsuo (Chubu University)
従来の経済学では人間は合理的な行動をし、損をしない行動をとると考えられていた。しかし実際には人間は情報や感情に流されて動き、合理的ではない行動もする。ノーベル経済学賞を受賞したリチャード・セイラー教授は心理学を応用した行動経済学では経済学に人間らしさを取り入れた。イギリスのBITナッジユニットを始め、国内外で行動経済学を用いた人の行動を変える仕掛けが近年次々と成功している。本発表では、語学を生涯教育・生涯学習と位置づけ、学習年限を大学での4年間と制限しない見地から学習である学生を見たときに、大学がどのように学生の成長を支援することができるかについて、発表者の実践から得られた知見を共有する。行動経済学を用いることで学習者を取り巻くステークホルダーに大きな変化をもたらすことができることをSALCでの実践例から学習者にとっての語学を自律学習、生涯学習へと導くアイデアを共有したい。
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
14:10
60'
Learning Analytics for the Future
YAMANA, Hayato (Waseda University, Japan)
In this talk, I will introduce latest learning analytics techniques, including mother tongue detection, automatic process-analysis of problem solving, and dropout prediction in MOOCs. The first analytics is mother tongue detection from written documents. Our proposed mother tongue detection method for English and Chinese written documents achieves accuracy of 77%. When the testee becomes almost equal to native English or Chinese language writer, the detection of mother tongue becomes difficult as you can easily understand. This means we are able to adopt a mother tongue detection technique as one of the features to analyze how the testee can write fluent English or Chinese. The second analytics is related to process-analysis of problem solving. In this analysis, our team analyzed online handwritten strokes gathered by a digital pen when a testee is solving geometric problems in Math and long-term reading comprehension problems of the Japanese language. By analyzing the strokes, many things could become understandable, which includes whether the testee solved the problem with intuition or not, and what kind of theory the testee used. Finally, our current status of dropout prediction in MOOCs is presented. In MOOCs, usually over 90% of participants drop the course during several weeks so that how to detect such candidates is indispensable to increase courses’ pass ratio. Theses analytical results will have possibility to advance our future learning methods.
Keynote Speech
Auditorium 505
15:40
30'
Built for Change: Designing Sustainable Physical Language Learning Spaces in the Digital Age
KRONENBERG, Felix (Michigan State University)
If the past is any guide, technological innovation is hard to predict. We can assume that it will occur at an ever faster pace. How can we design physical language learning spaces in a flexible and sustainable way without knowing the specific nature of technological and pedagogical innovations? Various design approaches and best practices from the United States and Europe will be presented as possible solutions. The presentation will be illustrated through numerous examples of recent language learning space designs.
IALLT Selections
Room501
 
30'
Integrating Kahoot into EMI Classroom to Enhance Student Motivation & Concentration
SUGIMOTO, Sayaka (Waseda University)
Over the last decade, there has been a rapid increase in the number of universities offering English Medium Instruction (EMI) classes in non-English speaking countries including Japan. Despite its popularity and wide-spread implementation, little is known about the effective methods of delivery of course content. For instance, what technologies would assist the effective implementation of EMI is unknown. This presentation reports on the process and results of implementing Kahoot in EMI classes offered at the Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, between 2017-2019. First, the presentation briefly summarizes the challenges that students and instructors commonly face in EMI classes based on EMI literature and my own teaching experiences. Next, this presentation explains why Kahoot was selected and implemented into her EMI classes. Then, the detail of the EMI classes and the process of implementation are explained. Here the presenter explains how she managed a set of challenges that emerged during the implementation. Finally, this presentation reports on the results of student evaluation. Here the presenter discusses what areas require further improvement and how the use of Kahoot could be adjusted to the needs that are unique to various educational settings. The presentation will end with a conclusion that Kahoot turned out to be a popular and effective tool for enhancing student engagement, motivation, and concentration. It has strong potential to assist the effective implementation of EMI in various subject areas. Future research would benefit from quantitative analysis of benefits that were observed in the present study.
Practice Report
R2 (503)
 
30'
Flipped teaching using ICT in a test preparation class
KITO, Kazuya (Josai University)
This study investigates the use of the online learning as a tool to review and prepare for a test preparation class. The use of ICT in classrooms and outside of classrooms have been studied extensively in recent years. Research conducted by Kito and Kitamura (2015), online conversation through Skype was investigated. Research findings using factor analysis suggests that the college students who actually used online conversation reported positive results although some were afraid of using technology. In the follow-up research done by Kito (2016), students who used the online conversation scored higher on the test. Kito reports that there was a significant difference in the scores for non-user (M=2.5, SD=2.9) and online conversation user (M=9.8, SD=1.93) conditions; t(19)=-6.59, p<.001. However, not every university has the luxury of using online conversation service. Another problem is that students are intimidated by talking to a stranger on services such as Skype. Therefore, this study uses another service called Cloud Campus. The merit of using this system is the ease of use for teachers and as well as students. Preparation of using ICT can be a burden for teachers who are conducting the class. Another problem raised often is how efficient is it compared to a class without ICT? The third point is will the students continue to use the service? The findings suggests that students do not particularly use the service if they are left to freely use the system. The solution was to combine a quiz of what they learned in class, a review video, and forecast video of what to expect in the next class. By combining the three sets of tasks, their scores on final exam improved. These tasks managed to keep students engaged in English inside and outside of classroom.
Research Presentation
R3 (601)
 
30'
Developing English Conversation Lessons based on Google Assistant and Dialogflow
CHEN, Hao-jan Howard (National Taiwan Normal University)
Oral communicative skills are important for second language learners. However, it is difficult for ESL/EFL learners to develop good oral communicative skills since few native speakers and fluent NNS speakers are available. Although the needs for technology support are strong, very few CALL tools are available. More recently, Google Assistant has attracted much attention. It is an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant developed by Google that is primarily available on mobile and smart home devices. Unlike the company’s previous virtual assistant, the newer Google Assistant can engage in two-way conversations. Based on the powerful technology, some companies have begun to develop interesting language lessons by using Google Assistant’s actions. Actions on Google is a platform allowing developers to create software applications known as “actions” that can extend the functionality of the Google Assistant. One type of actions called conversation actions is particularly useful for language learners. These interactive conversation actions can be created based on the Dialogflow tools. For example, a user can use “Talk to My Language Coach”, he/she can practice English through natural conversational interactions by using a cellphone or a smart speaker. Although these prototypes were useful, so far few lessons were developed to allow ESL/EFL learners to learn English. In this study, we developed several English conversation lessons based on the Dialogflow platform. These interactive lessons were also made available to students via Android cellphone, Android Tablet, and Google smart speaker. Three groups of students were invited to test these programs. Many students indicated they liked these lessons, and they also liked the idea of interacting in the simulated conversations. However, students also pointed out that sometimes the options in some dialogues are too limited and they would expect more possible answers. In future studies, formal experiments will be conducted to assess learners’ gains in oral skills.
Research Presentation
R4 (602)
 
30'
Developing an affective wordlist to investigate the effect of emotional context on foreign language vocabulary acquisition 文脈の情動性と外国語語彙学習の研究のための情動性語彙リストの作成
KANAZAWA, Yu (Kwansei Gakuin University)
意味精緻化において情動的情報を参照することによって記憶成績が向上するという実証研究や理論は、認知心理学のみではなく(豊田, 2016)、第二言語習得においても近年広く見られる(Schutze, 2017)。情動関与処理仮説(金澤, 2018)の文言を借りると、“意味的情報のみならず情動的情報に認知資源を割いて「考えた上で感じる」ことを促進するような情動関与処理の方が、ただ単語について「考える」ことを内容とした意味処理に比べて、より記憶に残りやすく学習効果が上がる”ことが既に示されている。しかし、先行研究の問題点として、脱文脈的に提示された単語の学習という実験パラダイムを採ったものが殆どで、文脈の効果が十分に検討されていないことが挙げられる。文脈の情動性と外国語語彙学習についての一連のプロジェクト研究の一環である本発表では、同じ語彙項目の学習であっても文脈の情動性の違いによってどのように学習方法や成果が異なりうるかを例示するとともに、実験的検証と教育的応用のために不可欠である外国語情動性語彙リストの作成の方法と成果について説明する。具体的には、新学術語彙リスト(Browne et al., 2013)の項目を基に、電子質問紙やコーパスの手段で、文脈や単語の情動性や頻度・親密度のデータが収集された。項目毎に集計された記述統計とともに、語彙属性間の相関関係についての探索的分析結果が説明される。
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
How do students’ emotions and a teacher’s language choice affect their English proficiency improvement?
INADA, Takako (Japan University of Health Sciences)
Regarding research that focuses on the progress of the English proficiency level of students, Saito, Dewaele, Abe and In’nami (2018) report that foreign language enjoyment (FLE) could be predicted by the amount of practice and L2 development within 3 months. This study adopts a longitudinal perspective to investigate the relationships between students’ English proficiency improvement, a teacher’s language choice, and students’ FLE/foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA). A total of 90 EFL students at a Japanese university filled in the same FLE/FLCA questionnaire twice: at the start (Time 1) and at the end (Time 2) of one semester. Thirty-one students (EE group) had English-only instruction while the remaining 59 students (EJ group) had classes with some legitimate Japanese support by the same teacher. Multiple linear regression analysis (stepwise) was calculated to predict the change of each student’s score from midterm to final exam (a dependent variable) based on the following six independent variables: 1) the teacher’s language choice; 2) each student’s level on FLE (10 items) at Time 1; 3) each student’s level on FLE (10 items) at Time 2; 4) each student’s level on FLCA (8 items) at Time 1; 5) each student’s level on FLCA (8 items) at Time 2; and 6) each student’s original English proficiency level (TOEIC score as a placement test before class). The result showed that the multiple linear regression equation of the students’ English proficiency improvement is -2.627 + 0.086 × the score of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) at Time 1 (measured as a five-point Likert scale). It could be predicted that students who enjoyed the earlier lessons increased their English proficiency. Considering all these analyses, implications are proposed for teachers to make better classes.
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
Group eTandem using asynchronous videos: A case study with a focus on foreign language anxiety among Japanese EFL learners
YAMAUCHI, Mari (Chiba University of Commerce)
To be more proficient in a foreign language, learners need to use it in meaningful interaction, often having to push themselves out of their comfort zone, when they feel their proficiency is not good enough yet. However, having meaningful interactions using less proficient language can be quite intimidating and often cause foreign language anxiety (Yahima 2004). This is particularly the case with Japanese university students the presenter has taught: they tend to feel too afraid or anxious to try and take advantage of available opportunities to have conversations in English, which they say would be the best way of practicing the language. This presentation reports on a class-to-class eTandem project between the U.S. and Japan using asynchronous bilingual videos, with a focus on the Japanese participants. It discusses how this video-based telecolalborative project was designed to help alleviate foreign language anxiety, whether it worked as intended, and what benefits the participants gained from being pushed out of their comfort zone to have authentic interactions with English native speakers. Key features of the project include (a) asynchronous interaction, (b) interactions within each mixed group of 5-7 students, (c) video creation in local groups of 3-4, (d) talking in both languages in each video (e) text-based interactions initiated by the posted video (f) use of a Facebook group as the platform. Considerations behind choosing these features will be explained in the presentation. Based on the pre- and post- surveys, the post-project assignments, and the student performance observed in their work (created videos and posted comments), it can be argued that those features mentioned above worked successfully to help reduce the participants’ foreign language anxiety, and reduced anxiety led to more active engagement, which had a positive impact on their L2 competence, language learning motivation, and cultural awareness.
Practice Report
R8 (702)
 
30'
Is cooperative learning prevalent in TEFL?
MIYASAKO, Nobuyoshi (University of Teacher Education Fukuoka)
Active learning (AL) has recently been a buzzword in many fields including ELT at every educational stage in Japan. This leaning should be based on cooperative learning (CL) principles (Johnson, et al., 2006; Sugie, 2016), which was partially confirmed in the analysis of well-known AL practice in ELT in Japan (Miyasako, 2018). As a matter of fact, CL has a lot to do with ELT as represented in Kagan’s remark “Cooperative learning and the ESL classroom - a natural marriage” (1995, p. 5). It shares teaching techniques using pair and group work with communicative language teaching and task-based language teaching. However, CL has rarely been referred to in ELT in Japan. Is CL in ELT common in other countries, particularly in EFL contexts similar to this country? Is it effective in improving English proficiency? If so, which skills? This presentation tries to answer these questions. For this purpose, an ERIC search was conducted, where the searching words and conditions were “cooperative learning, EFL”, “peer reviewed only”, “full text available on ERIC”, and “since 2010”. Out of 112 studies available, the top 50 were examined concerning the nations, educational stages, learning skills, treatment and effects. Results obtained were: (a) the studies covered 18 countries; (b) the most researched stages were universities (26) and language institutions (9); (c) a variety of skills such as writing (7) and reading (5) were examined as well as overall English instruction (10); and (d) 26 out of the 50 studies showed positive effects of CL, 13 of which were statistically significant, in the improvement of the English skills and proficiency. At the presentation, these results are interpreted and discussed to answer the aforementioned questions. Also, implications are provided for the introduction of CL in ELT to Japan.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
16:15
30'
Reimagining the Language Center: Radical Change and Foundational Impact
ANDREW, Ross (Harvard University)
In this presentation, I will contextualize the shift in focus to online courses at ASU, outline the move toward a compressed course schedule and its challenges, and discuss the increasing centrality of the language center to the development and delivery of language and culture instruction at all levels, in all contexts. I will offer an overview of the strategies and practices that LSS uses to support online faculty and students, including the employment of orientation modules for online language learners, the involvement of graduate students in a CALL certificate program as researchers focused on online language learning. I will also describe the shift from a competitive instructional design landscape at ASU to a cooperative one, and situate SILC’s and LSS’s position within this space. In conclusion, I will suggest that rather than decentralizing the place of the language center, online instruction offers opportunities to recast themselves and to extend their influence across intra-institutional boundaries in support of the university’s globalization efforts.
IALLT Selections
Room501
 
30'
The impact of contextualization on reading comprehension depth: Analyses of basic and low-intermediate learners’ language and perspectives
SUZUKI, Hiroko (Tokai University)
COLLINS, Peter J. (Tokai University)
Tertiary English language programs in Japan are expected to nurture English for Academic Purposes (EAP) by helping students draw on their own linguistic knowledge and skills for their academic and professional careers. How this is to be achieved, however, is dependent on a range of practical considerations. The current study focuses on first- and second-year students in required English reading-writing courses, featuring scaffolding in the form of EAP activities. The students’ primary challenge was their fundamental lack of linguistic knowledge and vocabulary, in order to communicate about social or scientific issues. Student survey responses revealed that their language learning experiences at high school had been limited to textbook reading passage comprehension. Unless the students deepened their understanding through productive activities such as discussion, presentation, and report writing, they wouldn’t reach the “reflecting and assessing” level of the PISA reading literacy criteria. This presentation will demonstrate how the students’ comprehension evolved. The course was designed to overcome the above challenges as well as situate target language. EAP reading process was traced by applying the reading models (ex. Kintsch, 1988) and activities set based on Bloom’s revised taxonomy. Student pre- and post-survey responses were analyzed to ascertain student perspectives on English language learning, and their writing outcomes examined to detect how their productive understanding of the reading texts had developed. These outcomes reveal that students’ background knowledge and the basic reading skills built during the course supported them in their efforts to effectively contextualize text content, transform their own meanings and intentions, and converge their own writing with language from the texts. Students’ language form deficiencies did tend to undermine their efforts to express complex meanings, but their writing demonstrates how the contextualizing process grounds the language that learners are exposed to.
Research Presentation
R1 (502)
 
30'
A hope list of re-evaluating parameters and actual problems to solve in EMI-based “media production studies” class
HOZAKI, Norio (Waseda University)
FUJISHIRO, Haruka (Waseda University) SEKINE, Hannah (Waseda University) SAITO, Takae (Kokusai Iryo Fukushi University)
This practical report, by introducing an EMI class, intends to clarify what is to be re-evaluated elaborately in the class, “Media Production Studies” offered at Waseda University. What is learned and acquired in this MPS class with the content of video production is introduced with obtained data, normative and summative. This one-semester long class of MPS is made up of three UNITs. UNIT 1 introduces film theories and visual theories for 5 weeks. The students are given a quiz at the beginning of each class session based on the reading assignment to check students’ comprehension. In UNIT 2, five groups of 4-5 students each are formed and worked on fundamental video production based on what was learned in UNIT 1. “Revision in video production” is the key concept to better and deeper understanding of the concept of the given title. The video products are presented in class and discussed with peers, including the teacher and teaching assistants toward the presentation of the revised work in the following week. UNIT 3 for five weeks is the term of Final Video Project with a revisional work included. The compiled data show students basically enjoyed video production and, at the same time, had inevitable conflict of how to represent the conceptual idea negotiated among group members with different ideas and schemes on the same key concept for representation. More statistical data and students’ comments will be introduced at the site of presentation. Along with stats and free writings by the students, a probable new EMI class, mainly focusing on enhancing presentation skills and manners with effective use of visual media, will be proposed in this report.
Practice Report
R2 (503)
 
30'
Digital Games to Enhance Communicative Skills in French: An Example
RAUBER, Laurent (Keio University)
Games and learning are strongly related: games develop children’s cognitive skills and socialization; “learning strategy” (a kind of game) or “fun” are key to students’ progress. Then, how can we make an effective use of the funny and popular videogames in language learning classes, especially for the progress in communicative skills? We would like to introduce the way we are using digital games as a French communication classes’ constitutive part. First, we will explain our theoretical attitude relatively to the expectations and the effective use of digital games in French courses. The practice of videogames is said to develop cognitive skills, but “motor coordination” and “spatial vision” are of no use in French proficiency tests or interviews. “Hypothesis formation” seems already much more useful when learning a language; “communicative cooperation” and “meaning negotiation” are essential. Digital games also offer a valuable “experience”, on the personal and social levels to the user. But games are not and cannot be a substitute for traditional classes or activities. Thus, they must be adapted and integrated in the learning contents, as an additional tool. Lastly, we will illustrate our theoretical remarks with an example of a simple digital game we created using PPT for this purpose.
Practice Report
R3 (601)
 
