Osamu Takeuchi
Kansai University, Foreign Language Studies, Faculty Member
Vocabulary acquisition is a crucial element in achieving second language proficiency. This study focuses on learners as active participants in vocabulary learning, exploring the relationships among growth mindset, self-regulated... more
Vocabulary acquisition is a crucial element in achieving second language proficiency. This study focuses on learners as active participants in vocabulary learning, exploring the relationships among growth mindset, self-regulated vocabulary learning, and vocabulary knowledge. We collected data from a sample of 259 Chinese university students. These participants completed questionnaires to measure their beliefs in growth mindset regarding vocabulary learning (GMSVL) and their self-regulated capacity in vocabulary learning (SRCvoc). We also assessed their vocabulary knowledge through Vocabulary Size Test (VST) for breadth and a test on collocation for depth. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we found that GMSVL had a positive predictive relationship with SRCvoc, which in turn positively predicted vocabulary knowledge. The results indicate that having a growth mindset in vocabulary learning can lead to improved self-regulation in the learning process, thus enhancing vocabulary acquisition. Our findings integrate the concept of growth mindset into the framework of self-regulated vocabulary learning and offer practical insights for promoting adaptive learning beliefs. The implications of these findings for both research and practical applications in vocabulary development are further discussed.
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According to a large-scale survey administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan, in 2021, interview tests wherein students speak with a teacher or an assistant language teacher are mainly used... more
According to a large-scale survey administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan, in 2021, interview tests wherein students speak with a teacher or an assistant language teacher are mainly used in Japanese junior high schools to assess interactional competence in speaking English. However, there has been a lack of investigation regarding the types of utterances elicited by students during interview tests conducted by teachers. This study aimed to fill this gap by involving a teacher who interviewed 41 junior high school students, allowing for a holistic and analytical examination of the dialogues during the interviews. The analysis of these student-teacher dialogues revealed that the teacher actively assisted students in continuing the dialogue by offering new topics, developing them, and asking topic-related questions to continue the dialogue. The authors argue that these findings indicate that the interviews demonstrated the teacher's interactional competence more than that of the students, making it difficult to assess students' interactional competence through teacherconducted interviews. Therefore, alternative speaking-test formats are needed to assess the students' interactional competence in English.
This study investigated the learning engagement of Japanese university students when using e-learning as out-of-class English assignments, from the perspective of selfregulated learning. Engagement was assessed by e-learning login... more
This study investigated the learning engagement of Japanese university students when using e-learning as out-of-class English assignments, from the perspective of selfregulated learning. Engagement was assessed by e-learning login frequency, study weeks, and study hours. Self-regulated learning aspects were evaluated using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ: Pintrich & De Groot, 1990), which measures motivation, cognitive strategies, and metacognition. The analysis revealed a positive correlation between students' login frequency and study weeks with metacognition. However, motivation, which scored the highest in the MSLQ, showed no correlation with engagement. These findings suggest that studentsʼ engagement in outof-class e-learning may be more influenced by metacognition than motivation. Future research should focus on elucidating the specific metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive activities that enhance engagement.
In this quantitative study, we investigated the relationships between parenting and young learners' English learning-specifically parents' sociocultural influence on elementary school children's motivation-within the framework of... more
In this quantitative study, we investigated the relationships between parenting and young learners' English learning-specifically parents' sociocultural influence on elementary school children's motivation-within the framework of self-determination theory (SDT). We surveyed 212 dyads of Japanese parents and their children (8-12 years old) and used structural equation modeling to elucidate the causal relationship between parents' attitudes and children's motivation for their second language (L2) learning, which is English as a foreign language learning context in this study. We found that parental involvement in children's English education positively impacted children's perceived competence in L2 learning and their interest in other countries, improving their L2 learning motivation. This demonstrates that parental involvement is a significant predictor of young learners' L2 motivation in Japan. We also identified a discrepancy between children's and parents' perceptions. Parents believe their involvement in children's L2 learning is autonomy-supportive behavior, while children do not always perceive this. We conclude that parental involvement in children's home L2 learning supports children's learning motivation. Our final model expands the SDT framework for language learning and covers both parenting and language learning research realms, improving our understanding of how parental attitudes and behavior influence children's L2 learning.
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Study abroad (SA) programmes have been introduced in language education at colleges and universities worldwide. In Japan, due to the growing demand for English communication skills associated with the rapid advance of globalization, many... more
Study abroad (SA) programmes have been introduced in language education at colleges and universities worldwide. In Japan, due to the growing demand for English communication skills associated with the rapid advance of globalization, many institutions have developed curricula to send their students overseas. According to the Japan Student Services Organization (2020), more than 100,000 Japanese students were engaged in some form of SA programme in 2018.
However, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 had a profound impact on SA programmes around the world. Several SA programmes shifted to remote learning, causing international students to take online classes while confined to their dormitory rooms; some students were even compelled to return to their home countries, as their entire programme was cancelled. Covid-19 also affected students in Japan who were preparing for SA programmes. Due to travel restrictions and campus closures, many students were forced to change their plans for, or even abandon, their SA participation. However, a few programmes promptly switched from face-to-face classes to an online format so that students could participate in the SA programme while remaining in Japan.
Students at the first author’s college, Japanese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL), participated in one of those few online SA programmes in 2020, offered by the college’s branch school in the United States. Although the students initially expressed frustration and disappointment about not being able to learn English in an on-site, in-person environment, they had positive impressions of online SA after completing the programme, and its novel environment appeared to provide them with a variety of experiences unique to online learning. In this chapter, the authors examine the students’ experiences of their online SA and investigate its benefits and drawbacks relative to conventional SA programmes.
However, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 had a profound impact on SA programmes around the world. Several SA programmes shifted to remote learning, causing international students to take online classes while confined to their dormitory rooms; some students were even compelled to return to their home countries, as their entire programme was cancelled. Covid-19 also affected students in Japan who were preparing for SA programmes. Due to travel restrictions and campus closures, many students were forced to change their plans for, or even abandon, their SA participation. However, a few programmes promptly switched from face-to-face classes to an online format so that students could participate in the SA programme while remaining in Japan.
Students at the first author’s college, Japanese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL), participated in one of those few online SA programmes in 2020, offered by the college’s branch school in the United States. Although the students initially expressed frustration and disappointment about not being able to learn English in an on-site, in-person environment, they had positive impressions of online SA after completing the programme, and its novel environment appeared to provide them with a variety of experiences unique to online learning. In this chapter, the authors examine the students’ experiences of their online SA and investigate its benefits and drawbacks relative to conventional SA programmes.
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This study investigated the knowledge of English phrasal verbs (PVs) among Japanese university students. PVs have been described by learners as ambiguous and difficult, often resulting in their avoidance, and much of the literature has... more
This study investigated the knowledge of English phrasal verbs (PVs) among Japanese university students. PVs have been described by learners as ambiguous and difficult, often resulting in their avoidance, and much of the literature has focused on how they can be taught effectively. However, it is relatively unknown as to what knowledge learners typically develop on their own without undergoing classroom interventions that focus specifically on PVs. To investigate this issue, a survey on PVs was distributed to eight different departments at universities across Japan resulting in 221 participants, with six students participating in follow-up interviews. The data from the PV survey provided qualitative data for analysis, the interviews were transcribed, and axial coding was utilized to formulate a holistic examination of the participants’ knowledge of PVs. The results revealed that the participants had an awareness of PVs but had acquired most of them as chunks of language without much knowledge of their individual parts, which was found to lower their confidence and increase their perceived difficulty. Additionally, directional PVs, particularly with go and come, were the easiest for the participants due to L1–L2 similarities. However, their understanding of idiomatic and aspectual PVs appeared to be superficial and lacking.