30'
Managing learning opportunity and motivation in interaction: Teacher’s sequential practice in post-performance feedback in EFL classrooms
OKADA, Yusuke (Osaka University)
Although feedback is essential in language classes, there are few studies on oral feedback from teachers to students after speaking tasks, such as presentations or discussions. Since speaking tasks are widely employed in language classes, it is necessary to elucidate an effective way to provide a post-performance feedback that promotes learning and to understand what kind of feedback practice would motivate or demotivate students, as feedback often involves dispreferred social actions (e.g., criticism or complaint) that may be regarded as face-threatening acts. Aiming to suggest a pedagogically valuable post-performance feedback practice, this study closely examines the actual instances of language teachers’ post-performance feedback activities from a conversation analytic perspective. The microanalysis of 133 post-performance feedback audio/video-recorded at 11 EFL classrooms at Japanese universities indicates that the teacher’s first pair-part action design in the feedback activity is paramount to manage students’ learning and motivation. The first pair-part action as information-giving makes relevant only a ‘claim of understanding’ as a second pair-part action. Moreover, since such one-way information-giving can be regarded as a complaint, students may begin to apologize for their mistakes and their face is threatened, causing demotivation. Conversely, the teacher’s first pair-part action demanding from students the correction of previous errors makes relevant a ‘demonstration of understanding’ and thus provides interactional learning opportunities. In addition, this first pair-part allows the teacher to use the third position to motivate students by giving positive feedback to demonstrations and/or minimize the negative impact of corrections by reassessing the errors’ seriousness. What differentiates the teacher’s first pair-part design is also discussed.
Research Presentation
R4 (602)
 
30'
Incidental vocabulary acquisition through computer-assisted extensive listening
SUZUKI, Satoko (Ibaraki University)
Computer-assisted extensive listening (EL), in which students listen to large amount of materials from internet websites appropriate for their listening proficiency and interests, potentially leads to the incidental acquisition of aural vocabulary. This kind of autonomous learning can be successful provided that students have acquired aspects of the English sound system such as rhythm, stress, and intonation. For this reason, motivation toward acquiring pronunciation can affect vocabulary learning. This study explored whether computer-assisted EL affects the acquisition of aural vocabulary after controlling for motivation to acquire pronunciation, and if so, whether there are differences between EL only at home and EL both at home and in the classroom. A total of 41 Japanese university students who engaged in EL at home participated in this study; 18 students in an experimental group received EL-based speaking tasks and 23 students in a control group received picture description tasks in the classroom. Students took Learner Attitudes and Motivations for Pronunciation Inventory (LAMP) as well as 2000 and 3000 word-frequency levels of Listening Vocabulary Levels Test before and after the 5 classes of the experiment. To investigate the acquisition of aural knowledge of words at the 2,000 word level, a two-way repeated-measures ANCOVA was run. The results showed a significant time effect, F(1, 34) = 7.15, p < .02, and a significant time x LAMP interaction effect, F(1, 34) = 5.32, p < .03, however, no significant time x group interaction was found. No significant differences were found for the acquisition of words at the 3000 word-frequency level. These results revealed that EL helped the learners improve their aural vocabulary knowledge at the 2000 word-frequency level after controlling for the students’ pronunciation motivation. Thus, EL contributes to students’ acquisition of aural vocabulary when they are interested in improving pronunciation.
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
University Students’ International Posture and Motivational Intensity
HIROSE, Koji (Tokyo University of Agriculture)
International posture (IP) is an important theoretical construct emerging from the Japanese context. IP is hypothesized to influence motivation which leads to greater confidence and a raised Willingness to Communicate. In the present study, IP was comprised of intergroup approach tendency, interest in international vocation or activities, and interest in foreign affairs. We attempted to explore the level of favor for IP of Japanese university students. The study also aims to investigate how their level of favor for IP influences motivational intensity. The study involved university students enrolled in a general English class at a university. A questionnaire consists of Likert scales and open-ended questions including questions about motivational intensity and IP. Quantitative questionnaire data were analyzed by chi-square test for goodness-of-fit. Qualitative questionnaire data were supplementarily used for discussion. Multiple regression analyses were run to obtain information about which item of IP is the best predictor of motivational intensity. A chi-square goodness-of-fit test indicated that there were significant differences in the proportion of students identified in the three components of IP. Multiple regression told us that interest in foreign affairs was the best predictor of motivational intensity (continuous dependent variable).
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
Effective ICT Teaching Materials for Active Learning アクティブラーニングを可能にするオリジナルICT教材作成方法の紹介とデモレッスン
SAKAKIBARA, Kenichi (SEIGAKUIN Junior High and High School)
本発表はAppleのプレゼンテーションソフトKeynoteで作成したオリジナル教材を用いたアクティブラーニング型授業の実践報告である。2020年から英語四技能入試が本格的に開始するにも関わらず、未だに多くの教師が訳読式の授業から脱却できずにいる。発表者の教材は、授業準備に十分な時間を割けない、あるいは英会話力に自信を持てない教師の悩みを解決することを目的に開発されたものである。これにより会話と文法のレッスンを両立させたままアクティブラーニング型の授業を行うことが可能となる。発表者は2012年に教材開発を開始し、それらは学校のオリジナル教材として採用された。2014年からは教科書と筆記用具はほぼ使用せず、授業の95%以上を電子黒板を用いた発話訓練だけで進めている。この新しい試みが生徒の学力を向上させ、定期考査では発表者が担当している一般クラスが進学クラスの点数を上回る。2017年度にアメリカ共和党下院議員による都内私立学校視察の際には見学のための代表授業者として選ばれ、2018年度に本校で実施されたアンケートでは授業満足度が全教員の中で最も高く、90%以上の生徒が英語力の上達を実感しているという結果が得られた。授業動画は特色のある授業として勤務校の学校説明会で毎年上映されている。本発表では英語訳読式の授業から転換を図るためのヒントを提供し、教材を実際に使用したデモレッスンも行う。
Practice Report
R7 (701)
 
30'
Effects of international exchange experiences on Japanese university students taking teacher training courses: a comparison between two different video chat tools, SkypeTM and “appear.in”
KONISHI, Masae (Tsuda University)
The purpose of this research is to analyze the effects of international exchange experiences on Japanese university students taking teacher training courses, focusing on two different video chat tools, SkypeTM and “appear.in.” Recently, an increasing number of researches show that experiencing international exchanges using online video chats are effective for motivating students towards learning foreign languages. However, few high school English teachers in Japan have carried out such international exchanges. An important factor underlying the situation is teachers’ anxieties in managing ICT devices as well as setting up the exchange situations. This research analyzes how technical simplicity influences the anxiety of pre-service teachers. The participants were 76 Japanese university students who were taking teacher training courses to become high school English teachers. They had a video chat with 49 partners who were enrolled in Japanese language courses in Australia. Half of them used SkypeTM and the others used “appear.in.” The questionnaire results show that more participants who used a browser-based tool “appear.in” had not only greater positive attitudes towards experiencing such international exchanges as English learners but also higher willingness to include the activities into their own future English teaching as pre-service teachers. Many participants using SkypeTM confessed greater technical anxieties in the reflection session in the next class after the exchange experiences. On the other hand, those who used “appear.in” saw less technical obstacles, which led them to be more willing to arrange international exchange activities through online video chats for themselves when they become high school English teachers. This is because using “appear.in” is simpler than SkypeTM without requiring any installation nor contact approval procedure in advance of the online video chat communication. In conclusion, easy-to-use tools are critical for pre-service teachers to be encouraged for incorporating online video chat exchanges in their future English teaching.
Research Presentation
R8 (702)
 
30'
A Study on the Influence of Japanese Topic-Prominent Constructions on Japanese Beginner-Level Learners’ Sentence Production in English
HASHIO, Shimpei (Graduate Student, Doshisha University)
Japanese sentences usually begin with noun phrases (NPs) called topics. In Japanese sentences, almost every NP can be a topic, regardless of the semantic roles the NPs play. Topics are first placed at the beginning of sentences, and next marked by particles ‘wa;’ this operation is called topicalization. Topics in Japanese thus do not always correspond to subjects in English, but Japanese beginner-level learners of English are likely to mistakenly regard topics in Japanese as subjects in English and particles ‘wa’ as be-verbs. This paper attempts to survey the sentences produced by students, who were provided with some tasks of translation, at the university where the author works. It analyzes which kinds of Japanese sentences reflecting topic-prominent constructions are the most difficult to translate into the corresponding English sentences. It also examines how much effort it costs for learners to translate the sentences to which the operation of topicalization applies, compared with ones to which the operation does not apply. It furthermore reveals that copular sentences indicating contiguity are likely to be the most difficult to express in English. Since these Japanese sentences do not seem to include the predicators, many students fail to supplement the predicators in their sentence production, which are considered to be the manifestation of the influence of topic-prominent constructions. They also have difficulty translating sentences whose NPs at the beginning of the sentences are not equal to the subjects in English even if not marked by ‘wa.’ It follows that beginner-level learners tend to subconsciously regard NPs at the beginning of sentences as the subjects in English. This paper insists that learners’ errors of word order in English are deeply related to NPs placed at the beginning of sentences, though the influence of ‘wa’ in Japanese has been emphasized by previous studies.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
16:50
30'
Sharing Language Courses Across Institutions: Affordances of Distance Environments
ANGELIKA, Kraemer (Cornell University)
With the recent decline in language enrollments across the U.S. (Modern Language Association, 2018), flexible models of teaching and learning are becoming increasingly important. The Shared Course Initiative (SCI) is a distance collaboration between Columbia University, Cornell University, and Yale University that launched in 2012 with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. It connects less commonly taught language classrooms via high-definition videoconferencing. As language classes adapt to 21st-century challenges, it is important to consider how these new technologies may enrich or enhance the student experience both inside and outside of the classroom and the pedagogical implications this distance learning space carries. This presentation will first give an overview of the SCI and its synchronous video courses. One key concept in successful collaboration across institutions and distance is the shared virtual space. Personal experiences with consumer-oriented video conferencing applications will often lead to the belief that no prior training or reflection is necessary, that distance collaboration means using Skype or Facetime, and that the virtual space construed by these applications is determined rather than contingent. In reality, there is a range of strategies for connecting via distance, each with different affordances and drawbacks. These choices, when guided by stated pedagogical outcomes and supplemented with sufficient training, can be adapted and configured in ways that are significantly more productive and versatile than the “default setting.” Especially important in this iterative process is the concept of presence, the subjective condition of understanding the emotions, intentions, and expectations of the remote interlocutor(s). The presentation will conclude with sharing lessons learned and highlighting strengths and challenges of the Shared Course Initiative.
IALLT Selections
Room501
 
30'
Improving Students’ Inferential Skills: Using Literal Questions and Inferential Questions
IMAI, Mari (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the types of questions on inferential skills in reading comprehension. The current social climate in Japan demands of school education to bring up ‘global human resources’ (MEXT, 2011), who can communicate with those who have different cultural backgrounds and values in English. In such communication, what plays an important role is the act to take cultural differences and their intentions into consideration, namely inference (Sperber & Wilson, 1995). However, making inference is not easy, especially in literal communication, because it takes longer to get feedback from readers than oral communication (Yakubinsky, 1923/2016). Therefore, there is necessity to develop the ability to infer, namely inferential skills.Previous studies conducted some experiments to develop inferential skills by using literal questions (questions whose answers are written explicitly in a text) and inferential questions (questions whose answers are not written explicitly in a text) (e.g., Kondo, 2011; Matsumura, Akamatsu, & Ono, 2014; Tanaka, 2009). However, there is no research that compared the effects of literal and inferential questions. So, it is difficult to see whether combining literal and inferential question is more effective than just using inferential questions. In this study, the experiment was conducted in September 2018, and 24 Japanese university students participated. They were divided into three groups and each group assigned different types of reading comprehension tests: a test consist of literal questions (Group A), inferential questions (Group B), and literal and inferential questions (Group C). Paired t test revealed that the score of inferential questions of Group C was higher than that of Group B (t = -1.89, df = 14, p = .08, d = -.94). Thus, it is concluded that assigning both literal and inferential questions is important to develop students’ inferential skills in reading comprehension.
Research Presentation
R1 (502)
 
30'
A Comparative Study of Science and Engineering Lecturing Styles in American and Japanese Universities: Aiming for Globalized Teaching Practices
TOJO, Kazuko (Osaka Jogakuin University)
NOGUCHI, Judy (Kobe Gakuin University)
Globalization has penetrated every corner of our society and accelerated the internationalization of higher education in Japan. Universities are facing many challenges to cope including the use of English as a medium of instruction. The need is especially high in science and engineering, which poses difficulties for instructors whose native language is not English. To aid them, we built OnCAL (Online Corpus of Academic Lectures: http://www.oncal.sci.waseda.ac.jp/), a bilingual comparable corpus of university lectures of science and engineering in English and Japanese to help instructors understand the construction of university lectures to better reach a generation of students with diverse learning styles. This paper compares the teaching styles of lectures delivered at universities in the United States and Japan. We categorized ten lecture constructs as “pedagogical functions”: Science Chronology, Cause and Effect, Conditions, Analogy, Thought Experiment, Framing Content, Linking Ideas, Clarifying, Using Visuals, and Questions. We extracted salient linguistic features for each pedagogical function to compare the teaching styles of the English and Japanese lectures. Our linguistic analyses revealed how personal pronouns, hedging and rhetorical questions were used. The results indicate that the American lectures try to elicit student thinking with more interaction during class. The Japanese lectures, on the other hand, suggest the presence of a top-down authority with a one-sided furnishing of information. We hope that raising awareness of such differences can promote the implementation of more globalized teaching practices.
Research Presentation
R2 (503)
 
30'
Playing to talk: EFL College Learners’ Perceptions of Learning English in the Gaming Contexts
LIN, Chi-Jen (National Taiwan University of Science and Technology/College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences)
Playing to talk: EFL College Learners’ Perceptions of Learning English in the Gaming Contexts
Research Presentation
R3 (601)
 
30'
Flipgrid and Its Effects on L2 Complexity
MOSKOWITZ, Nicole (Kyoto Sangyo University)
DUBIN, Brian (Kyoto Sangyo University)
Flipgrid is a private social learning platform that students can use on a website or smartphone app. It’s popular with teachers as they can decide the topic and length of video (up to 5 minutes), easily upload class information, and is free of charge. It puts the practice of speaking, listening, and using technology into student hands-which facilitates learner development in terms of self-efficacy, autonomy, and motivation (D?rnyei, 2001). Also, a community of practice is created, and S.M.A.R.T. goals (D?rnyei, 2001) are set and achieved. Students like Flipgrid because they can practice and post videos after multiple attempts, use filters and stamps, and listen to and communicate with their classmates. However, does Flipgrid affect second language lexical and syntactic complexity? What changes can be seen after 14 weeks? To investigate these questions, second-year university EFL communication classes (N=20) made 5 to 6 Flipgrids over one semester, related to classwork. Their first and last Flipgrids were analyzed in terms of lexical complexity (vocabulary diversity, vocabulary types and tokens) and syntactic complexity (number of words per analysis of AS-unit (Foster, Tonkyn, & Wigglesworth, 2000)). Lexical diversity is important due to the fact that if learners have a broad range of words they use in a text, it shows a higher diversity (McCarthy & Jarvis, 2010) and is an indication that learners have a strong command of the second language (L2). The type-token ratio (TTR) is another indicator of command of vocabulary in the L2 as the higher the variation of the TTR, indicates a larger vocabulary. In this presentation, we will discuss and demonstrate how to use Flipgrid, the findings and limitations of this short case study, and ideas for future research.
Research Presentation
R4 (602)
 
30'
Reconsidering the challenges of two-stage Computer-based English Lexical Processing Test
MIKI, Kohei (Otemon Gakuin University)
HASE, Naoya (Kwansei Gakuin University) KADOTA, Shuhei (Kwansei Gakuin University) SHIKI, Osato (Kwansei Gakuin University)
The CELP-Com (Computer-based English Lexical Processing for Communication) Test attempts to assess lexical and sentential processing performance in real-life communication in EFL. Test takers are first required to judge whether a given word fits in a sentence (this task is hereafter called Com/A) and subsequently to judge the correct meaning of that word thru semantic relatedness judgment (this task is hereafter called Com/R). Kadota, Hase, Miki, and Shiki (2017, 2018) reported the empirical results comparing the three CELP Tests (CELP-Sem and CELP-Lex tests, both constructed before CELP-Com) and concluded CELP-Com provides a more valid measurement of workable vocabulary in real-life communication. This presentation reports the results of further analyses regarding the validity of CELP-Com Test in the following aspects: 1) Interaction between task types (Com/A, Com/R) and response types (Yes, No) 2) Effects of Com/A on Com/R 3) Effects of response congruency of the tasks on the overall test performance Sixty-three lower-intermediate Japanese EFL students took CELP-Com Test and the responses were analyzed in the above three aspects. Major results were as follows: 1) Judgment speed was significantly faster in Com/R than in Com/A, as well as in Yes response than in No response. 2) Com/A had a priming effect in such a manner that Yes response in Com/A accelerated Com/R judgment while No response in Com/A delayed it. 3) Response types in Com/A rendered more effect on the overall test performance than response congruency between Com/A and Com/R. In summary, the initial task of Com/A proved to have a profound impact on the subsequent task of Com/R. This study has shed light to the challenges of dual-tasked lexical processing test. More specifically, it suggests that we need to conceptualize the priming effect of preceding processing on the subsequent processing in the construction of two-stage lexical processing tests like CELP-Com.
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
The nature of ‘fun’ in language learning classes: from the learners’ viewpoint
HOSAKA, Hanako (Tokai University)
Language classrooms can be fun for both learners and teachers. However, the fun aspects may not mean the same for the learners as those for the teachers. While teachers intend to make their classes fun with ‘good’ contents and ‘interesting’ approaches from their side, the reactions of their students are often varied―some find them motivating and fun, and the others find them dry and uninteresting. This study focuses on the essence of ‘fun’ in language learning classes from students’ viewpoint. Two different kinds of groups of English-major undergraduates answered in-class questionnaires on how they find a language learning class fun or not fun. The first group belonged to an applied linguistics seminar, total of 23 students who were keen in learning about the field and in reconsidering this research topic. The second group was total of 32 students pursuing to obtain English teaching licenses in Japan. Even though the two groups had differences in their learning backgrounds, most of the participants’ ideas were similar. The students’ viewpoint indicated that the fun in language learning classes related with ‘interesting’ and ‘useful’ aspects. ‘Fun learning’ seems to be possible, and the nature of ‘fun learning’ for students is more quality-based in nurturing themselves in a long run, than funny moments in class, which can be forgotten immediately after class. Through studying about what fun classes can affect and influence students, language teachers will be able to contribute on helping their learning, and on helping themselves improve their classes transformed into full of ‘fun learning’ for both students and teachers.
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
A Multimodal Design Approach for Teaching PowerPoint Presentations
NOBETA, Lisa (Ritsumeikan University)
PowerPoint presentations extend the spoken words and actions of the presenter by incorporating images, writing and other visual elements displayed on the screen. Students tasked with putting together a PowerPoint presentation are often left to their own devices, utilizing the options found in software menus with minimal consideration of their communicative effects. This is indicative of what Jones and Hafner (2012) call the “technologization of practice”, communication that becomes shaped by technologies and routinized. This paper provides a practical demonstration of how a multimodal design approach to PowerPoint can empower learners in their understanding of the way in which meaningful forms work in combination. Multimodality is the recognition that speaking, writing, images, spatial layout, color and other modes provide resources of meaning, each mode collaboratively contributing to the overall message. A multimodal design approach draws attention to the affordances and kind of meaningful “work” that each mode performs. It also introduces students to the notion of “orchestration”, the understanding that one mode may be salient in one instance while playing a more supportive role in another. By making resources of meaning and their affordances explicit (a shared metalanguage to talk about modes with teacher and peers) learners are provided with a toolkit for making informed choices and developing effective strategies for designing their PowerPoint projects.
Research Presentation
R7 (701)
 
30'
The Effects of Skype-based video chat on Students’ Unwillingness to Speak English in Scripted and Unscripted Lesson Groups
KOBAYASHI, Sho (Ibaraki University)
The purpose of this study is 1) to find out how much speaking anxiety the advanced learners of English students have in speaking English impromptu; 2) to explore if the use of Synchronous computer mediated communications platforms: SCMC such as Skype-based video chat on second language learning will reduce students’ speaking anxiety; 3) will increase perceived competence and 4) will reduce the avoidance of speaking English by comparing the effects on two types of groups-a scripted lesson group and an unscripted lesson group. Data were collected using a 14-item questionnaire, which was developed based on Isoda (2007, 2008) prior to and after the twenty Skype-based video chat lessons for half of the year. A total of 39 advanced Japanese high school students participated in the study. The results showed that 1) even the advanced learners of English had high speaking anxiety in English speaking impromptu in both groups and 2) there was no statistically significant difference between a scripted lesson groups’ and an unscripted lesson groups’ speaking anxiety; 3) perceived competence and 4) the avoidance of speaking English. However, Skype-based video chat lessons alone had a statistically significant effect on reducing students’ speaking anxiety. The perceived competence was high, and the avoidance of speaking English was low from the very beginning. However, the impromptu group’s perceived competence was slightly and insignificantly improved. Many researchers identified speaking in the L2 as the most anxiety-provoking activity. However, the results suggest that implementing impromptu Skype-based video chat lessons may have a positive effect on students’ speaking anxiety. The results have clearly illustrated the lack of necessity for scripted lessons and the importance of having many opportunities to speak impromptu.
Research Presentation
R8 (702)
 
30'
Validation of the Measurement Model of L2 Linguistic Complexity by Including Finer-Grained Indices
KATO, Takeshi (Graduate Student, University of Tsukuba)
Complexity in L2 performance has multiple subordinate constructs and it has been difficult to capture all of them simultaneously. Thus, its measurement practice has been criticized in terms of construct coverage. For syntactic complexity, although this construct subsumes diversity and sophistication of syntactic structure, these norms have rarely been investigated. For lexical complexity, this construct has mainly focused on information of every single word, but recent researches have devoted more attention to that of multiword units. This study aims to construct a more appropriate measurement model of complexity by implementing finer-grained and relatively novel linguistic indices for capturing subordinate constructs that could not be measured by conventional indices. By utilizing five natural language processing tools (e.g., Kyle, 2016; Kyle & Crossley, 2015), conventional and fine-grained indices of complexity were computed from 503 argumentative essays written by Japanese learners of English. Each essay has a score ranging from 1 to 6 assigned by an automated essay scoring engine. First, exploratory factor analysis was performed on linguistic index values and extracted factor structure behind them. Second, to confirm whether the structure fits to the data, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Finally, a structural equation model of complexity constructs to predict essay scores was tested to evaluate its applicability to writing evaluation. The result of a series of factor analyses showed that the extracted factor structures reasonably fitted to the data: for syntactic complexity (CFI = .906 and RMSEA = 0.069) and for lexical complexity (CFI = .978 and RMSEA = 0.051). Furthermore, the result of SEM, which was proposed as a predictive model, accounted for 32.3 % of variance of essay scores (CFI = .917 and RMSEA = 0.077). Overall, the findings showed the effectiveness of the proposed approach, which combined conventional linguistic features with fine-grained indices.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
10:15
15'
The Institute for International Business Communication
一般財団法人 国際ビジネスコミュニケーション協会

4技能化したTOEIC Bridge Testsについて
Presentation by sponsors
Room501
10:35
15'
Asahimusen Co., Ltd.
朝日無線株式会社

How to use technology today to keep students practising consistently
Presentation by sponsors
Room501
10:50
15'
Reallyenglish Japan Co., Ltd.
リアリーイングリッシュ株式会社

ICTを活用した大学の国際交流活動促進のご提案
Proposal of using Reallyenglish ICT programs for promoting international exchanges in university
Presentation by sponsors
Room501
11:10
15'
CHIeru Co.,Ltd.
チエル株式会社

アクティブラーニングで「英語4技能」を徹底強化
Active Learning Support Systems for Improving Four Essential English Language Skills
Presentation by sponsors
Room501
11:25
15'
CosmoPier Publishing Company
コスモピア株式会社

オンラインで多聴多読! コスモピアeステーションのご紹介
Presentation by sponsors
Room501
15:40
15'
CIEE Japan
一般社団法人 CIEE国際教育交換協議会

TBA
Presentation by sponsors
Room505
15:55
15'
KIRIHARA SHOTEN K.K.
株式会社桐原書店

桐原スピーキングテスト・ライティングテストについて
Introducing KIRIHARA Speaking&Writing Test
Presentation by sponsors
Room505
16:15
15'
ALC PRESS INC.
株式会社アルク

自立学習を支えるeラーニング教材〜ALC NetAcademy NEXT〜
ALC NetAcademy Next: E-learning System to Support Learners’ Self-study
Presentation by sponsors
Room505
16:30
15'
Kinseido Publishing Co., Ltd.
株式会社金星堂

大学生のための英語力診断テストVELCテストなどについて
Presentation by sponsors
Room505
16:50
15'
UCHIDA YOKO CO., LTD.
株式会社内田洋行

英語プレゼンテーションに使える! 即時フィードバックを実現するルーブリック評価ツールのご紹介
Introducing a Web Application for Immediate Feedback on Presentation Activity with Rubric.
Presentation by sponsors
Room505
17:05
15'
Actiontec Electronics inc. Japan office
アクションテック エレクトロニクス インク 日本オフィス

ワイヤレスディスプレイアダプター ScreenBeamを授業で使ってみよう
NAKAGAWA, Yuya (Suzuka Kyoei Gakuen)
Presentation by sponsors
Room505
August 08
09:30
30'
Using Augmented Reality in the integration of Teaching, Learning and Assessment
ATWA, Yasmine (Freelance ELT Consultant)
In searching for ways to improve learners’ success in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and ways for decreasing students’ innate stress that is always associated with assessment, the importance of experiential learning in engaging students has become clear. In learning English as a second Language, success is achieved best by imitations of real life and providing authentic contexts. However, as general education class sizes increase, so do the cost, liability, and difficulty of creating opportunities for authentic language assessment. A solution for economically and conveniently bringing kinesthetic assessment experiences to a broader audience lies in the integration of technology through mobile games, apps, and Augmented Reality (AR) applications. Using augmented reality in assessment entails the integration of teaching, learning and assessment to provide a whole AR experience. The proposed model relies heavily on the fact that psychological factors do impact students performance during language assessments. Because AR applications are of a particular interest to a wide range of learners, the advantages of using them are countless in terms of providing stress free and engaging assessment environment for students. These benefits would outcast any cost incurred initially in the development process.
Research Presentation
R1 (502)
 
30'
Melody Comes First, and Lyrics Later: A Prosody Shadowing App
MATSUBARA, Midori (Nagoya University)
Learners’ acquisition of correct intonation generally entails repetitive tasks of imitating model speech. In particular, shadowing, in which learners almost simultaneously repeat what they hear, can be described as a dual task with a high cognitive load, thus requiring practice till they become accustomed to it. While empirical evidence suggests that shadowing has the positive effects of increasing both reproduction rate and speech rate, Japanese English learners tend to pronounce sentences with less inflection and in a monotonous manner when they shadow (Kadota, 2012). In this presentation, we propose a self-study mobile app to facilitate the correct acquisition of sentence-level intonation by mediating the prosody shadowing step before ordinary speech shadowing. To direct the learners’ attention only to the prosodic features (i.e., intonation and rhythm), we made a guided sound by extracting prosodic features from model speech. It is also possible to display and compare the pitch pattern of the uttered voice with that of the prosodic sound, which might contribute to self-repairing while practicing prosody shadowing. We had Japanese learners of English utter 10 sentences, consisting of an average of eight words per sentence, and half of these sentences were uttered without the prosody shadowing procedure being followed. Comparing cases with and without the prosody shadowing step, we visualized pitch patterns and examined changes in pitch range. The results of a pilot study conducted on this prosody shadowing app will be discussed, along with excerpts from an interview-based questionnaire that was completed by the participants.
Research Presentation
R4 (602)
 
30'
Differences of Sense Categorization: Comparing English-English Dictionaries and English-Japanese Dictionaries to English Native Speakers and Japanese EFL Learners 多義語の意味分類の相違:英英辞典・英和辞典と英語母語話者・日本人英語学習者の比較
HOSHINO, Yuko (Chiba University)
SHIMIZU, Haruka (Tohoku Gakuin University)
本研究の目的は、英語の辞書の種類によって、辞書に記載されている意味分類と英語母語話者と日本人英語学習者が多義語の意味を分類した結果と類似度合いが変化するかどうかを調べることである。同じ単語でも辞書によって記載されている意味の分類は異なるが、それらの辞書は英語学習者のメンタルレキシコン内での意味分類と類似しているのか、それとも英語母語話者のメンタルレキシコン内での意味分類と類似しているのかは定かではない。英英辞典は学習者の母語を想定していないが、英和辞典は日本語母語話者を使用者として想定しているはずであるため、英和辞典の方が英英辞典よりも日本人英語学習者が行う語彙分類結果に類似すると予測できる。また、英語母語話者と学習者のメンタルレキシコンは異なることが知られているが、多義語の点からメンタルレキシコンに焦点を当てた研究は数少ない。以上から、本研究では様々な英英辞典と英和辞典を用いて6語の多義語の意味分類を調べた。その後、英語母語話者と、習熟度の異なる3群の日本人英語学習者に語義分類課題を課し、その分類結果が各辞書での分類結果とどの程度類似しているのかをMorey & Agresti (1984) のAdjusted Indexを用いて比較した。その結果、少なくとも1つの辞書では最も熟達度の低い日本人英語学習者の語義分類だけが、他の協力者とは異なる分類となっていたことが判明した。
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
Graduate Student, Verification Concerning English Instruction Focusing on Learning Aptitude 学習適性に注目した英語学習支援に関する検証
WATANABE, Yoshiro (Aichi University of Education)
本研究の目的は,指導者用デジタル教科書を活用した授業の効果が生徒の学習適性とどのような関連があるのかを明らかにすることである。英語での発信力が求められている現状において,中学校における一斉指導の授業では英語力の格差が顕著で,学習適性に応じた適切な指導が必要であると考える。この問題を解決する糸口として,デジタル教科書の利用に期待が持てる。そこで,学習適性と指導者用デジタル教科書の効果についての実験を行った。対象者は,X県の公立Y中学校1年生(N=190)で,「教研式・新学年別知能検査」のA式・B式知能偏差値に基づき,学習適性タイプを「抽象言語タイプ」「感覚運動タイプ」「バランスタイプ」のグループに分け,デジタル教科書使用群(・群:N=94)と不使用群(・群:N=96)に対して授業介入を行った。事前と事後のテストの得点差を取り,二元配置分散分析をした結果,群分けにおける有意差が見られ(p=0.035),デジタル教科書使用の授業の効果が明らかになった。また,感覚運動タイプにおいて・群と・群の間に顕著な有意差が見られた(p=0.01)。2019年2月には,新たな対象群(中学1年生:N=1,503)に対して評価調査(質問紙調査)を実施した。調査項目に対して因子分析を行い,相関を検討した結果,それぞれの学習適性タイプに対するデジタル教科書の機能の効果が明らかとなった。
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
Online reading tutorials for low intermediate EAP students
FUKAO, Akiko (International Christian University)
This presentation reports on the use of an online interactive reading journal as a way for students to communicate difficulties they face in reading academic texts, as well as for a teacher to provide individualized assistance for them. The presenter teaches in a semi-intensive English language program for first-year university students in Japan, and the goal of the program is to develop their academic language skills. While the use of authentic academic texts is in line with the goal of the program, they pose various new challenges to Japanese students in terms of highly technical vocabulary, collocations, complicated sentence structures, and required background knowledge. In addition, students who lack confidence in their own comprehension of texts do not usually communicate their difficulties in class. In an attempt to assist the students, the practitioner-researcher designed an online reading journal task in which individual students kept a record of and reflected on the difficulties they encountered as they read the assigned text. The students communicated their problems, strategy use, and their comprehension through the journal entries, and the teacher provided feedback and guidance to help them comprehend the text. In addition, the journal allowed the teacher to identify particular difficulties common among the students to be addressed in class. The assignment met with some success: students who would not ask questions in class benefited from the reading journal, and they became more aware of their own strategy use by monitoring their comprehension. The design of the assignment can be improved to make it an integral part of both classroom and individual learning.
Practice Report
R7 (701)
 
30'
Digital Portfolio as Mediation for Communication
TOYOSHIMA, Saeko (Tsuru University)
Many of Japanese university students with low proficiency (A1 in CEFR) have difficulty in communicating in English. This should be because most of them have had few chances to practice in the classroom during secondary school days, even though they had many things to tell in Japanese. They should need to mediate between themselves in the world of L1 and L2 as readiness for communication. This presentation will introduce the practice with CALL system where A1 level students have made their digital portfolio related to the topics of TED Talk materials. The students had “Portfolio Session” two times in one term where they introduced their digital portfolio to their classmates and international students in English. It will be the implication of this presentation that making portfolio as mediation would lead them to constructing themselves in the world of L2 and enable them to have willingness to communicate in English.
Practice Report
R8 (702)
 
30'
Consideration for Effective Use of Japanese-English Machine Translation: Application of a Writing Strategy 日英機械翻訳の効果的活用に関する考察―ライティング方略の応用―
ISHIKAWA, Yoshihiro (Graduate Student, Osaka Kyoiku University)
近年、「Google翻訳」等の機械翻訳システムを無料で使用できる環境が整ってきており、ますます身近な存在となってきている。しかし、機械翻訳を充分に活用するためには翻訳しやすい形に原文を書き換える「前編集」という作業が必須であり、この作業をするには目標言語の語彙や文法構造の理解も必要とされる。本研究では、より良い機械翻訳使用への示唆を得るため、中等英語教育を専攻する者(A)と小学校教員養成課程に所属する者(B)の2名の女性の日本人大学生を研究協力者として、普段書いているように1通、日英語間の機械翻訳を意識した形で1通の電子メールを日本語で書くタスクに取り組んでもらった。その後、書いてもらった日本語作文を機械翻訳に通して、出力された英文を意味が通じるかどうかを中心に、その統語構造等の面から分析し、どのような前編集が効果的な機械翻訳活用に繋がるかを考察した。その結果、研究協力者Aは複雑な日本語文を多数産出し、機械翻訳された英文に意味が通じなくなる誤りが多数見られた。一方で、研究協力者Bは比較的単純な日本語を産出し、ほぼ機械翻訳に成功した。また先行研究で示された機械翻訳使用時の注意点を当てはめて誤りの原因を考察したほか、「英語に訳しやすい日本語」にして英作文をするというライティング方略の機械翻訳の前編集への応用を提案した。
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
 
30'
Using mobile technology to help students of English pronunciation improve their practice experience
NEALY, Marcellus Dwayne (Juntendo University)
English pronunciation can be difficult to master. One of the reasons is that it requires constant repetitive practice, which may be boring for many students. Another reason is that in the classroom setting, some students might be held back by their feeling of self-consciousness when practicing in from of others. Our goal was to design a mobile app that would help reduce barriers to learning and improve learners’ experience when practicing English pronunciation. The other objective was to determine if the app would be feasible as supplementary study material. We named the app SOMONA, which is an acronym for “sound more native”. The curriculum design of SOMONA is based on Judy Gilbert’s Prosody Pyramid framework. The creative design was developed intuitively with a focus on simplicity, animation, bright colors and music as the key design features. SOMONA also uses voice recognition software to help learners assess their progress. 20 people were randomly selected to use SOMONA and complete the English pronunciation course. Afterwards, they were given a survey to evaluate their attitudes towards practicing with SOMONA. Interviews were also conducted and analyzed. The results were overwhelmingly positive. More study needs to be done to determine if the app alone is effective in facilitating quantifiable improvement in English pronunciation. However, SOMONA does have significant potential as a supplementary practice tool.
Research Presentation
R2 (503)
10:05
30'
Design, Development and Evaluation of AR Learning System to Acquire Compound Verbs
GENG, Xuewang (Graduate Student, Kyushu University)
YAMADA, Masanori (Kyushu University)
Recently, the number of learners of Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) is increasing. In Japanese acquisition, compound verbs (verbs that are composed of two verbs, e.g. tobikomu/jump into) are often used in daily life and it is difficult to for JFL learners to master them even if they reach an advanced level. The difficulties include unclarity of combination, opacity of meaning, etc. Matsuda (2001) applied “Core theory” in order to explain complex and various meaning of Japanese compound verbs, and suggested “image schema”, which is an image of knowledge structure abstracted from perceptual and motor activities in Japanese education. Image schema helps JFL learners to understand the meaning of a compound verb through a single image. It is not easy for JFL learners to understand, because image schema is simply composed of abstract figures and arrows (Tagawa & Yuizono, 2016). Therefore, image schema is undesirable to directly be applied on the JFL learners to learn compound verbs. The augmented reality (AR) technology effectively teaches difficult concepts by representing virtual information in the real world. Therefore, in this study, we developed 3D animations to express the meanings of single verbs and compound verbs via AR based on core theory and image scheme. The authors have designed a system in which learners learn the meaning of the single verbs first, and then compound verbs through the combination of verb cards. In this way, the meanings of compound verbs and single verbs can be distinguished, and the system also can determine whether the combination is correct or wrong.
Research Presentation
R1 (502)
 
30'
The difference in cognitive load between random presentation and fixed presentation with two types of speech
KAJIURA, Mayumi (Mie University)
KINOSHITA, Toru (Nagoya University) OISHI, Harumi (Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University)
Decreased intelligibility makes it difficult to increase the processing speed of fast-rate speech. The author and colleagues (2017) showed that using transcript reading (TR) as a pre-listening activity better aided comprehension of fast-rate speech (faster than 340 wpm) than when no transcript reading (NTR) was used. However, this research did not sufficiently investigate the possibility that limitations of working memory (WM) may affect comprehension when TR is used. In addition to memory retrieval, tasks involved with high cognitive load may require more attention in executive processes in WM (Barrouillet, Bernardin, Portrat, Vergauwe, & Camos, 2007). Addressing these limitations, this study investigates the influence of presentation types (random or fixed, with TR and NTR conditions) on speech recognition. If speech is randomly presented, listeners may need additional processing to judge whether to read the speech transcript before comprehending the speech. This may cost more in WM. By contrast, fixed presentation may be expected to reduce the cost of this process. For the study, the accuracy rates, subjective comprehension evaluation, and judgement reaction times of 84 Japanese EFL learners were measured online using 50 fast-rate passages with counter-balanced conditions (TR vs. NTR, random vs. fixed presentation). The results reveal that presentation types did affect speech recognition. The accuracy rate and the subjective comprehension evaluation under the TR condition, analyzed using the mixed-effects logistic regression model, were significantly higher than under the NTR condition, whereas they were not different under the conditions between random presentation and fixed presentation. Nonetheless, when analyzed using the generalized linear mixed model, the reaction time of fixed design under the TR condition was faster than randomly presented design. The results indicate that random presentation may indeed impair the capacity of WM potentially due to the judgement of whether to read the speech transcript resulting in additional processing time.
Research Presentation
R2 (503)
 