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Data-driven learning (DDL) refers to the use of corpora by second and foreign language (L2) learners to explore and inductively discover patterns of their target language use from authentic language data without interventions from others.... more
Data-driven learning (DDL) refers to the use of corpora by second and foreign language (L2) learners to explore and inductively discover patterns of their target language use from authentic language data without interventions from others. Although previous meta-analyses have demonstrated the positive effects of DDL on L2 learning (Boulton and Cobb, 2017), the number of empirical studies has been increasing since then. Therefore, this study included more recent studies and used meta-analyses to examine the extent to which: (1) DDL exerts an effect on L2 learning; and (2) moderator variables affect DDL's influence on L2 learning. The results demonstrated small to medium effect sizes for experimental/control group comparisons and pre/post and pre/delayed designs. Moreover, the moderator analyses found that moderator variables, such as publication types, learners’ factors, and research designs, influence the magnitude of DDL effectiveness in L2 learning.
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This study investigated the usage of high-frequency English phrasal verbs (PVs) and the effects of L1 typology for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Essays by native English speakers and by Chinese and Japanese EFL learners... more
This study investigated the usage of high-frequency English phrasal verbs (PVs) and the effects of L1 typology for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Essays by native English speakers and by Chinese and Japanese EFL learners from the International Corpus Network of Asian Learners (ICNALE) were analyzed to determine directional, aspectual, and idiomatic PV usage. As English, Chinese, and Japanese are typologically different languages, comparing their PV usage revealed preferences for how the three groups expressed motion, as seen in directional PVs, and change of state events, which are often seen in idiomatic and aspectual PVs. A Chi-squared test revealed a significant association between L1 typology and PV types, and a pairwise comparison indicated a disproportionate use of PVs among the groups. For example, the two EFL learner groups used fewer directional PVs than the English native speakers. Accordingly, L1 typology appears to be a factor in influencing the types of PVs that are used. Considering the high frequency of the PVs investigated in the current study, there are important pedagogical implications for educators who are recommended to take into consideration their learners' L1 and how it can affect their ability to acquire and use PVs of varying types.
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he purposes of the study are (a) to put the “cyclic model of learning” into practice by means of an LMS (Learning Management System) for foreign language teaching/learning, and (b) to examine how the “cyclic model of learning” influences... more
he purposes of the study are (a) to put the “cyclic model of learning” into practice by means of an LMS (Learning Management System) for foreign language teaching/learning, and (b) to examine how the “cyclic model of learning” influences im- provement of students’ English ability in both proficiency and achievement. Current major concerns of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) research have shifted from piecemeal and experimental tests of the use of technology in a single computer lab to seamless and integrated practices in a natural educational setting. In response to this transition, Takeuchi developed the “cyclic model of learning”. The model tries to integrate in-class practices and students’ outside-class self-learning with the aid of technolo- gy. In this article, the “cyclic model of learning” was put into practice and tested on 19 1st-year undergraduate students for one year at a university in the Kansai region. An LMS, named CEAS (Coordinated Education Activation System), is employed to support the practice. Data were collected in a variety of ways including tests, weblog, video recording, questionnaires, and classroom observa- tion. Findings indicated that the practice based on the “cyclic model of learning” contributed to the improvement of students’ English ability in both proficiency and achievement.
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The purpose of this study is to verify self-determination theory (SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 2002) in the Japanese EFL context, particularly focusing on the relationships between the innate psychological needs and motivation. In this study, 317... more
The purpose of this study is to verify self-determination theory (SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 2002) in the Japanese EFL context, particularly focusing on the relationships between the innate psychological needs and motivation. In this study, 317 Japanese students responded to a questionnaire on their basic needs fulfillment and L2 motivation. As preliminary analyses, parallel analysis and factor analysis were run on the obtained data, the results suggested some modifications to the factor structure of the scale. Using the amended factor structure, structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to evaluate the fit between the theoretical expectation and actual data. The SEM model demonstrated that (1) the fulfillment of competence needs has considerable, positive influence on Japanese EFL learners’ motivation; (2) the sufficiency of relatedness needs might have a similar, albeit weaker, influence on learner motivation; but (3) autonomy needs fulfillment has a negative impact on both intrinsic...