30'
Does Oral Reading Improve Listening Comprehension? : Focused on University Freshmen with Low English Ability 音読でリスニング力は向上するか?―英語力の低い大学1年生を対象に―
HASEGAWA, Shuji (Uekusa Gakuen University)
近年、18歳人口の減少と入試形態の多様化により、大学では英語力の低い新入生も多い。英語力の向上には中核となるリスニング力の養成が必要であり、その学習法としてシャドーイングや音読の効果が指摘されている。そこで本研究は、単にシャドーイングのみで学習した場合(A群)とシャドーイングに音読を加えた場合(B群)とで、大学1年生のリスニング力の向上に差が出るかを検証した。参加者はA群18名に対し、B群15名の合計33名である。両群は事前テストとして実施した英検準2級リスニングテストの平均点がほぼ同じであり、前期授業の最初の5回で2つの対話文(200語程度と300語程度)の学習をした。両群とも対話文の学習直後にテキストを見ながらシャドーイングを2回実施し、B群は追加の音読を座席の隣どうしでペアになって2回行った。6回目の授業冒頭で事後テストを実施し、学習法(対応なし:A群・B群)×テスト(対応あり:事前・事後)の2元配置分散分析を行った。その結果、交互作用が有意であった。単純主効果の検定として、両群の事前・事後テストの成績をt検定で比較(Bonferroni法で調整)したところ、B群ではリスニング力が向上し有意な差があった。よって、英語力の低い大学1年生には、単にシャドーイングのみを実施するよりも、シャドーイングに音読を加えることで、リスニング力の向上が期待できるのではないかと示唆された。
Research Presentation
R3 (601)
 
30'
Effects of the L1-Pivotal Approach on L2 rhythm acquisition: Teaching English rhythm to Japanese EFL students
UENO, Maito (Graduate Student, Kansai University)
YAMANE, Shigeru (Kansai University)
This study investigated whether using Japanese phonograms, kana, as phonetic transcription negatively affects Japanese English learners’ acquisition of stress-timed rhythm. There are some researchers and educators who believe that the use of kana transcription may cause a negative transfer in the acquisition of English rhythm. For this study, 66 Japanese learners of English were divided into three groups: an intuitive-imitative (e.g., listen and repeat), analytic-linguistic (e.g., articulatory descriptions), and L1-pivotal (e.g., kana transcription) group. Each group received 20 minutes of instruction in which they were taught how to read English sentences while paying attention to English rhythm. After each instruction, the participants were asked to answer a questionnaire regarding how difficult or easy they found the instruction (cognitive load). Their speech production was measured through controlled tests, analyzed with a focus on the duration of the interval between the onsets of two consecutive stressed syllables (inter-stress interval; ISI) with Pratt, an open-source software for phonetic analysis. The results of the pre/post-tests showed no significant differences of ISI between groups. According to the results from analyzing the cognitive load, there were moderate positive correlations between the load the participants in the intuitive-imitative and analytic-linguistic had and the duration of their utterances. These results may suggest that i) the L1-pivotal approach, whose well-known technique is the use of kana transcription, has few negative influences on Japanese learners who are acquiring English rhythm, and ii) the approach provides learners with an opportunity to learn English pronunciation, regardless of their pre-test’s performance.
Research Presentation
R4 (602)
 
30'
A Smart Reading Support System by using Machine Learning
EHARA, Yo (Shizuoka Institute of Science and Technology)
When language learners read texts in a second language, unfamiliar words hinder their reading comprehension of the text. There have been two major learning approaches to tackle this problem: intentional and incidental learning. Roughly speaking, the former asks learners to intentionally increase their vocabulary beforehand so that they are familiar with most words in the texts. In contrast, the latter asks learners to consult a dictionary every time they encounter unfamiliar words while reading. We present the third approach: what if a learner can obtain a list of the unfamiliar words BEFORE he/she reads the text? We present a reading support system that can detect the words in a given text that are estimated to be unfamiliar to a learner. The estimation is personalized and the system can take not only learners' language ability but also learners' specificities into account. The estimation is performed by machine learning and is based on a vocabulary test that takes about 30 minutes per learner, and the accuracy of the estimation is about 80% in the percentage of word-types. This system presents a good example of leveraging artificial intelligence into language learning. Artificial intelligence is of great attention including its application to language learning/teaching technology. Current AI technology, however, intrinsically cannot achieve perfect accuracy in most tasks, which is exactly required in teaching because what is to be taught to students needs to be accurate. To leverage AI to language learning, applications that allow errors are desirable, i.e., applications such that accurate contents are taught to learners even if the AI makes mistakes. In our system, what the system does is a selection of the words in the texts. The words' glosses are completely manual, thus, are free from errors caused by AI. We present our recent results on estimating the language learners' vocabulary.
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
Preliminary investigation in the creation of basic psychological needs satisfaction scale for high school students 高校生における基本的欲求充足尺度の作成における予備調査
SOMEYA, Fujishige (Graduate Student, Tokyo Gakugei University)
自己決定理論における基本的欲求理論における欲求充足(Needs Satisfaction)は、自律性、有能性、関係性の欲求充足で構成されており、これらの欲求の充足が、ウェルビーイングや内発的動機づけを促進するとされてきた(Ryan & Deci, 2017)。本研究では、高校生を対象として、基本的欲求充足尺度を作成することによって、高校生の3欲求がそのようなものであるかどうかを検討する。そして、内発的動機づけ(刺激・達成・知識)にどのように影響を及ぼすかどうかを検討する。まず、作成した基本的欲求充足に関する9項目のアンケートに関して確認的因子分析(CFA)を行なった。その結果、十分な適合度が得られた。その後、内発的動機づけにどのような影響を及ぼすかに関して共分散構造モデリング(SEM)による分析を行なった。この結果をもとに、基本的欲求充足が、英語学習者の内発的動機づけにどのような影響を及ぼすかに関して、言及する。また、基本的欲求充足の促進に関して、重要とされることに関して、発表する。この発表において、高校生の基本的欲求充足に関しての内容と、内発的動機づけに関する現状が現場の教員に対して明らかになることを期待する。
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
Shadowing, L2 Fluency, and Task Effects
MURAOKA, Yuka (Seigakuin University)
From 2020, Japanese high school students are required to take one of the accredited commercial English proficiency tests measuring four language skills together with the common university entrance examination. This change indicates the need to teach not only receptive skills (listening and reading) but also productive skills (speaking and writing) in English classrooms in Japan. Following such educational reform, the present study focuses on shadowing training method and explores how it could promote L2 learner’s fluency in English. In addition, it also examines how different speech topics produced different degrees of fluency. Katoda (2015, 2018), referring to the Production Model proposed by Levelt (1989), argues that shadowing has the potential for developing not only listening but also speaking abilities. That is to say, shadowing training could result in developments in the Articulator (faster speech) and the Formulator (faster access to lexicon and production) as well as the Monitor (more self-corrections). The participants were 16 female college students. They engaged in 90-minutes shadowing training for 11 weeks. Within the training sessions, they worked individually on desktop computers with headphones. The textbook specially made to promote English fluency through the shadowing training was used for this study. To measure qualitative changes in L2 fluency, pre- and post-oral tests were provided. The oral tests included a shadowing test and free speeches with three different topics: my hobby, my vacation, and my opinion. In this study, the only free speeches were analyzed. The oral data from the speeches were explored in terms of the three aspects: fluency markers related to the Articulator (speech rate and mean length of run), the Formulator (total words produced, readability, total pause length, and the number of filled pauses), and the Monitor (the number of self-corrections).
Research Presentation
R7 (701)
 
30'
The Role of Noticing in Writing-to-Learn Processes
NABEI, Toshiyo (Kansai University)
YOSHIZAWA, Kiyomi (Kansai University)
What actually goes on in L2 learners’ minds, especially what they notice while they engage in language learning activities, is a critical question. In this study, noticing made by high-intermediate Japanese learners of English during a series of L2 writing tasks is explored. Research questions posed in this study are (1) what L2 learners notice while composing a narrative, (2) what they notice when comparing their originals with reformulated versions, and (3) what changes they make in their delayed re-writing. The students in the experimental group engage in collaborative narrative writing and re-writing along with reformulation feedback. The types and degrees of noticing at three different stages are compared within the group members as well as with a control group who compose and re-write narratives without reformulation feedback. The analyses indicate that learners’ noticing that appeared and coded in their verbalization has impact on their L2 learning (e.g., Qi & Lapkin, 2001, Swain & Lapkin, 2002); more complex noticing contributes to later improvement in writing.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
10:40
30'
Development of app for vocabulary learning with AR technology
CHUJIA, Zhang (Graduate Student, Toyo University)
YUBUNE, Eiichi (Toyo University)
In the first stage of foreign language learning, it is difficult for foreign language learners to remember and to understand new words. The meaning of words in passages and images referring to visible objects are not specific enough compared to real objects. Thus it is relatively difficult to form an effective memory which may be imprinted deeply and last for long. Research so far show that the use of VR technology can enhance users' sense of reality in the virtual world. The use of AR technology will also enhance the connection between virtual objects and the real world, so that the two can be integrated. Virtual experience in the virtual environment can promote users to produce positive real behavior. This study uses an object classification model, which is based on Microsoft Customvision training and Augmented Reality (AR) technology. It uses a mobile phone camera in order to realize a real-time object recognition, which will translate the object name in reality and therefore mark the foreign language name of the object on the screen of the application software. This study uses the Mircrosoft Customvision training model, and the training objects are 30 different varieties of vegetables. Due to individual differences of vegetables, each kind needs to take 50 photos in different shapes and from different angles, and 1500 photographs in total. After the shooting is completed, the photographs will be uploaded to Mircrosoft Customvision, then be categorized and tags will be added manually on Web Ui. After data training, the result shows that the accuracy rate is 96.5%, suggesting that the trained app is feasible enough to be used for vocabulary learning inside and outside the classroom. We are planning to conduct research verifying the effect of vocabulary learning aided by augmented reality using our developed smartphone application this year.
Research Presentation
R1 (502)
 
30'
Toward Adaptive Partial and Synchronized Caption to Facilitate L2 Listening
MIRZAEI, Maryam Sadat (Riken AIP / Kyoto University)
MESHGI, Kourosh (Kyoto University)
Partial and Synchronized Caption (PSC) is a novel captioning tool to assist the learners to listen to authentic material, giving them minimal scaffold in the form of synchronized caption to emulate the speech flow and promote word boundary recognition, and selective presentation of the words in caption, following a pedagogical objective, to reduce the learners’ reliance on their reading. Synchronization is automatically done using an Automatic Speech recognition system in word-level, and the words are selected based on several dominant role-players in L2 listening difficulty, such as word frequency, speech rate, and specificity. Different learners have a different level of knowledge in regard to these factors, and PSC curates the final caption based on an initial assessment of learners’ vocabulary sizes and their tolerable rates of speech. The next step to individualize the learning experience is to tap into learner feedback on the choice of words In PSC, which not only signifies their weaknesses in listening but also provides a rich source to further adapt the system to learners’ need. Such data may indicate a change in the importance of a factor or reveals difficulties in listening due to others. In this study, we propose an adaptable PSC, that takes the feedback of the learner in the form of show/no show of a word in the caption, infer the learners’ preferences and weaknesses, tailor the caption in accordance to the feedback. To this end, a feature-based machine learning scheme is proposed that initially generates the conventional PSC, and gradually changes the importance of the existing factors and adds reserved factors to better suit the learning experience on-demand. The preliminary results of the adaptive PSC revealed that using this system enables the participants to find individualize the PSC to their need, and promotes their learning experience.
Research Presentation
R2 (503)
 
30'
Effectiveness of Internet-Assisted Interpreter Training for English Language Education
KUMAGAI, Yuriya (Sapporo University)
During the past decades, information and communication technology has been playing a major role in the language education as well as the interpreter training. The Objective of the presentation is two-fold. First is to argue that the internet/computer-assisted approach for training professional interpreters is also effective for English language education. This will be based on the presenter’s experience of teaching both interpreter training courses and EFL classes using interpreter training methods. Second is to identify which ITC tools are useful for training specific interpreting skills in the English classes. For this purpose, different interpreting training methods including vocabulary building, shadowing, sight translation, retention/reproduction training note-taking, memory training, voice translation, consecutive and simultaneous interpreting, tele-conferencing, using computers, tablets, smartphones will be explained and discussed in terms of usability and effectiveness.
Research Presentation
R3 (601)
 
30'
Revisiting the shared-L1 speech benefit
MIKAMI, Ryosuke (Graduate Student, Nagoya University)
TERAI, Masato (Graduate Student, Nagoya University) XING, Yun (Graduate Student, Nagoya University)
The present study explored the term “interlanguage speech intelligibility benefit” coined by Bent and Bradlow (2003). According to their explanation, when the speaker and the listener share their first language (L1), their second language (L2) speech becomes easier to be perceived. In addition, based on Rost’s (2005) L2 listening process model, it is hypothesized that the listener finds it easier to understand the L2-accented speech if the speaker has the same L1-accented speech. In order to examine the shared-L1 speech benefit, the present study recruited 17 Chinese and 6 Japanese learners of English. In the experiment conducted in the study, learners listened to 90 English speech samples, obtained from 45 Chinese and 45 Japanese speakers of English and then assessed the comprehensibility (ease of understanding) of the speech samples by using a 9-point scale (ranging from 1 = easy to understand to 9 = difficult to understand). The comprehensibility scores were submitted to two-way ANOVA, with the listener group considered as a between-subject factor and the speaker group considered as a within-subject factor. The result showed a significant interaction with a large effect size (F(1, 88) = 59.84, p < .001, η2 = 0.40). Post hoc analyses indicated that when Chinese listeners listened to Chinese- and Japanese-accented speeches, the listeners assigned significantly more lenient comprehensibility (easier-to-understand) scores on Chinese-accented (M = 4.1, SD = 1.2) than on Japanese-accented speeches (M = 5.4, SD = 1.6). In contrast, when Japanese listeners listened to Chinese- and Japanese-accented speech, the listeners did not show significantly different judgments on both Chinese-accented (M = 4.5, SD = 1.4) and Japanese-accented (M = 4.3, SD = 1.5) speeches. Further discussions will be conducted based on the results of the study.
Research Presentation
R4 (602)
 
30'
Benefits of Making On-line Vocabulary Tests 単語テストのオンライン化の利点
MORITA, Mitsuhiro (Hiroshima University)
ENOKIDA, Kazumichi (Hiroshima University) SAKAUE, Tatsuya (Hiroshima University) KIDA, Shusaku (Hiroshima University) AMANO, Shuichi (Hiroshima University) TAKAHASHI, Yuka (Hiroshima University) NAKAGAWA, Atsushi (Hiroshima University)
本研究の目的は,紙媒体で行っていた単語テストをオンラインで実施することによる授業運営の効率化及び教育効果について報告することである。本学では,英語授業内で,前期と後期で各12週に渡り週1回の単語テストを900名以上の受講生に対して実施している。従来は,紙媒体で問題を配布し,マークシートによる採点を行っていた。しかしながら,学生にPCが必携化されたことに伴い,すべての教室で,オンラインでの単語テストを学習マネージメントシステム上で行うことが可能になった。授業運営の効率化の観点から見ると,この変更により,用紙に係る費用及び教員や事務職員の印刷,採点,マークシートの管理に掛かる労力を大幅に減らすことができた。教育効果を確認するために,各学期の最後に行っている復習テストの結果を分析したところ,紙媒体で実施していた2017年度とオンライン化した2018年度では,いずれも平均点に顕著な差はなく,同程度の効果を上げていることが分かった。このように単語テストをオンライン化することで,教育効果を維持しつつ,財政的・人的コストを下げることが可能であり,余剰分を他の教育研究活動に振り分け,より良い授業運営につなげることができる。さらに,オンライン化したことで,単語テストの毎回の得点はデータベースとして蓄積され,ビッグデータとして利用することができるため,より良い授業提供のための活用が期待できる。
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
Examining relationships between EFL learners’ WTC and communication behavior
KONNO, Katsuyuki (Ryukoku University)
YAMAGUCHI, Atsumi (Meijo University) KOGA, Tsutomu (Ryukoku University)
Willingness to communicate (WTC) in English plays a crucial role in encouraging learners’ active use of English both inside and outside the classroom. While various empirical research findings confirmed trait WTC predicts frequency of communication in English, much less attention has been paid to how communication behavior is affected by situated WTC, which is vulnerable to change in a particular English conversation context during an English conversation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate relationships between dynamic changes in WTC and communication behavior using a mixed method approach. A total of six Japanese EFL learners participated in this study. First, they engaged in a 10-minute English conversation with an English-speaking interlocutor. This was video-recorded. Immediately after the conversation, the learners self-rated the level of their moment-to-moment WTC during the conversation by watching the video recording. Finally, based on self-rated WTC and the video recording, an immediate retrospective interview was held to better understand the changes of their WTC levels. For further analysis in the present study, two of the learners with noticeable differences in their trait WTC levels were chosen by examining the questionnaire results indicating their trait WTC and biographic data. The total number of words and turns taken were counted as measures of communication behaviors. Results showed that there was a tendency for these learners to produce a considerable number of words where there was a rise in their WTC. However, there were also tendencies for them to produce a relatively large number of words where there was a decrease or no change in their WTC. The analyses of the interview suggested that various contextual and individual difference factors interacted with each other to push learners to maintain communication. Implications of this study include various approaches to conduct communicative activities effectively in their classrooms.
Research Presentation
R8 (702)
 