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Neither motivation nor vocabulary is perfectly understood, and both seem to depend on the individual in question. This entry begins with an overview of motivation, focusing on Dörnyei's tripartite model of motivation. This model... more
Neither motivation nor vocabulary is perfectly understood, and both seem to depend on the individual in question. This entry begins with an overview of motivation, focusing on Dörnyei's tripartite model of motivation. This model seems to sufficiently incorporate former models (such as Gardner's idea of “integrativeness”) and to take account of self-regulation. The next section looks at how research into vocabulary has attempted to incorporate the findings within this sphere. The last section gives advice for learners to develop their self-regulatory capacity and future selves by becoming active learners. This is combined with recommendations on task design for teachers, revolving around the involvement load hypothesis and task-based learning. Finally, the role of technology is considered.
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The purposes of this study are to (a) re-examine the definitions of Japanese university EFL learners’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness and (b) make suggestions on improving a commonly used EFL learner questionnaire based on... more
The purposes of this study are to (a) re-examine the definitions of Japanese university EFL learners’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness and (b) make suggestions on improving a commonly used EFL learner questionnaire based on self-determination theory (SDT). The theory postulates that the more individuals’ innate psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are fulfilled, the more their behavior is intrinsically motivated. Many second language acquisition (SLA) researchers have applied the framework to the language-learning context, helping to shed light on L2 learners’ motivation. In studies of Japanese EFL learner motivation, one questionnaire (Hiromori, 2006a) has been widely used or adopted. Those studies yielded results both in line and out of line with the theory. This calls for a re-examination of the relationship between needs fulfillment and motivation and of the commonly used questionnaire. In this study, 18 Japanese university EFL learners par...
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The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the influence of pedagogical intervention on the L2 motivation of Japanese university students. It consequently examines the sensitivity of the new questionnaire developed by Agawa and... more
The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the influence of pedagogical intervention on the L2 motivation of Japanese university students. It consequently examines the sensitivity of the new questionnaire developed by Agawa and Takeuchi (2016c). A quasi-experimental study was conducted to compare two types of instructions: conventional instructions used in test-preparation courses (contrast group [CG]) and instructions based on self-determination theory (SDT) (treatment group [TG]). In the CG, 23 students worked on tasks similar to TOEFL and lELTS questions. In the TG, 24 students received instructions designed to satisfy their needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The newly developed questionnaire based on SDT was conducted at the beginning and end of the academic year. The results indicated that, in the TG, the students' needs were more satisfied after the intervention. They also showed that, after the treatment period, their self-determined forms of moti...
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1. Background With the development of digital technology, types of learners' dictionaries have been diversified during the last two decades. Digitized dictionaries such as those on CD-ROM and the Web have become widespread... more
1. Background With the development of digital technology, types of learners' dictionaries have been diversified during the last two decades. Digitized dictionaries such as those on CD-ROM and the Web have become widespread (e.g., Aust, Kelley, & Roby, 1993). Particularly, with the advent of hand-held electronic dictionaries (henceforth ED), the number of ED users has been rapidly expanding in Japan (Yagi, 2004). Recently, some empirical studies have been conducted to compare learners' look-up behavior in using ED with that of printed dictionaries (henceforth PD) (e.g., Koyama & Takeuchi, 2003, 2004, in press; Osaki, Ochiai, Iso, & Aizawa, 2003; Shizuka, 2003). These studies focused mainly on the time for word retrieval, the number of looked-up words retained, and the learners' impressions of the dictionaries. Nevertheless, due to the differences in the research design and the subjects' proficiency levels among these studies, there was only a partial agreement among t...
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The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and validation of a questionnaire designed to assess Japanese EFL learners’ motivation at the tertiary level. The instrument was developed based on self-determination theory (SDT).... more
The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and validation of a questionnaire designed to assess Japanese EFL learners’ motivation at the tertiary level. The instrument was developed based on self-determination theory (SDT). SDT has frequently been applied in L2 motivation studies in Japan; most of these studies used or adapted one questionnaire (Hiromori, 2006a) and yielded mixed results, both in line and out of line with SDT. Such outcomes suggest the need to reconsider how the theory is understood and how that understanding is reflected in commonly used questionnaires in the Japanese EFL context. The current study described the examination and refinement of the definition of the SDT construct in the Japanese EFL setting and reviews the relevant literature. The process of developing a new questionnaire based on the refined definition was then described in a step-by-step manner. To validate the instrument, three methods were employed: expert judgment, exploratory facto...
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This study investigated the usage of high-frequency English phrasal verbs (PVs) and the effects of L1 typology for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Essays by native English speakers and by Chinese and Japanese EFL learners... more
This study investigated the usage of high-frequency English phrasal verbs (PVs) and the effects of L1 typology for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Essays by native English speakers and by Chinese and Japanese EFL learners from the International Corpus Network of Asian Learners (ICNALE) were analyzed to determine directional, aspectual, and idiomatic PV usage. As English, Chinese, and Japanese are typologically different languages, comparing their PV usage revealed preferences for how the three groups expressed motion, as seen in directional PVs, and change of state events, which are often seen in idiomatic and aspectual PVs. A Chi-squared test revealed a significant association between L1 typology and PV types, and a pairwise comparison indicated a disproportionate use of PVs among the groups. For example, the two EFL learner groups used fewer directional PVs than the English native speakers. Accordingly, L1 typology appears to be a factor in influencing the types of PVs that are used. Considering the high frequency of the PVs investigated in the current study, there are important pedagogical implications for educators who are recommended to take into consideration their learners' L1 and how it can affect their ability to acquire and use PVs of varying types.
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The present study investigated Japanese students’ EFL vocabulary development through e-mail interactions with a native English speaker (NS), with primary focus on students’ imitation of new words. According to sociocultural theory,... more
The present study investigated Japanese students’ EFL vocabulary development through e-mail interactions with a native English speaker (NS), with primary focus on students’ imitation of new words. According to sociocultural theory, learners can internalize new linguistic knowledge by imitating an expert’s expressions to create his/her own utterances. This study, therefore, specifically examined whether (1) students could imitate the new vocabulary items provided by the NS tutor, and (2) they could retain these items at the end of the project. An examination of the e-mail log showed that students did imitate and use some of the lexis provided by the NS. The results of the post-test also revealed that some of the imitated words were subsequently retained. However, there were some words that had been learned without imitation. The questionnaire survey and the students’ interview comments indicated that students memorized a considerable number of new words provided by the NS by repeated...
Research Interests: Computer Science, Sociocultural Theory, Japanese, Linguistics, E Mail Interactions, and 15 moreVocabulary Learning, Interviews, Surveys, Grammar, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Imitation, E-Mail, Imitation Learning, Questionnaires, Independent Study, Junior High School, Secondary School, Recall, Tandem language learning, and Vocabulary development
The present study investigated the effects of reducing the number of options per item on psychometric characteristics of a Japanese EFL university entrance examination. A four-option multiple-choice reading test used for entrance... more
The present study investigated the effects of reducing the number of options per item on psychometric characteristics of a Japanese EFL university entrance examination. A four-option multiple-choice reading test used for entrance screening at a university in Japan was later converted to a three-option version by eliminating the least frequently endorsed option in each item, and was given to a separate group. Responses to the two tests indicated that using three options instead of four did not significantly change the mean item facility or the mean item discrimination. Distractor analyses revealed that whether four or three options were provided, the actual test-takers’ responses spread, on the average, over about 2.6 options per item, that the mean number of functioning distractors was much lower than 2, and that reducing the least popular option had only a minimal effect on the performance of the remaining options. These results suggested that three-option items performed nearly as...