30'
Analysis of the Use of Tense and Aspect in Academic Writing in Engineering―Focusing on Past and Present Perfect
OKUYAMA, Yasuhiro (Hakuoh University)
The purpose of this study is to analyze the use of tense and aspect in academic writing in engineering, mainly focusing on the use of past and present perfect. The main reason to choose this topic is that I had taught English at a college of technology (KOSEN) for 14 years and I, as an English teacher, had to give students majoring in engineering ability to write and present their own research in English. In general, it can be said that it is one of the most difficult items for Japanese EFL learners, also for KOSEN students, to use tense and aspect properly. Hofmann (2014) also pointed out that ESL learners were confused by the use of tense. So, this research results could give us valuable information about teaching academic writing. According to APA (2009), past tense is used when discussing another researcher's work and reporting your results, and present perfect is used to describe an action beginning in the past and continuing to the present. Hofmann (2014) also suggests the general rules for the use of tense and aspect in his reference book for scientific writing. In this research, we analyzed the use of past and present perfect by using a small corpus, about 120,000 words in total, compiled from 21 research articles of several major journals in mechanical engineering. We found that frequently appeared simple past verbs were “showed”, “occurred”, “resulted” and “indicated.” We also found that “been” (past participle of “be”) was the most frequently appeared verb in present perfect sentences and this finding corresponded to the indication of Biber, Conrad and Leech (2002). In addition to that, more than 90% of the sentences were followed by past participle of general verbs. Therefore, it became clear that many of the present perfect forms appeared in passive sentences.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
11:20
60'
Brain Mechanisms in Second Language Learning: A Social Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective
JEONG, Hyeonjeong (Tohoku University, Japan)
One of the major questions in second language (L2) acquisition research is whether learning through an enriched environment, such as real-life communicative contexts or face-to-face interaction, improves L2 skill, and if so, how this works. In my talk, I present two strands of research which attempt to answer these questions from a social cognitive neuroscience perspective. First, I present a series of fMRI experiments that investigated how brain mechanisms of L2 learning from social contexts differ from those of L2 learning from translation. In this study, participants encountered new L2 words either in real-life situations (i.e., social contexts) or through L1 translation. While the former involves the integration of both verbal and non-verbal information, the latter relies on rote memorization. The learners who recruited the brain network involved in the processing of non-verbal information during learning were able to acquire and retain the L2 knowledge efficiently. Second, I present an fMRI study that examined how the mode of communication (i.e., online face-to-face vs. offline recorded video) influences brain mechanisms during L2 communication. Online face-to-face communication was found to elicit more balanced and varied aspects of communicative ability than offline recorded video communication. The findings indicate that L2 competence required in our global society may be effectively fostered through online interaction. Through this talk, I argue that cognitive neuroscience enables researchers to understand precise brain mechanisms underlying L2 learning and may provide pedagogical implications for L2 learning and teaching.
Keynote Speech
Auditorium 505
August 09
09:30
30'
Using Recording, Individual Feedback and Portfolios to Help Students Consciously Improve English Pronunciation
NOMURA, Kazuhiro (Kobe City University of Foreign Studies)
As a required university class for English-major freshman students, this semester class focuses on English pronunciation. Students are expected to gain knowledge about phonetics and to become fully accustomed to the sounds of English through listening and speaking practice. According to a survey conducted at the beginning of the class, most students say that they did not receive systematic training in English pronunciation at junior or high school level. While it is possible for students to acquire new knowledge about English sounds, improving proficiency in these areas has been a big issue for a class of this type, which consists of 40 students. In this class, the following set of procedures were repeated every week. After students learned theoretical knowledge using the textbook, they were given time for reading practice using a digital LL system. Utilizing individual digital recorders, the students recorded, monitored, and compared their voice with model recordings. After 15 minutes of practice time, students made a recording together. The digital sound files were collected and analyzed. The instructor wrote down individualized feedback to the students while listening to their files, and returned it to the students the following week. Next, the students transferred the results of their performance to their pronunciation portfolio sheets, which helped them deepen their understanding of where to focus their learning. By repeating this procedure, students became aware of their weak points, and made remarkable progress. The combination of digital recordings, individual feedback from the teacher, and keeping analogue portfolios helped students become consciously-skilled in English pronunciation. This presentation will discuss the class procedure and specific improvements in student performance.
Practice Report
R2 (503)
 
30'
Assessment for Learning Using Can-Do Statements in Elementary School English
IZUMI, Emiko (Kwansei Gakuin University)
TABUCHI, Mayumi (Notre Dame Elementary school)
In 2020, English as an official subject will be implemented in public elementary schools all over Japan. Twice a week English will be taught, and pupils will be assessed on three objectives. The first goal is to acquire fundamental knowledge and skills, and the second is to foster the ability to think, to make decisions and to express themselves. To cultivate an attitude of proactive learning and to develop pupils’ individuality is to be the third objective. How to assess elementary school pupils’ English ability, therefore, will be one of the most crucial issues facing elementary school teachers who have never been required to do so. The present research focuses on how to foster young learners’ attitude towards English learning while pupils’ self-evaluation was implemented as an alternative assessment. Can-Do statements with young learners were given as a possible means of assessment. This research investigated a Japanese private elementary school pupils’ English ability by using the originally developed Can-Do reflection sheet consisted of 4 scales and enabled pupils to reflect on their performance in terms of can-do statements. The practice had been done several times while 140 fifth graders were preparing for their group speech presentation on “Future city”. Three questions along with the goal of each lesson were set, which were followed by the general comments from the pupils. A close examination on these comments showed the possibility of making these Can-Do statements an assessment tool not only on learning but for further learning of the pupils. The reflection improved the quality of the pupil's own learning and also changed the way of teacher mediation. A qualitative research was also conducted on the changes of the pupils’ self-efficacy in the course of the lessons. How this affected the overall performance of the teacher is also to be discussed.
Practice Report
R3 (601)
 
30'
Developing and managing online autonomous learning materials for English listening as part of liberal arts education at Kyoto University 京都大学の教養・共通教育における自律学習型オンライン英語リスニング教材の開発と運用
SASAO, Yosuke (Kyoto University)
TAKAHASHI, Sachi (Kyoto University)
本発表では,京都大学の教養・共通教育の必修科目の一つとして一回生を対象に提供されている「英語ライティングーリスニング」で導入しているオンライン学習システムGORILLA(Global Online Resources for International Language Learning Assistance)の開発経緯と運用について紹介する。平成28年度から施行した英語の新カリキュラムでは,従前のカリキュラムと同様に学術目的の英語に焦点を当てながら,「学術的教養」と「学術的言語技能」の指導をより明確にした科目設計を行った。当該科目は,とくにライティングおよびリスニング技能の育成を目指した科目であり,GORILLAは当該科目におけるリスニング学習を促進する目的で導入された。リスニング課題は全13ユニットで構成されており,毎週1ユニットを完了しなければならない。単位認定は,8ユニット以上の学習完了が条件となっている。リスニングの評価としては,運営チームが学期に4回の試験作成および採点を行い,担当教員が授業時間内に試験を実施する仕組みとなっている。リスニング学習には計画的な学習が必要とされるため,学習相談室の設置,リマインダメールの送信,授業内での教員による声掛けなど様々な学習サポートを提供している。こうした取り組みに加え,現在進行中の新教材の開発についても報告する。
Practice Report
R4 (602)
 
30'
Language-Image Interaction in Conversation EFL Materials
HUANG, Shin-ying (National Taiwan University)
While the multimodality of ELT textbooks has been increasingly studied for how intersemiotic complementarity is deployed to achieve various pedagogic purposes, textbooks have less often been viewed as semiotic artefacts, a perspective which leads to the focus not on the pedagogic implications of multimodality but on intermodal interaction, such as image-text relations. To address this gap in the literature, this study explores visual and verbal interaction in ELT textbooks, focusing on the conversation section in a senior high school English textbook in Taiwan, which, compared to the reading section, has long been sidelined in textbook research. Analysis followed Royce’s (2002) recommendation for how ideational image-text relations could be examined, i.e. beginning with analysis of images from the perspective of the four functional categories of “represented participants, process, circumstances, and attributes” (Halliday, 1994, p. 193), and then to identify how the visual design relates to the ideational meaning in the written dialogues. The study found that the nature of dialogues as involving the simultaneous and continuous interaction between two or more people renders the relations between images and texts unique in conversation materials. Consequently, frameworks of image-text relations that are developed based on narratives (such as picture books) or information texts (e.g. Martinec & Salway, 2005; Unsworth, 2006) may not be sufficient for the understanding of this particular genre of multimodal text. This presentation will discuss the distinct ways in which images and language interact in multimodal conversations in an ELT material and provide a preliminary framework for future examinations.
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
Using Virtual Reality to Assess Heritage Language Learner Cultural Cue Recognition
MARKLEY, Leslie (University of New Mexico)
Heritage language learners (HLL) face unique challenges in the language classroom, many stemming from instructors’ implicit biases presuming HLL fluency. However, HLLs come from differing backgrounds with varying levels of exposure to their heritage language (HL) and heritage culture (HC) and fluency is not a predictor of the degree to which a student identifies with their HC. In fact, some learners may actively reject their HL and HC resulting in the potential for loss of the HC during the assimilation process. This makes the case for including cultural elements in the heritage language classroom, a practice that has been a hallmark of second language classrooms since the rise of communicative language teaching. But what is the best way to incorporate these elements? The easy answer is encouraging learners to interact with the heritage language community. But, again, perceptions of proficiency can create HLL anxiety particularly in the early stages of HL acquisition when interacting with peers or family members. If anxiety impedes these early conversation attempts, then in what other ways can we give beginning learners a chance to practice their HL while being exposed to the HC? Virtual environments have successfully been used for creating common grounds for practicing target languages and promoting cultural understanding. In this observational mixed methods study, we provide students with an immersive virtual environment that allows them to interact with virtual agents designed to simulate regional Spanish dialect and culture. The student will be asked to converse with the virtual agents to solve a simple mystery game that integrates elements of culture as a community practice. The hope is that this immersive virtual environment will create a culturally authentic experience in which beginning HLL students do not feel the hesitance in communicating that they may with native speakers in their community.
Practice Report
R8 (702)
 
30'
Observe and Borrow: L2 writing through imitation
CHEN, Mei-Hua (Tunghai University)
LU, James (Emory University)
The practice of “observing and borrowing” (OAB) existing language to compose, variously called language re-use, patchwriting, hyperwriting or textual borrowing cause some consternation, particularly in regards to university student writing and plagiarism. On the other hand, there are situations of writing (e.g., in business and legal domains) where recycling of text is the norm, and scholars interested in L2 writing pedagogy have argued that OAB can be a useful language learning strategy in two ways: to enrich learners’ content and language as well as to improve learners’ fluency in expression. OAB aids learners with limited lexical and rhetorical sophistications in a second or foreign language, or when they are overwhelmed by the language and structure of an unfamiliar genre. When coupled with a corpus of text representing shared values and conventions of a discourse community, OAB may help students to bootstrap their own learning process in two ways. Through pattern-hunting, student learn to “explore the corpus for ideas and language patterns”. Through pattern-refining, students find model expressions for conveying ideas. To further the development of learners’ OAB skills, we present a tool, CAPE, that facilitates the process of rhetorical assemblage by enabling students to “write with” a corpus of texts. CAPE mediates a writer’s interaction with a “personal do-it-yourself” corpus in several ways (e.g., concordance, word list, collocates, contour), each of which provides insight into lexico-grammatical or rhetorical features of the texts comprising the corpus, but primarily designed to assist the writer to compose in a target genre. Following a demonstration of the affordances of CAPE, we present preliminary results of several pilot studies at the authors’ home institutions.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
10:05
30'
Development of a Web-Based Data-Driven Learning System Targeting Japanese Elementary School Students of English
NISHIGAKI, Chikako (Chiba University)
AKASEGAWA, Shiro (Lago Institute of Language)
Data-driven learning (DDL) is a “discovery” approach to language learning. Students explore numerous examples of language, notice patterns and create hypotheses about grammatical rules. We report on a newly developed and recently released web-based DDL tool for elementary school students called DDL-E. Neither cost nor registration is required and is easy and intuitive for students and teachers to use. Generally, DDL tools target university students and most successes have been reported at the advanced level; DDL-E is unique in that it has been designed for elementary school students who are at the introductory-level (CEFR Pre-A1) and have little explicit knowledge of English. Because of a lack of available corpora appropriate for this level, we created a 25-million-word source corpus from introductory level English graded readers, school textbooks, and children’s stories. Rather than truncated concordance lines found in most corpus-based tools, DDL-E provides simple, short, complete sentences extracted and modified from this source corpus. The English concordance lines are shown with corresponding Japanese translations in the form of a parallel corpus. Elementary school students do not use grammar terminology when they learn English in Japan, therefore grammar items are shown in the form of “CAN-DO” statements. Students can choose a language item from a CAN-DO list and are “guided by” originally produced cut-out paper craft characters. Many of the concordance lines describe these characters and their school and home lives. This makes the concordance lines more relatable and interesting to the learners. While corpus tools usually provide only text data, DDL-E includes pronunciation samples. We present the rationale and the process of system development as well as a demonstration.
Research Presentation
R3 (601)
 
30'
Is There A Place For Language Centers In Tomorrow’s University?
CHARITOS, Stephane (Columbia University)
Recent reports have highlighted the plight confronting language education in the US. With overall language enrollments trending downwards and the number of language majors in free fall nationwide, there is an urgent need to reflect on the long-term trajectory of language education at a time when there are both shrinking resources to support it institutionally and growing skepticism about its overall worth socially. At the same time as this crisis is unfolding, language centers―as either physical spaces or as nodes within virtual networks―are also experiencing a quandary. Historically, language centers have been uniquely positioned to promote and support language education in a variety of ways. But as many institutions rethink their strategic priorities and undergo major transformations in the nature and scope of their core missions, their governance structures, the types of knowledge they produce and value, and their relation to the broader transnational economies and societies in which they function, the role of language centers must also necessarily change. In this new context, confronted with budgetary pressures and facing competition from newly emergent structures, such as centers for teaching and learning that aim for broader, cross-disciplinary focus, language centers must once again adapt and promote specific solutions that stimulate technology-rich interactions and cooperation across departmental lines, disciplinary boundaries, and institutional autonomy in order to stay relevant in today’s context. In this presentation, I will discuss how language centers should transform and innovate to address these new challenges and keep language faculty up-to-date with language learning application of technological innovations such as virtual and augmented reality, telecollaboration, gamification and various other computer-mediated communication tools that offer unprecedented opportunities for language learners to interact with others in contextualized domains that are both linguistically and culturally authentic and compelling.
Research Presentation
R4 (602)
 
30'
Can a simple human-like robot improve oral education for students with Social Anxiety?
HAYASHI, Kotaro (Toyohashi University of Technology)
SAKAMOTO, Yoko (Dokkyo medical university) SAKATA, Nobuhiro (Dokkyo medical university) SATO, Takeshi (Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology)
As a consequence of increased globalization, attaining language skills has become more important. It is essential for students to acquire these skills regardless of their own interpersonal communicative ability. However, many students may have “Social Anxiety”, which is a fear of being judged, being evaluated negatively, or being rejected. This can disturb the communicative practice of a foreign language. Additionally, it has been reported that Japanese students are more likely to suffer with this anxiety. On the other hand, it has also been reported that those with higher social anxiety prefer communicating with artificial intelligence (A.I.) rather than to a stranger. Therefore, it is anticipated that using A.I. will be an effective method to improve the communicative skills of those suffering from this form of anxiety. In this study, we developed a robot called “Akagachi” and introduced it into language education classes. Akagachi has a wide-angle camera that recognizes parts of the face and it gazes constantly into people’s eyes or the middle space of the eye constructing an F-formation with the person it interacts with. The robot is able to simulate this human-like eye movement by using a simple control system. We paired Akagachi with a smart speaker (“google home”), the smart speaker recognizes what the student says and is able to reply using spoken English. The robot was introduced into English communication classes and put in the middle of a table that was surrounded by several undergraduate students and a teacher. Akagachi was primarily used as an English dictionary allowing the students the opportunity to freely ask words unknown to them during the class. It is hoped that the further development of this robotic system will be a valuable support for students especially for those in need.
Practice Report
R5 (603)
 
30'
Language Socialization through Debate in Japan
NIMORI, Masato (Graduate Student, Hyogo University of Teacher Education)
This study explores the language socialization (LS) of Japanese high school students through their engagement in educational debate activities in English lessons. LS theory provides a theoretical framework, which illuminates “the mutually constitutive nature of specific linguistic interactions and local contexts as well as more macro-contextual forces” (Duff, 2008, p.110). From a LS perspective, debate is more than a language activity, which aims to develop students’ linguistic and critical thinking skills; it is a discursive practice, in which students negotiate and transform their identities (Norton, 2000) and subjectivity (Weedon, 1987) as well as develop their linguistic competence through interaction among participants in a specific linguistic community. This 4-month ethnographic study describes the ways in which students prepared for and worked on a proposition ‘the appropriateness of legalizing active euthanasia in Japan’ and demonstrates how students become competent members of the debate community, acquiring social competence as well as linguistic competence. Data collection had been triangulated using fieldnotes, video recordings, interviews, and questionnaires. Findings revealed that multiple interactions among the participants in the class enabled the students to view euthanasia from sociopolitical points of view and empathetically put themselves in the place of the terminally ill patients and their families. In other words, they explored the issues logically but expressed their true emotions, which sometimes conflicted with their logical thinking concerning how to end our lives in better ways. This mental conflict caused transformation of their identities and subjectivity as citizens as well as students. It was also found that participation in the debate activities enabled the students to appropriate specific genres to be used in the debate community.
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
Development of 360-degree Immersive Virtual Reality Training System for English Speeches
FUYUNO, Miharu (Kyushu University)
YAMASHITA, Yuko (Shibaura Institute of Technology)
This research project aims at developing and evaluating a virtual reality (VR) practice system of English public speaking for Asian EFL learners. Occasions for delivering English public speaking such as speeches and presentations are increasing in the globalizing society. However, public speaking is known as a major example of social fears, and there has not been sufficient evidence-based material for teaching and learning English public speaking especially regarding delivery skills. This study approaches the issue by developing a VR training system for English public speaking. The VR material provides 360-degree immersive virtual venue and projects virtual audience in order to cause feeling as if a user (EFL learner) is in an authentic public speaking environment. The system automatically evaluates learner's performance by its feedback system programmed with results from multimodal corpus-based data analysis of effective public speaking performances. A monitor test was performed with Japanese EFL learners (university students and junior high school students) and teachers to investigate usability and potential effect of the system. They evaluated the system with a questionnaire form consisted of Likert scales for usability and free comment. The answers for the free comment were analyzed with text-mining method. From result, it was indicated that the material received positive evaluations for causing sense of realism and nervousness from participants.
Research Presentation
R8 (702)
 