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ABSTRACT Two empirical studies were conducted in which the differences in Japanese EFL learners’ look-up behavior between hand-held electronic dictionaries (EDs) and printed dictionaries (PDs) were investigated. We focus here on the... more
ABSTRACT Two empirical studies were conducted in which the differences in Japanese EFL learners’ look-up behavior between hand-held electronic dictionaries (EDs) and printed dictionaries (PDs) were investigated. We focus here on the relation between learners’ look-up frequency and degree of reading comprehension of the text. In the first study, a total of 34 college students were divided into two groups. Each group was assigned a read- ing task with a quiz under two conditions: ED and PD. The frequency of looked-ups, the time the students needed for the task, and the quiz scores in each condition were statistically examined. The results showed: (a) the subjects in the ED condition looked up more words to comprehend the texts in a shorter period of time than those in the PD group and (b) no significant difference in the quiz scores between the groups. To further investigate these results under different conditions, a second study was performed with 31 university students whose English proficiency levels were higher than those in the first study. Despite the fact that the subjects and the text used in the second study were different, the results of the second study corresponded to the first. These findings indicate that, although EDs might enhance EFL learners’ look-up behaviors, the increased look-up frequency does not necessarily ensure improvement in learners’ reading comprehension. Some pedagogical implications are suggested based on the findings.
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The objective of this article is to explore, in a Japanese EFL context, the ideal L2 self with some hypothesized relationships among motivated learning behaviour, self-efficacy, L2 anxiety, and the perceived amount of information related... more
The objective of this article is to explore, in a Japanese EFL context, the ideal L2 self with some hypothesized relationships among motivated learning behaviour, self-efficacy, L2 anxiety, and the perceived amount of information related to learners’ future self-guides by performing structural equation modelling on the data of 126 Japanese first-year university students. Moreover, the present study examines the possibility of postulating two levels of the ideal L2 self to confirm whether a theoretical model better than Dörnyei’s original one can be attained by doing so. The SEM analysis showed that we can postulate two levels of the ideal L2 self, indeed resulting in a better theoretical model. The proposed model revealed that self-efficacy and the perceived amount of information had a positive influence on learners’ formation of a better ideal L2 self. Furthermore, the model indicated that the ideal L2 self and self-efficacy positively affected motivated learning behaviour, while t...
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ABSTRACT The purposes of this paper are to (a) elaborate on the Cyclic Model of Learn- ing (CML; Takeuchi, 2007), which was formed based on the four phases of the design-based research (DBR) framework (Amiel & Reeves, 2008); (b)... more
ABSTRACT The purposes of this paper are to (a) elaborate on the Cyclic Model of Learn- ing (CML; Takeuchi, 2007), which was formed based on the four phases of the design-based research (DBR) framework (Amiel & Reeves, 2008); (b) to put the model into practice through use of technology in the field of EFL teaching; and (c) to examine how the CML-based teaching practice influences students’ English ability and the instructor’s teaching methods. Based on the four phases of the DBR framework, a qualitative investigation was conducted to identify the problems that impede teachers’ use of technology in EFL teaching (Sumi, 2011). To ameliorate the problems, following the second phase of the DBR framework, the CML was created and applied to a research project. The most distinctive fea- ture of the CML is its integration of in-class practices with students’ out-of-class self-learning with aid of CALL technology. The CML was put into practice and tested on 19 first-year undergraduate students of EFL over the course of one year at a university in Japan. Data were collected, both on- and off-line, in a variety of ways including quizzes, weblog, video recording, questionnaires, and classroom observation. Findings confirmed that CML-based teaching practice contributed to the improvement of both students’ English abilities and the instructor’s teach- ing methods.
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This study examines (1) the kinds of strategies Japanese university students use, (2) the kinds of factors that affect the learner's choice of strategies, and (3) the reliability of the learner's self-evaluation of English... more
This study examines (1) the kinds of strategies Japanese university students use, (2) the kinds of factors that affect the learner's choice of strategies, and (3) the reliability of the learner's self-evaluation of English proficiency . The Second Grade Test of the Society of Testing English Proficiency (STEP) and an 80-item Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) were conducted on 44 second-year students and 113 first-year students at a state-run university in Central Japan in May,1996. Results indicate the following things: First, Japanese university students use compensation strategies the most often and affective ones the least. Second, the more proficient students use cognitive and metacognitive strategies more frequently than the less proficient students. Third, the factors which influence the choice of strategies are major, motivation, enjoyment of English learning and gender. Fourth, self- evaluation seems not very reliable.