30'
Using lexical bundles as a measure of writing improvement in technology-enhanced genre writing
MIZUMOTO, Atsushi (Kansai University)
It has been suggested that the use of lexical bundles (i.e., recurrent expressions that co-occur frequently in a specific domain) is a signal of competent participation in a given community (Hyland, 2008). However, acquiring and using these lexical bundles could pose a formidable challenge for second language users of English. In order to facilitate the learning of lexical bundles, various online reference resources based on different types of corpora have been developed in recent years. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which frequency of lexical bundles could be used to measure the development of writing competency. A total of 89 Japanese undergraduate EFL students were asked to write an abstract of the research article after a genre-based teaching. In the following session, the participants were introduced to an online reference tool, which was developed to raise the awareness toward rhetorical structures of research articles. They revised their first draft using the tool. They also completed a questionnaire. In order to examine the improvement in writing quality, typical lexical bundles in the abstract section were counted before and after the introduction to the online reference tool. The results suggest that user feedback was positive overall, and the tool was found to bring about beneficial effects that genre writing pedagogy aims to achieve. Participants who used a larger number of lexical bundles after the instruction were those with higher English proficiency. They also commented that they gained confidence in writing, raised their awareness toward the rhetorical structure, and felt their lexicon-grammatical expressions improved by using the tool. In light of these findings, the pedagogical implications are discussed, with particular focus on the potential role that those online resources could play in the teaching and learning of technology-enhanced genre writing.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
10:40
30'
The Effect of Minimal Pair Practice with IPA Symbols on Japanese Learners’ Recognition of English Vowel Phonemes
SATO, Akihiko (Takushoku University)
This study examined Japanese learners’ changes in recognising English vowel phonemes by practising to read aloud with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). A pretest-posttest study was administered to 110 Japanese university students from July to November 2017, including reading-aloud practice of eight minimal pairs for 5 weeks. Research participants in the control group read aloud the 16 words in minimal pairs, listening to the sounds, while participants in the experimental group did the same but with IPA symbols shown during practice. For the control group, there was no significant difference between scores in July and November, but participants in the experimental group demonstrated significant improvement in the posttest scores in November, utilising their explicit knowledge. Results showed that when participants saw words with IPA symbols, they effectively recognised the English vowel phonemes. In this study, the effectiveness of teaching English sounds with the IPA is discussed.
Research Presentation
R2 (503)
 
30'
A Study of “Round System” Teaching for Improving English Speaking Ability at the 8th and 9th Grades and for Smoothly Connecting Elementary School and Middle School English Education in Japan 日本人中学2年生・3年生のスピーキング力育成に対する「ラウンド制指導法」の効果に関する実証研究―スムーズな小中接続に向
KUROKAWA, Aiko (Tezukayama University)
小学校外国語科全面実施後も生徒の学習意欲及び4技能を向上させる「小中接続」は中学校英語教育の重要課題であろう。本研究は鈴木(2007)提唱のラウンド制指導法(以下, ラウンド制)を用いて「中学2, 3年生を対象に行なうラウンド制による指導がスピーキング力の育成と小中接続に有効である」という仮説を検証する。本研究参加者は文部科学省研究指定を受けた国立大学附属中学校2, 3年生である。検定教科書の1つの課をまとめて導入し多様なインプット・アウトプットを行うラウンド制で学んだ生徒とラウンド制で学ばなかった前年度生計240名から, 1年学年末テストで等質性を確認した上記大学附属小学校出身者(以下, A群)各32名と別の小学校出身者(以下, B群)各20名で構成した各52名を抽出した。ラウンド制で学んだ処置群と前年度生(以下, 対照群)の2, 3年生学年末スピーキング・テスト結果の比較・分析を行った。全体比較とA群同士の比較では2年生未来形文と3年生現在完了文でp<0.05で処置群が対照群を上回り, B群同士の比較では2年生来形文, 比較文と合計点と3年生の一般動詞, 現在完了文と合計点で効果量小で処置群が対照群を上回った。以上の結果からラウンド制は小学校英語学習の量・質に関わらずスピーキング力に影響力があることが観察された。
Research Presentation
R3 (601)
 
30'
What do US and Japanese language centers have in common?
LAVOLETTE, Elizabeth (Kyoto Sangyo University)
The self-access language center (SALC) literature is extensive, as exemplified by the SISAL Journal. Parallel to this literature is a related literature on US-style language centers (LCs), exemplified by the publications of the International Association for Language Learning Technology (IALLT). SALCs have traditionally been places of solitary study, while LCs were often technology-based language laboratories, and both are in the process of evolving into centers of social interaction for language students (e.g., Kronenberg, 2017; Lavolette & Simon, 2018). SALCs and LCs differ in their origins, but they share much in terms of goals and contexts. Given these shared characteristics and converging evolutions, it is surprising that the bodies of literature have remained largely separate, with little citation across them. I believe that both bodies of literature would benefit from cross-pollination and that the two types of centers have much to learn from each other. For example, LCs are often hubs of research and professional development for language faculty, which is not a role that SALCs often play. Thus, I will present an introduction to US-style LCs, including their stakeholders, characteristics, activities, and evolutionary direction, based on IALLT Surveys from 2013 to 2017 (Kronenberg, 2013; Kronenberg & Lavolette, 2015; Lavolette & Kraemer, 2017). I hope to lay the foundation for a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas between experts in LCs and SALCs.
IALLT Selections
R4 (602)
 
30'
Developing an Evaluation System for Assessing L2 Learner’s Success in Speech Shadowing Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence and Robots
TANAKA, Hiroe (University of Nagasaki, Siebold)
To improve the L2 English pronunciation skills of Japanese learners, teachers often focus on their student’s pronunciation as they read textbook passages aloud. Many educators and researchers advocate speech shadowing as a method to improve pronunciation in language leaders; however, in order acquire the skills to correctly pronounce English sounds, the shape of the mouth and placement of the tongue are believed to be important in achieving proper pronunciation. This research aims to develop a new L2 English pronunciation assessment system using artificial intelligence through the Japanese conversational robot Charpy?, manufactured by CAI Media Corporation. This preliminary study examines the theoretical link between L2 speaking ability and a speaker’s facial movements as a means to develop a robot’s ability to evaluate the speaker through artificial intelligence. In this study, the facial movements of 10 participants were recorded before and after speech shadowing. The participants read aloud the same English passage of 120 words. During the first reading, the participants spoke without any prior guidance as to proper pronunciation. Following the instructor’s correction of mis-pronunciations, the students read the passage aloud again. Video recordings of the participants’ facial movements during the reading sessions were analyzed and evaluated using differential analysis through the use of a program developed by Professor Matsuda, one of the co-researchers. Upon analysis of the results of our preliminary study, it was found that the mouth shapes of the participants changed slightly following speech shadowing, resulting in a significant improvement in pronunciation.
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
Japanese and English Comparison on Complaint Handling: Role-Play and Interview Analysis 苦情対応の日英比較―ロールプレイとインタビューの分析―
IWAI, Chiharu (Osaka Prefecture University)
IWANE, Hisashi (Osaka University) IWATA, Shoko (Otemon Gakuin University)
インバウンドツーリズムが活況を呈する中、外国人客接遇時に英語で苦情対応をする機会が増えている。従来、苦情対応は個人的な経験・技術として記述されるに留まっており、その方法についての国際比較を含めた学術的研究は行われていない。そこで本研究では、ESP (English for Specific Purposes = 専門分野別の英語) である接客英語について、語用論の研究方法を応用し、苦情対応時の日英の言語使用をロールプレイで明らかにした。実施は2018年7月〜8月、対象は接客経験のある日本人とアメリカ人各10名である。ロールプレイの内容は、店の落ち度の程度に変化を持たせた苦情対応3種、接客担当者の立場を変えた苦情対応3種、店での事故対応1種、商品の不具合に関する苦情1種である。更に、インタビューも実施し、ロールプレイでの応答内容について質問した。結果は、日米で客の満足や接客担当者としての責任の捉え方に違いがあり、また、それをふまえた応対にも違いがあることが分かった。本発表では2017年度にインターネットを介して実施した意識調査やDCT (Discourse Completion Test = 談話完成テスト) の結果も併せて考察する。本研究は科学研究費補助金研究 (基盤(C)「観光業の苦情対応における日英比較の研究―語用論を活かしたESP教材の開発―」H29〜H32年) の一部である。
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
The application of 360-degree video as a tool for standardized language testing material
BLANCO CORTES, Laura Maria (Kyushu University)
FUYUNO, Miharu (Kyushu University)
This ongoing research project aims to study ways of applying modern immersive virtual reality technologies (360-degree video and VR headsets) for English language listening comprehension. The illusion of “presence” provoked in some cases by this visual and auditory immersion is still studied today. Applications using immersive VR (Virtual Reality) have been developed in various fields such as medical, entertainment and cultural heritage education. However, its application in the field of language learning has not been fully investigated. This presentation reports the first stage of the project, focusing on the usage of 360-degree video in the context of standardized English language proficiency tests. The experiments are carried out through a standardized listening comprehension test based on the TOEFL itp. A listening comprehension portion of the test is re-created employing three different stimuli: audio-only (control), traditional video (on a flat screen) and immersive video (on a VR headset). Reflecting the result of the experiment, we hope to further discuss the usability of VR material in classroom, especially focusing on EFL classes at university level.
Research Presentation
R8 (702)
 
30'
Which linguistic features contribute to essay ratings and when?: A preliminary study employing ordinal logistic regression analysis
SUGIURA, Masatoshi (Nagoya University)
NISHIMURA, Yoshito (Graduate Student, Nagoya University) ABE, Daisuke (Graduate Student, Nagoya University)
The purpose of this study is to investigate which linguistic features affect writing quality and on what stage of development of writing ability the features affect writing quality most. The investigation of influential linguistic features on writing quality has been conducted in second language writing research. Bult? and Housen (2014), for example, performed a multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis to identify the features which best predict the essay ratings, yielding Guiraud index, mean length of noun phrase, the proportion of simple sentences, and the subclause ratio as the most significant variables. MLR, however, cannot tell the dynamic relationships between essay ratings and each linguistic feature's measures. We adopted an ordinal logistic regression analysis to investigate the detailed relationships between the ratings and the linguistic features. In addition to syntactic and lexical features which can be analyzed by the SCA (Lu, 2010) and the LCA (Lu, 2012), the number of relative clauses, which may contribute to the complexity of nominal phrase (Biber, Gray, & Poonpon, 2011), and the number of discourse markers or connectives were taken into our analysis. Data, 859 essays, were drawn from a longitudinal learner corpus (Sugiura, Abe, & Nishimura, 2017). The results indicated that syntactic features such as the number of dependent clauses, lexical features including sophisticated word types and verb variation, and discourse markers could affect the essay ratings, but each feature contributed to the ratings in different ways. The number of discourse markers makes the difference of essay ratings between scores 2 and 3, for example. Verb variation as well as sophisticated word types, on the other hand, makes the difference between scores 3 and 4. Such detailed analyses of the contribution of linguistic features on essay ratings may be of help for essay writing instruction based on the individual differences of learners' writing skills.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
11:20
60'
How to Integrate Theory, Practice, and Technology for Balanced Data-Driven and Knowledge-Driven TELL
GODA, Yoshiko (Kumamoto University, Japan)
In this presentation, I will discuss ways to integrate theory, practice, and technology for the effective use of technology enhanced language learning (TELL). There are three main parts to the presentation: (1) discussing a preliminary model of integration that balances both data-driven and knowledge-driven approaches, (2) looking at case studies for self-regulated learning (SRL) and collaborative learning (CL); and (3) reviewing current issues and future implications
There are few theories and models in existing educational pedagogy that have been specifically developed for technology enhanced learning. Technology enables us to record and visualize students’ learning processes, giving us the opportunity to revisit and reshape existing theories and models of teaching and learning. I propose not only the merging of theory and technology for better practical application of technology enhanced learning, but also reinvigorating this theory to develop new ways of using technology in the classroom.
There are several relevant case studies that focus on SRL and CL for learning support. SRL is generally accepted as an essential skill for online learning. The communicative approach is also encouraged for effective and active language learning. SRL and CL are both essential to increasing the breadth, depth, and fluency of language proficiency. To increase the quality of interactions among students in language-learning environments, Community of Inquiry (CoI) was employed in our research projects, with social, cognitive, and teaching elements. Design and support for effective use of SRL and CL, as well as how to effectively combine the two, will be revealed through demonstrations of our developed systems. The limitations and integration issues we faced will also be introduced.
Finally, considerations for organizing the integration of theory, practice, and technology for TELL will be explored. The limitations of the proposed preliminary model will be discussed, and the significance of balanced data-driven and knowledge-driven approaches will be emphasized for future development.
Keynote Speech
Auditorium 505
13:20
60'
Raising metacognitive awareness through online Japanese vocabulary materials
IVANOVA, Marina (Graduate Student, Kyoto University)
The purpose of this research is to investigate the potential for fostering learners’ autonomy through Japanese learning materials and appropriate guidance. Learner autonomy is a multifaceted concept that can be measured through different dimensions, one of which is metacognitive awareness (Benson, 2010). Metacognitive awareness can be described as the capacity of making informed decisions about language learning (Sinclair, 1999), and can be achieved through the teaching of learning strategies as learners become informed about how to structure their own learning process. This research focused on designing Japanese kanji and vocabulary online learning materials which could potentially raise learners’ levels of metacognitive awareness through learning strategies and therefore help learners to become more autonomous. A four-week Japanese kanji and vocabulary course was developed using an open-source learning management system “Moodle”. During the course learners were not only required to study Japanese kanji and vocabulary but were also provided with materials on learning strategies, which included such topics as choosing materials and activities, evaluation, and how to plan their own learning. During the course, the participants were provided with opportunities to reflect on their previous experiences and attempted to design their own learning environments. In order to determine how the course affected learners’ metacognitive awareness, data from task-sheets, feedback from learners, and questionnaires were analyzed with factor analysis. For the questionnaire an adapted version of Oxford’s (1989) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning was used. Results of the analyses are discussed and implications for both Japanese language learning and course design are examined, with findings that demonstrate how the process of teaching strategies can be successfully incorporated into online language materials and that at the end of the course learners had become more informed about strategies they could use.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Designing an Online Writing System for Promoting Autonomous Learning: Providing Web-based Collaborative Environments and Automated Text Analysis Functions
KUSHIMA, Chizuko (Tsuda University) KISHI, Yasuhito (Shoin University)
The purpose of this study is to design an online writing system for promoting autonomous learning. The online writing system provides Web-based collaborative environments and automated text analysis functions which enable learners to recognize their active vocabulary. The online writing system has been designed to offer Web-based collaborative environments so that learners can be engaged in autonomous learning. The collaboration is essential to the development of autonomy. In collaborative environments, learners can develop capacities for reflection and analysis, central to the development of learner autonomy (Little, 1996). The online writing system is divided into two areas: an individual learning area and a collaborative learning area. In the collaborative learning area, participants can see all the participants’ writing, including bots’ writing, which means model writing or advice. The learners voluntarily gain a lot from the others’ writing or can be engaged in peer review activities in the shared area. The writing system also provides a self-monitoring function, or an automated text analysis function. To put it concretely, it analyzes each learner’s writing and creates a page which automatically shows how their active vocabulary is being used in each composition. The learners can reflect their active vocabulary level through the page. The online writing system was used in several writing courses at a Japanese university and data was collected from both the text analysis and a questionnaire. The findings showed that many students were intellectually stimulated by peers’ writing, and some students became aware of lacking their active vocabulary and felt the need to acquire more active vocabulary. The results indicated that the students were engaged in autonomous learning and tried to improve their writing skills through the writing system. Consequently, as well as helping improving students’ writing skills, the online writing system could promote students’ autonomous learning.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Fostering Academic Writing Skills Online Through the Use of Learner-Generated Content
HIRANO, Akari (Graduate Student, Kyoto University)
VINCENT, Noel Harris (Graduate Student, Kyoto University)
In conventional course design, an instructor selects and curates learning materials for students. However, the learning materials presented may not be directly relevant to learners’ needs. One solution to this content bottleneck may be the crowdsourcing of learning materials by students. This approach may be particularly beneficial to Japanese university students learning English for Academic Purposes (EAP), who need exposure to a wide range of academic writing. The online course presented enables Japanese university students to post and share writing samples of research paper abstracts. Through this process, course participants learn about the process of finding scholarly articles while gaining exposure to abstracts from a wide range of academic disciplines. Students also engage in a number of collaborative and independent learning tasks utilizing learner-generated content, such as discussions, comprehension quizzes, identification exercises, and collaborative writing. Content submitted by learners provides exposure to a wider variety of written EAP material than could be manually selected by course designers―helping participants learn to identify and utilize writing conventions which are specifically relevant to their field of research. This collaborative and task-based approach to EAP has implications for the teaching of academic writing within the Japanese university context and beyond.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Development of a learning app for improving speaking skills
TAKEFUTA, Junko (Chiba University )
The goals of this study are to develop an app that will help the many Japanese people struggling with their English speaking abilities to improve their skills and to create content that is compatible with learners’ needs, interests, and proficiency levels. The study system is comprised of 8 steps. In order to learn and use new expressions, this system will place heavy emphasis on repetition in order to add new knowledge into long-term memory with existing knowledge and allow the speaker to recall and use that knowledge when it is needed. As such, the first step is to play a recording of a conversation in Japanese in order to catch the listener’s attention and allow them to recall their existing knowledge. Next, we select only phrases which the learner wishes to learn and practice until the learner is able to recite them from English into Japanese and from Japanese into English on their own. Afterwards, the learner practices pronunciation with short phrases and records their own speech. Finally, the learner will listen to English prompts and give responses in a role-playing scenario. There were 11 participants in total, all first-year college students with an average TOEIC score of 530. The trial was conducted between September and October of 2018. A survey conducted after the trial showed that participants responded to a prompt stating “My language skills improved” with an average rating of 4.2 and “I enjoyed the course” with an average rating of 4.4 (a rating of 5 means “I strongly agree,” and a rating of 1 means “I strongly disagree”). Since the system is structured so that content can be switched out, we can match learners with content that fits their needs, interests, and proficiency levels and expect a high level of performance from our targeted learners.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Development of “Content-Focused Accessibility” E-learning Material for TOEIC and Quantitative, Qualitative Assessment: Based on Visually Impaired University Students’ Engaged Self-Learning
OTA, Chikako (Tsukuba University of Technology)
In English learning for visually impaired students, media conversion learning materials (e.g., enlarged characters and braille characters) as well as ICT environments (e.g., sounds and screen magnification) are used. These fall under what the author calls “technical accessibility to information”. However, in many cases, sufficient progress cannot be made only through technical accessibility. This study presents pioneering attempts to modify original learning materials regarding the various patterns of questions. This is what the author calls “content-focused accessibility to information”, which enables visually impaired students to study English more efficiently. Many students are at a loss due to the absence of learning materials for preparing for TOEIC. This occurs because students’ visual impairment varies a lot, and their English learning backgrounds also vary a lot depending on when they were first impacted by visual impairment. In this aspect, the author believes it is critical to provide conducive English learning environments for them. Thus, this study deals with the preparation for TOEIC, since they need some level of TOEIC score to try to enter higher education, secure employment, and access vocational opportunities. The students studied “content-focused accessibility to information” material as an assignment, and they provided their feedback from the following perspectives: 1) effectiveness of the material, 2) suggestions to improve/revise the material, and 3) development of autonomy for learning English after studying the material. Further, the author analyzed the students’ grades before and after studying the material. This study revealed some interesting results. In addition, based on the quantitative and qualitative feedback provided from the students, the author finds that visually impaired university students could take the initiative to engage in self-learning based on their self-analysis and their future career. These findings are significant as it provides new insights that will help facilitate visually impaired students’ self-learning.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Lessons in a Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Classroom: A Practical Study of Students Majoring in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)
HASHIMOTO, Tomoko (Graduate Student, Meiji University)
This qualitative study investigated use of ESP for English lessons conducted in a CALL classroom by analyzing student comments from an intermediate college level English class in the Department of ECEC. It was predicted that if students were asked to provide feedback for their course, they would comment on techniques acquired from and benefits gained through the use of information and communications technology (ICT). However, analysis revealed that course content and teacher’s attributes seem to affect students’ impressions of the course more than this. Procedures of the study were as follows. Students (N = 27) received English lessons using ICT for one semester. At the end of the course, they were asked to write freely on their impressions and lessons learned in the form of a letter to the instructor. This yielded 205 sentences which were analyzed using KJ method. Results showed that student comments could be classified into five categories: class content (n = 72), teacher’s attributes (n = 55), feeling of gratitude (n = 44), classroom environment (n = 42) and looking towards the future (n = 40) (multiple ideas in the same sentence were counted separately). Class content, which had the highest number of comments, involved what students learned by engaging in the course and included the following four subcategories: songs (n = 20), finger play (n = 18), communication skills/pair work (n = 24), and presentation (n = 10). Teacher’s attributes received the second highest number of comments, and consisted of three subcategories: energetic (n = 28), smile (n = 15), and kind (n = 12). Findings suggested that students studying ECEC may have distinct needs for ICT English lessons compared to their peers who are majoring in other disciplines, and course content should be tailored to meet students’ needs even when conducted in CALL classrooms.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Analysis of L2 Learners Learning Support System with the Assist of Machine Translation 機械翻訳を用いた英語学習支援システムの検証
YOSHIMURA, Rie (National Institute of Technology, Oyama College)
近年、人工知能の発展に伴い、機械翻訳の精度が飛躍的に向上している。単純な英語-日本語訳ではなく、文脈に応じた自然な和訳が実現可能になってきており、更に日常会話に限らず、専門的な文章にも対応可能になってきている。本研究では、正確に内容を伝える事を目的とした技術系英文ライティング指導において、機械翻訳を用いた学習支援システムを検討した。技術系英文ライティング(テクニカルライティング)とは、工業英検によると、「科学技術情報を、対象とする読者に合ったレベルで、正確に、分かりやすく伝えることである」と定義されている。産業界における現場作業等においては、作業の手順や問題点、解決策などを論理的に正確に相手に伝える能力が必要となる。しかしながら、教室における、英語を母国語としない学習者同士のコミュニュニケーションアクティビティーでは、自分で伝えた情報が正確に伝わったかどうかを十分に検討するまでには至らない。本研究では、機械翻訳を用いた技術系英文ライティングの学習支援を目的としたシステムを開発した。機械翻訳を用い、英文から母国語(日本語)に変換してチャット形式でコミュニケーション可能にする事で、英文による正確な情報伝達の検証と、会話のログ情報からの英文レビューによる学習支援を実現可能にした。
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Learning Foreign Languages in eTandem: Collaborative Learning between German Learners and Japanese Learners
WAKISAKA, Masako (Kyushu University)
Tandem learning is a learning method in which two language learners with different first languages work together in order to learn from each other based on reciprocity and learner autonomy. Previous studies show that tandem learning is effective in improving communicative competence, developing intercultural competence, fostering learner autonomy, increasing motivation, developing confidence in speaking a target language, and stimulating motivation to study abroad. However, few studies describe what and how learners actually learn in eTandem arrangements. This presentation will introduce an eTandem project between Japanese and German students and explore three questions: 1) What kind of topics did the learners chose and how did they learn in eTandem; 2) how did the learners support each other during the eTandem project; 3) and what were the merits and demerits of the eTandem project? Data was collected through an open- ended questionnaire given to the 20 participants at the end of the six-week eTandem project and learning diaries written by learners during the project. Results of the learning diary analysis showed most learners chose to discuss food, movies, and Christmas, but learning content and methods differed. Partners used various strategies to help each other learn more effectively such as supporting and correcting their partner’s language, adjusting their own manner of speaking to aid their partner’s comprehension, and letting their partner speak the target language as much as possible. Furthermore, an analysis of the questionnaire revealed three merits: the project was a good way to communicate with native speakers and an effective way to learn the target language and culture, sessions were fun, and learners were able to build good relationships with partners. Conversely, low language level and anxiety toward communication in target language caused difficulties for participants. These finding reveal how eTandem works and what is important when establishing an eTandem program.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Development and usage of a showcase e-portfolio website in a short-term study abroad course 短期留学コースでの発信型eポートフォリオの活用の試み
KISHI, Yoshiko (Case Western Reserve University)
ZAORSKI, Spence (Osaka University)
本発表は、北米の大学の日本への短期留学コース内でeポートフォリオを活用した日本語教育活動の報告をする。学生の興味に基づいてデザインするプロジェクトの成果発表、滞在先の周辺オリエンテーリング情報収集、ジャーナルなどの活動を学習エビデンスとしてeポートフォリオに記録し、振り返りに活用するだけでなく、ベストワークを選んでショーケース・ポートフォリオを作成し、本学の日本語学習者に対し公開・発信する。これらのeポートフォリオの開発過程とその学習効果について考察する。
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Complexities in opening a computer-mediated second-language conversation
KRUG, Nathan P. (Saitama University)
Overview: This investigation explores first encounters in second language (L2) conversations. Firstly, this study outlines a simple method for promoting second-language conversation, using technology widely available to university students. Secondly, this study focuses on how speakers move through the series of opening sequences that lead to the “anchor point” (Schegloff 1968, 1986), or first topic of the conversations. The corpus examined consists of L2 conversations conducted in English, which took place in a video-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) environment. Significance: L2 video-based CMC openings in pedagogical contexts have yet to be explored. From a conversation analytic (CA) perspective, this study describes such computer-mediated opening sequences, including the verbal and non-verbal signals deployed to negotiate a path from one sequence to the next. Participants and data: Seventeen mixed pairs of undergraduate students participated. Each pair consisted of a “novice” speaker (i.e., a Japanese learner of English) and an “expert” speaker (i.e., a highly proficient speaker of English). The interactions were recorded using networked computers. Participants managed the interactions independently; no restrictions were provided. Findings: The openings examined in this study reveal a different set of core sequences when compared to previous studies (e.g., Wong 2007). Tokens of surprise may also appear prior to the greeting exchange, when participants first catch sight of each other. In addition, the exchange of names can be extremely elongated (i.e., extended repair sequences) due to difficulties associated with “foreign” names and idiosyncrasies of the CMC environment. Just as Schegloff (1986) notes with reference to telephone conversations, despite the seemingly routine nature of opening a conversation, it rarely happens effortlessly. Participants often go to great lengths to co-construct the opening and arrive at the anchor point. Additionally, this study discusses resources that the conversationalists used to negotiate openings, including gestures and written text.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Promoting L2 Learners’ Ability to Use a Dictionary Through Computerized Dynamic Assessment
MATSUMOTO, Osamu (Kawamura Gakuen Women’s University)
A dictionary is one of the most frequently used learning resources for the second/foreign (L2) learning. However, dictionary instruction was unlikely to be introduced in the language classroom. In fact, past research found learners’ lack or misuse of a dictionary. Unskillful dictionary use may hinder L2 learners being more autonomous in L2 learning because they are supposed to less efficiently and adequately solve lexical problems by themselves. To address this matter, an online learning material for complementing dynamic assessment (DA) for Japanese English learners’ receptive dictionary use ability (i.e. ability to decode L2 word meanings), named C-DADA (Computerized Dynamic Assessment of Dictionary use Ability), has been under development. In accordance with the fundamentals of DA, which is originated in Vygotsky's notion of the zone of proximal development (ZPD), C-DADA unifies assessment of dictionary use ability and its promotion in a single activity. More specifically, C-DADA is designed to assess learner’s ability for receptive use of a dictionary. Receptive use of a dictionary requires learners (1) to identify the uninflected form of a word, (2) to select its appropriate syntactic category and (3) to select the most appropriate meaning in context, which results in the three sections per item on C-DADA: form, syntactic category and meaning. According to their answer(s) at each section, C-DADA provides learners with graduated feedback from implicit to explicit and produces two scores: actual and mediated scores. The former is a non-assisted score while the latter is one acquired by receiving feedback. It also generates learning profiles: to what extent and which level of feedback each learner receives. The paper concludes with presenting an overview of an on-going project to examine the effectiveness of C-DADA.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Maximizing the effect of Internet based communication in intercultural communication with writing
KATO, Satoshi (Graduate student, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
Today, Internet based communication tools or IBCTs (e.g. Skype) have been used in many cases of intercultural communications. They have often been used because they enable people in remote locations to communicate easily. Normally, IBCTs are used for the purpose of getting students just to know differences in cultures rather than to discuss them based on their perspectives. Most previous researches have done their intercultural activities to achieve the former goal. However, students in higher educations are expected to develop latter skills because society demands them to develop these communication skills to survive in this diverse and globalized society. To solve the problem, there are 3 tasks that need to be tackled. First, students should be given enough time and space to think about their opinions to enrich the discussion. Second, it is essential to consider a time lag between distant places. Third, some feedbacks or supports are necessary for students that are struggling with the discussion. As a result, I would like to propose a new way of intercultural communication that combines writing and speaking by partly using IBCTs. First the lecturer makes pairs of students from different countries. Then, each pair of students introduces each other and discusses the topic given by a lecturer by using IBCTs. Next, the lecturer gives students encouragement by IBCTs. The psychologist Alfred Adler defined encouragement as a way of energizing people to face challenges (Adler, 1964). This helps students face conflicts as the previous research pointed out (Kato, 2018). Finally, they continue and finish the discussion on a writing basis. This writing process helps students create their opinions clearly compared with speaking by IBCTs. Conclusion that can be drawn from this proposal is that IBCTs works effectively at the right time with the combination of writing.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
 
60'
Prototyping and Iterating on the Digital Language Lab (DLL) Learning Space and Role of DLL Manager
SENGIKU, Takeshi (Stanford University)
For the last 4 years, there have been big changes which impacted the digital language lab (DLL) and role of the lab manager. It has been quite challenging to adapt. However it provided for DLL space design and the role of lab manager to evolve by prototyping and iterating. First, we have moved into a new organization and been affiliated with new constituencies. Also, we have moved into a new building with new classrooms and technology tools. Second, the university has decided a new Course Management System (CMS) campuswide. Third, the ‘High Stake Assessment (HST)’ project by Language Center (LC) and DLL switched the device from desktop to mobile laptop. The new building and classrooms with new technology tools helped DLL to explore and initiate the process of designing the new space with LC committee. In the end, DLL traditional computer lab was transformed to more open space lab with fewer desktop computers. Being affiliated with a new organization allowed me to explore and expand the role of DLL manager to contribute within the new organization. More collaboration and coordination have taken place between DLL and the classroom technology unit and undergraduate support service group. The new CMS and HST change have lead the lab manager to assess the function of mobile devices in DLL space and explore the mobile device management support. Also the role of DLL manager starting to go beyond the physical DLL space, in terms of instructor training and student orientation. The current trend of learning environment is that the tool is becoming mobile, the furniture is flexible, and the space is open. These trends inspired the instructors to experiment new activities in their language classes. While there have been some challenges on management of these tools and equipment.
Poster
Corridors on the 6th and 7th floors
14:50
30'
Media Literacy: the ethical behavior and the moral responsibility
KIKUCHI, Hisayo (Aoyama Gakuin University)
Media technologies have drastically changed everyday life, and require a framework in terms of the ethical behavior and moral responsibility on social network sites (SNS) in both Japanese and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). The purpose of the study was to seek the possibilities and the ethical and moral issues hindering the practice to create an informal and meaningful digital culture, communicating with people living in other countries who they do not know. First, the students were asked to find SNS related to news topics and to interact in ELF for one semester. All the 20 participants in this class were second year university students and had around B2 level of English. This was hypothesized that active participants would improve their motivation to learn English and world news topics, through ideally creating their own informal and voluntary digital cultures. However, it would not be easy for EFL students to jump start online participation in English in reality, even if they have high English skills. From a media receiver point of students’ view, social media and online platforms in English could have more challenging issues including fake news, false advertising, and inappropriate content than in Japanese. From a media sender point of students’ view, posting and sharing comments, messages, and photos in English would lead students to realize the gap between the signifier and the signified, related to the globalization. In this presentation, I will present (1) the issues EFL students faced when they started to join informal SNS in English, (2) the process in which they learned to enjoy interaction, and (3) the questionnaire results they answered about digital cultures and moral issues. Through this study, students had opportunities not only to improve their motivation but also to learn unconscious moral and ethical issues in both ELF and Japanese.
Practice Report
R1 (502)
 
30'
The Relationship Between Critical Thinking Skills and Critical Thinking Disposition for Japanese EFL Learners
SUDA, Yoshishige (Graduate Student, University of Tsukuba)
KOGUCHI, Tomo (Graduate Student, University of Tsukuba) HIRAI, Akiyo (University of Tsukuba) MAEDA, Hiroki (Graduate Student, University of Tsukuba) OKA, Hideaki (Graduate Student, University of Tsukuba)
In recent years, more attention has been paid to the importance of critical thinking (CT) disposition for CT skill performance. However, little research has been done to validate this relationship with regards to foreign language usage. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between CT skills and CT disposition of EFL learners in Japan. For this purpose, the English critical thinking test (ECTT) and the critical thinking disposition questionnaire (CTDQ) were developed. ECTT measures the three sub-constructs (coherence, analysis, and inference) of CT skills based on previous research. CTDQ evaluates the disposition which may affect the performance on the three sub-constructs of ECTT. ECTT and CTDQ were conducted on 81 Japanese university students with English levels ranging from CEFR A2 to B1. Cluster analysis was applied to divide the 46 items of CTDQ into four item-clusters. The item-clusters were named “logicalness,” “indecisiveness,” “malleability,” and “efficiency.” Another cluster analysis was performed on the participants based on their mean scores for each CTDQ item-cluster, and four person-clusters were formed. These person-clusters were characterized as follows: Person-Cluster 1 registers as “logical,” Person-Cluster 2 as “indecisive and malleable,” Person-Cluster 3 as “unmalleable,” and Person-Cluster 4 as “indecisive yet unmalleable”. The relationship between these four person-clusters and the three sub-constructs of ECTT was then analyzed using the two-way (4×3) ANOVA. The results showed no statistical significance between the person-clusters, implying that CT skills and CT disposition might be unrelated. This finding provides the evidence that, although some Japanese EFL learners believe themselves to be good critical thinkers, their CT disposition is not necessarily reflected on the performance of CT skills.
Research Presentation
R2 (503)
 
30'
Evaluation of Learning Effect of Chinese Tone Perceptual Training Application for Smartphone 中国語声調感知訓練スマホアプリの学習効果の評価
KANG, MingSung (Graduate Student, Utsunomiya University)
ITO, Atsushi (Utsunomiya University)
中国語の発音は外国人学習者にとって克服すべき大きな課題である。中国語発音学習の一般的な手法は、簡単な単語を覚え、会話のモデル音声の模倣である。しかし,日本人による中国語発音学習における課題として、中国語は日本語にない発音があることと声調要素があることが挙げられる。中国語の基礎教育についての研究において、声調学習を重視し、発音における重要性を示す表現は多数ある。しかし、それらは主に1、2音節を調査対象として被験者のエラーパターンを分析したものが大部分で、その学習手法に関する研究は、あまりおこなわれていない。我々は、声調は難しいという現状に対し、実験結果を基づいたプログラムインストラクションのスモールステップの考え方を導入し,声調の学習において疎かにされがちな音声情報の認識を重視し、声調感知実験の結果を基づき、感知訓練課題の学習効果の向上を目的とした評価用Webアプリを設計し、一般的な中国語教材に比べ有効性が高いことを示した。これをうけ、本研究では、声調学習をより効果的に行うため、上記のアプリの機能に加え、声調の感知訓練の評価のため設計した基礎声調発音テストを学習教材として組み込んだスマホアプリを構築し、中国語初学者が利用した結果について報告する。特に、発音練習課題の設計と学習効果について分析するとともに、他の中国語学習アプリと、学習効果を比較した結果を述べる。
Research Presentation
R3 (601)
 
30'
A selfie-character-playing approach to speaking for young learners of English as a foreign language
CHAO, Yu-Chuan Joni (Providence University, Taiwan)
The study used a selfie-character-playing approach to the learning focused activities for young learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). The implementation was conducted in a private cram school in Taiwan, where in-class video recording was an integral part of classroom activities to show parents about their children’ competence in English speaking. Participants were 68 graders (32 students in the experimental group and 36 in the contrast group), age10 to 13, from 6 classes of 3 levels. The teacher followed the Presentation-Practice-Production teaching method for 4 weeks (PPP as Phrase 1, Phrase 2&3, Phrase 4, 30 minutes a week), as the study focused on the students’ two practicing processes―writing their speech and rehearsing their speech delivery with peers. The experimental group used a selfie-character-playing application for deciding a character at Phrase 2, for rehearsing at Phrase 3, and self-recording at Phrase 4. Students in the contrast group were supervised by the teacher at Phrase 2 and 3 and they performed their storytelling via teacher’s video recording at Phrase 4. All of the participants responded to a questionnaire about their attitudes toward the speaking activities. Their speaking videos were graded in two categories ? language knowledge (the quality of the written speech and the usage of vocabulary) and speaking skills (voicing and acting). Results of students’ learning outcomes, including attitudes from the questionnaire, scores in the grading of language knowledge and speaking skills, show that those using selfie-character-playing for speaking activities significantly outperformed those in the traditional PPP activities. As the significant differences between the two groups indicates large effect sizes, the pedagogical implication is to bring to the fore utilizing the selfie-character-playing enthusiasm for the learning process of speaking.
Research Presentation
R4 (602)
 
30'
A study of a learning environment where a communicative robot presents English medical terminology
SAKAMOTO, Yoko (Dokkyo Medical University)
SAKATA, Nobuhiro (Dokkyo Medical University)
We have been developing a learning environment with a communicative robot (robot) in English learning classes. In this study, we examined the differences between learning English medical terms with a robot or a tablet over two learning sessions. Fifteen pairs of English medical terms were used as stimulus words. Each pair was chosen with the same number of syllables, the same stress pattern, and where possible, similar sounds. Results were gained from 22 participants, who were first grade medical students and they were divided into two groups. At first, one group learned with a robot while the other learned with a tablet. Two weeks later the second learning session was conducted with the groups counterbalanced. Word quizzes were given to each student before and after the exercises and the results were calculated from the average scores of each session. When learning with a robot, the average score of the word quiz before the session was 2.17 although after the task, the score rose to 6.42. A memory retention test, which was taken two weeks later, showed that the average score was 4.25. On the other hand, with tablet learning the average score of the pretest was 1.09, and the average score of the post-test was 5.09. The average score of the memory retention test, taken after two weeks, was 2.36. The results of a questionnaire, completed after the investigation, revealed that more students said learning with a robot was fun and could be helpful in memory retention. In summary, from the point of view of the average scores after each session, we found that there were similar learning effects when using a robot and tablet. However, the results suggested that retention of vocabulary might be affected by the learning environment with a robot.
Research Presentation
R5 (603)
 
30'
Comparative Analysis of Japanese EFL Undergraduates’ Pragmatic Responses in Online Forum and Face-to-face Discussion
MATSUOKA, Yaoko (International Christian University)
Although majority of young people recently prefer using smartphones than laptops even for their study, computers at CALL rooms still are effective tools in developing communication skills for English as foreign language (EFL) learners. This study investigated Japanese EFL learners’ use of English language revealed in computer-mediated communication (CMC) in the form of an online forum, in comparison with a face-to-face (FTF) group discussion. The research was conducted at a co-educational private university in Kanagawa prefecture, using two sophomore general English classes. Student participants of both classes were divided into small groups of four to five; CMC groups participated in online discussion forum at a CALL room, while, FTF groups conducted face-to-face discussions at an ordinary classroom. The teacher provided discussion topics, aiming at the development of their English pragmatic competence, specifically, speech acts of suggestion. Teacher’s recast, an instructional technique giving learners feedback to correct the inappropriate use of language implicitly and provide correct usage by repeating the language, was employed to make students understand and use suggestion strategies appropriately. Teacher’s recast was conducted in written form in CMC groups, while, oral recast was implemented in FTF environment. Results of the record of CMC forum entries and transcripts of audio-recorded FTF conversation were analyzed based on the conversational analysis approach with the assessment framework of Martinez-Flor and Fukuya (2005). The overall findings suggested that CMC enhanced participation to discussion by students with lower foreign language proficiency and helped them learn how to use a certain speech act in interaction by reviewing forum entries. Implications included consideration to the management of group discussions, appropriateness and timeliness of recasts, and the necessity for various types of communicative activities, including CMC, in EFL classes.
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
Microlearning in the 21st century language education
SUVOROV, Ruslan (University of Hawaii at Manoa)
FINCHAM, Naiyi Xie (University of Hawaii at Manoa)
Over the past few years, there has been a burgeoning recognition of the need to address social dimensions of CALL, as demonstrated by recent publications (e.g., Gleason & Suvorov, 2019; Ortega, 2017) and conference themes (e.g., Helm, Bradley, Guarda, & Thou?sny, 2015). In light of this need, microlearning that entails frequent short interactions with small learning units poses unique affordances for integrating language learning into the 21st century language learners’ social lives through mobile technology. With most existing microlearning initiatives being limited to vocabulary acquisition, there is a need for microlearning solutions that focus on other aspects of language acquisition. The purpose of this presentation is to (a) introduce a microlearning app for learning L2 culture, and (b) propose a design for a research project aimed at exploring the affordances and constraints of the app for L2 culture learning from the perspective of Activity Theory (Engestr?m, 2001), a theoretical framework for studying human activities as socially and culturally mediated phenomena. In light of the informal nature of microlearning as a social activity happening outside of classroom, Activity Theory recognizes complex relationships among various elements within a microlearning activity system (i.e., app users, microlearning content, social context of use, community, etc.), thereby offering more comprehensive insights into the ecology of learning. Data collection instruments comprise online surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and a tool for gathering app user analytics. Once the development of the microlearning content is finalized, the proposed research design will be used to (a) evaluate app users’ perceptions regarding the quality of microlearning content, and their needs and preferences regarding the learning of L2 culture, (b) investigate app users’ perceptions and preferences regarding the app existing and desired features, and (c) provide evidence to inform effective integration of the microlearning app into the users’ language learning practices.
Practice Report
R7 (701)
 
30'
The First Step to Learning Analytics with Moodle
HARASHIMA, Hideto D. (Maebashi Institute of Technology)
While teaching languages with technology, teachers wonder if students are making progress on schedule, if there are some who lag behind others, or even if any are on the verge of dropping out. These are serious concerns for the teachers who rely on LMSs to support the classroom instruction, because they are often unable to imagine the troubles and struggles of each student by the limited physical contacts with them in the classroom. Learning Analytics (LA) is a way of measuring student engagement in a digital class and also reports the effectiveness of any particular lesson. Sophisticated LA tools also provide teachers with detailed information on the behavior of each individual student. This enables teachers to differentiate between students meeting with success and those having struggles or being “at-risk.” The latest version of Moodle incorporates the LA tool “Inspire” into its core functionality. A growing number of other LA plugins and blocks are also available for Moodle. The presenter has explored some of those in-house LA plugins as well as a third-party one. They include “Inspire”, “Analytics Graph,” “Forum Graph,” and "IntelliBoard." The tools provide various types of information including the chronological access distribution, the transition of assignment submission and active user numbers, the number of individual forum posts, levels of difficulties with each question in a quiz, and the interrelation between participants in a forum, as well as periodic reports on at-risk students. The presenter will report how they have been implemented in Moodle-based teaching and show how they help teachers grasp student behaviors.
Practice Report
R8 (702)
 
30'
In what conditions do EFL students engage more in group work?: A NIRS study
KONDO, Mutsumi (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies)
NOZAWA, Takayuki (Tokyo Institute of Technology) JEONG, Hyeonjeong (Tohoku University) IKEDA, Shigeyuki (Tohoku University) YAMAMOTO, Reiko (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies) ISHIKAWA, Yasushige (Kyoto University of Foreign Studies)
This study focuses on the relationship between learning engagement and group work in the EFL classroom. Learning engagement was measured with Short Flow State Scale developed by Jackson, Martin, & Eklund (2008). In addition, we tested the potential utility of inter-personal synchrony of brain activities measured by ultra-small near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a quantitative measurement for the learning engagement in group work. In this study, the concept of flow is used as a framework to investigate student learning engagement. Csikszentmihalyi (2008) defines ‘flow’ as an experiential state characterized by intense focus and involvement that leads to improved performance on a task. According to the flow theory, flow is more likely to occur when the perceived challenge of the task at hand and the individual’s skills are high and in balance. Using a sample of 33 university students (18 English majors and 15 non-English majors), we investigated the conditions under which they reported being engaged. Participants were divided into eleven groups and each group completed 4 tasks with different levels of difficulty within the time limit. In order to reduce the confounding variables, the experiment was conducted in a laboratory setting. Findings from both of the subjective and quantitative measurements indicate that (1) contrary to the flow theory, both groups of the participants experience increased engagement when the perceived challenge of the task is low, and their skills are high, and (2) when participants engage more in group work, inter-subject neural synchrony increases. This demonstrates the great potential of neural synchrony as a quantitative measurement of group work. Findings from the qualitative data suggest that participants can engage more in group work when they help each other, and agree on the process of completing the task. Suggestions for future studies and classroom practices will be discussed.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)
15:25
30'
From ‘Computer-Assisted’ to ‘Computer-Integrated’: A New Frontier of Language Education
KIMURA, Syuhei (Ritsumeikan University)
The purpose of this presentation is to report the practice of a ten-year long project-based college English program under Bring-Your-Own-Device, BYOD, policy and to discuss the new pedagogical paradigm which integrates practical usage of Information Communication Technology, ICT, into language education. The past fifty years saw language education empowered by ICT, which is specifically called Computer-Assisted Language Learning, CALL. On the other hand, due to commoditization of information appliances including laptops, smartphones and tablets and fast wireless network, ICT has played a more important role than ever before in education, as has been widely recognized as EdTech in recent years. Language education is no exception. The compulsory English program employed by four colleges of Ritsumeikan University in Japan is one of the specific examples of language education which regards English and ICT as indispensable means of communication. In this program, students are encouraged to bring their own device and make use of it from searching the Internet for relevant materials and information for their project to writing essays and giving presentations. Several surveys found that the majority of them have developed both English competence and ICT-related skills through the program. Another survey showed that a number of alumni of the program found it helpful in organizing and delivering ideas after they started working. Based on these survey results and prior studies, this study defines this kind of organized language education as Computer-Integrated Language Learning, CILL. The presentation also covers general goals and basic components of CILL, needs analysis of English and ICT in contemporary Japanese society and present and future tasks CILL often faces. Finally it is emphasized that CILL is a new frontier of language education where various collaborative actions are demanded among instructors, staff members and students.
Research Presentation
R1 (502)
 
30'
Analysis and validation of the descriptors of the JLPTUFS Academic Can-do List JLPTUFSアカデミック日本語Can-doリストの項目の分析と妥当性検証
SUZUKI, Mika (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)
東京外国語大学では日本語学習者のアカデミックな日本語運用能力を示す目的で「JLPTUFSアカデミック日本語Can-doリスト(「AJ Can-doリスト」)」の開発を行い、インターネット上で公開した。「AJ Can-doリスト」は、日本語の初級から上級レベルの学習目標及び授業内容を踏まえ、学習者がそのレベルを終えた段階で日本語でどのようなことができるかを技能別に記述、開発されたものである。本発表ではCan-do検証と修正プロセス、レベル別のCan-do記述とアカデミックスキルとの対応、に関して述べる。AJ Can-doリストは・レベル別Can-do目標、・レベル別Can-do細目、・全レベル共通目標で構成され、そのうち・レベル別Can-do目標の難度の妥当性を分析するために、学習者のCan-do自己評価データをラッシュモデルに適用し、検証を行った。その結果、2016年7月調査では4技能5リスト(読解、聴解、文章表現、独話、会話)の難度がレベル順に揃っている技能はなかったが、修正を経て2019年1月調査では4技能4リストについて難度がレベル順である結果が得られた。AJ Can-doリストは、初級レベルから各技能で学習者のアカデミックスキルを活用する記述がなされていることも特徴であり、国内外の機関での活用が期待される。
Research Presentation
R3 (601)
 
30'
Managing a “Special” EFL Classroom
TSUKAMOTO, Mizuka
The amount of literature on including students with special needs in an EFL classroom is limited. In addition, English language teachers have been rarely trained or have the knowledge or experience in how to support them in the classroom. When put in a position to teach a blind student in a reading course required for all first-year university students, the presenter became aware of the limited information available, both in literature and at the workplace. She also realised the possible value of sharing the experience. This presentation is mainly a reflection of the presenter’s experience. It will also include the following: information on support provided by the institution, insights into what kind of support may have been helpful for both the teacher and for the students, the presenter's classroom practices and management. The presenter will also introduce the voice of the particular student provided through his reflection.
Practice Report
R4 (602)
 
30'
Application of Cloud-Based Text-to-Speech Technology in Second Language Teaching
AZUMA, Junichi (Kobe Gakuin University)
The aim of this research is to appraise the rapid development of cloud-based text-to-speech (TTS) services and to suggest new ways of applying the latest TTS technology to second language teaching. TTS technology has changed greatly over the last few years. One of the most significant changes was a shift from the stand-alone system to cloud-based services. The TTS service of Amazon Polly, as a typical example, will be examined in this study. Although today’s TTS technology is considered a versatile tool for generating human-like voices, the creation of a voice that is truly appropriate for a real educational environment is rather more challenging. Simply converting the text into a TTS voice will not work in the second language education arena for either beginner or intermediate learners because the prosodic features of a generated voice are generally those of an adult native speaker with a high speech rate. Furthermore, a lack of sufficient pauses of appropriate duration at phrase boundaries might be a problem. To generate a voice that is suitable for actual educational situations, a considerably high-level adjustment of the prosodic features is required. High-quality TTS services normally enable us to perform this kind of adjustment through the use of SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language) tags. Examples of actual customization of the TTS voices of Amazon Polly, using suitable SSML tags, will be given. TTS voices are, of course, fairly useful for audio-based educational materials such as a model voice for speech, recitation, or dialog practices, voices for online hearing quizzes, and so on. However, TTS voices are also available for movie production, including occasions when dubbing is necessary. As such, suggestions for movie production using TTS voices will also be presented.
Practice Report
R5 (603)
 
30'
How the International Exchange Events Enhance Students’ Motivation to Learn Different Languages
UESUGI, Yuko (National Institute of Technology, Kure College)
This paper aims to prove a close relationship between the international exchange events and the enhancement of students’ motivation toward the acquisition of languages. It provides the report on how effective the international exchange events between National Institute of Technology, Kure College, NIT Kure, and Radford College in Australia are to achieve the tandem education where both sides aim to develop their different target languages; English for the NIT Kure students and Japanese for Radford College students. The collaborative sister-relationship between our schools has been conducted for 7 years. We regularly send our students on the homestay programs with the purpose of the international exchange. Introducing some preceding exchange events between our schools, one recent case of hosting a boy from Australia is introduced. Having an experience to be a host family for a foreign student, an NIT Kure host student showed some significant changes in himself: his motivation for learning English got higher; he showed a great improvement in his English tests; and he could broaden his horizons. Also, the classes which accepted this Australian student either as a homeroom student or a teaching assistant showed a great sign of enhancement of motivation toward the language acquisition. Our program also contains Skype-used classes where both sets of the students exchange their cross-cultural information with each other both in English and Japanese. By conducting Skype sessions along with the exchange programs, both sides of the students can have a reunion and build a firmer and longer friendship. The analytical resources are both the questionnaires from the students and the transitional scores of English tests. Consequently, these events will give you some unique educational insights from different cultural perspectives. It will continue to help students to cross cultural barriers, think globally and build human understanding rather than cross cultural understanding.
Research Presentation
R6 (604)
 
30'
Exploring the Affordances of Interactive Tools in Blended Learning: Design and Implementation of Interactive Lessons for a Simulation-Based Advanced Korean Language Course
FINCHAM, Naiyi Xie (University of Hawaii at Manoa)
LEE, Eunsun (Graduate Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa) PARK, Leeseul (Graduate Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa)
The creation of interactive course presentations has been gaining recognition as a compelling and worthwhile use of technology for language instruction. Some of the most important affordances include ways to break up a lengthy video, audio or other instructional materials into more manageable chunks, immediate comprehension checking and feedback, options for annotating or marking up content to enhance focus and salience, and flexible navigation that enables individual control over content and learning pace. This presentation reports on the use of interactive lessons to enhance students’ learning experience in a simulated business context that focuses on professional communicative skills and intercultural competence for advanced learners of Korean. The simulated experience is built around a fictitious company in Korea, which provides the background and context for interaction. Tasks simulate actual situations that students are likely to encounter during a required capstone year abroad. Students apply for an internship position, and complete a company-required onboarding training to improve their public speaking and presentational skills and acquire knowledge of Korean workplace culture. To meet these learning objectives, two online modules were created: Workplace Culture and Public Speech Skills, which consisted of a total of ten interactive lessons. These lessons not only provided multimodal presentations of the learning materials and activities, but also paced scaffolding through built-in explanations, comprehension checks, and different forms of feedback based on learners’ input. To address the challenge of providing scaffolding for speaking practice outside the classroom, tasks were created through the app Extempore to engage students in guided speech production, and individualized feedback was provided by instructors. Drawing on preliminary evaluation data collected from the instructors and students, we will discuss findings regarding design, delivery, initial training and ongoing support for students and instructors to use and benefit from the interactive content, as well as implications for further improvement.
Practice Report
R7 (701)
 
30'
Detecting Learners' Hesitation during Word Reordering Problems by Analyzing Mouse Trajectories―With An Attempt to Focus on Their Chunk Information 英単語並べ替え問題における解答中の動作履歴を用いた迷い検出−学習者の迷いと問題内チャンク情報に着目した試み
MIYAZAKI, Yoshinori (Shizuoka University)
ZUSHI, Mitsumasa (Shizuoka University) NORIZUKI, Ken (Shizuoka Sangyo University)
英単語並べ替え問題は頻繁に英語資格試験などに採用される,よく知られた問題形式である.紙面上の解答で得られる情報は並べ替え後の最終解答のみであるが,我々が開発するWebアプリケーションは解答中のマウスの軌跡を記録することで,最終解答に至るまでの過程を取得する.軌跡情報からは解答時間,移動距離等を算出でき,またドラッグ&ドロップや単語のグループ化機能の使用回数等各種パラメータを取得できる.実験では,解答中の迷いの有無・程度や,並べ替えた英単語のうち迷った単語を解答直後に選択させるフェーズを同アプリケーションに設け,これら一連のデータを元に学習者の迷いの判定について取り組んでいる.2018年に行った実験では某大学で英語系科目を履修している43名の実験協力者に対し,30問に解答してもらった.得られた1,290件の解答履歴を用いて機械学習(教師あり学習)を行ったところ,従前の実験結果と同等の精度で迷いの推測に成功し,学習者が変わっても予測性能に大きな差は出ないことが確認された.本発表ではこれに加え,解答中のグループ化使用と迷いとの関連性について分析を試みる.さらに,各問題の解答に対して事前に準備した(意味的なまとまりである)チャンク情報と,グループ化された単語群を比較することで,迷いの予測性能の向上に寄与するかどうか議論し,また,迷いの発生箇所を特定化に向けた可能性について検討する.
Research Presentation
R8 (702)
 
30'
Bringing brain science into EdTech for language assessment and learning
OJIMA, Shiro (Yokohama National University)
Technological advances have made it possible to visualize the functions of the living human brain. Various brain imaging methods including event-related brain potentials (ERPs) have been used for basic research on how the brain processes and learns language, and numerous findings have accumulated. The current digital era has also seen rapid progress in the area of EdTech. Our research group tries to merge these two trends and use brain science for the EdTech of language. This talk will introduce ongoing studies which aim to apply the ERP technique to language assessment and language learning. The first study builds on past ERP studies which have shown that ERP responses to second-language (L2) stimuli change systematically as one’s L2 proficiency increases. Our central idea here is to use ERPs for L2 assessment, in particular, to predict one’s L2 proficiency. Our initial trial tested the practicality of a newly developed easy-to-use ERP recording device and recorded ERPs from adult native Japanese speakers who were listening to English words. Previous findings of proficiency-related systematic changes have been replicated on a large scale. Our second study applies so-called neurofeedback to language learning. Neurofeedback, as its name suggests, is a technique where one is given feedback about the state of his/her own brain. Here we try to use neurofeedback to induce L2 auditory learning. We take advantage of the ERP response called the Mismatch Negativity (MMN), which appears when the brain automatically detects a change in a series of auditory stimuli. In a game-like task, native Japanese speakers listened to English /la/ and /ra/ sounds and received visual real-time feedback which reflected the size of the MMN. We discuss our preliminary findings and explore the possibility of using brain science in the field of EdTech for language.
Research Presentation
R9 (703)