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ABSTRACT The objective is to examine the changes in the effectiveness of motivational strategy use by teachers during one semester in the English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms. More specifically, we investigate differences in... more
ABSTRACT The objective is to examine the changes in the effectiveness of motivational strategy use by teachers during one semester in the English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms. More specifically, we investigate differences in effectiveness changes for each motivational strategy used according to students' English proficiency levels and their original motivational intensity levels in order to understand the process by which instructors influence students' motivation. The participants were an instructor and 222 university students. Two distinct clusters were found within the student sample based on cluster analysis: Cluster A) students with higher English proficiency and higher motivational intensity; and Cluster B) students with lower English proficiency and lower motivational intensity. The results showed that (a) the two clusters did not exhibit a similar trend in terms of the relationship between frequency of motivational strategy use by teachers and students' motivation except with respect to two motivational strategies; (b) seven strategies showed positive correlations at least once in the semester in either Cluster A or Cluster B; (c) five strategies showed no significant correlations throughout the semester; and (d) there were three strategies that did not show a positive correlation; however, these strategies were associated with a negative correlation throughout the semester in either Cluster A or Cluster B.
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記述:(C) 社団法人 大学英語教育学会; このデータは, 大学英語教育学会の許諾を得て, Cinii からデータを引用の上, 作成しています. Original text is available at http://ci. nii. ac. jp/els/110007137438. pdf? id= ART0009076958&type= pdf&lang= jp&host= cinii&order_no= &ppv_type= 0&lang_sw= &no=... more
記述:(C) 社団法人 大学英語教育学会; このデータは, 大学英語教育学会の許諾を得て, Cinii からデータを引用の上, 作成しています. Original text is available at http://ci. nii. ac. jp/els/110007137438. pdf? id= ART0009076958&type= pdf&lang= jp&host= cinii&order_no= &ppv_type= 0&lang_sw= &no= 1342666939&cp=
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In this paper, we validate Macaro's (2006) model of strategy use among language learners by assessing the amount of neural activity around the prefrontal cortex, the supposed locus of working memory (WM). We also examine whether WM... more
In this paper, we validate Macaro's (2006) model of strategy use among language learners by assessing the amount of neural activity around the prefrontal cortex, the supposed locus of working memory (WM). We also examine whether WM activation during first language (L1) strategy deployment is lower than WM activation during second language (L2) strategy deployment, as predicted by Macaro's model. In the analysis, we consider data obtained through an innovative neuroimaging technique (nearinfrared spectroscopy) and ...
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This article reports on three qualitative studies about good foreign language learners conducted in the Japanese EFL/FL context. The first study examines the learning behaviors appearing in the language learning biographies written by 40... more
This article reports on three qualitative studies about good foreign language learners conducted in the Japanese EFL/FL context. The first study examines the learning behaviors appearing in the language learning biographies written by 40 college-level good learners of EFL. A second study investigates the strategies frequently used by 18 highly advanced EFL learners. The last study analyzes the strategy use reported in 69 books on “how I have learned a foreign language.” Results suggest that there are some strategies especially favored in the Japanese EFL/FL context and that the use of some strategies seems to be closely connected to the stages of learning. Some research implications are also discussed.
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This article is an attempt to review the work on language learning strategies (LLS) in second & foreign language acquisition (SFLA) research, and to give suggestions for future language learning strategies research. In the first section,... more
This article is an attempt to review the work on language learning strategies (LLS) in second & foreign language acquisition (SFLA) research, and to give suggestions for future language learning strategies research. In the first section, I will discuss briefly the background of language learning strategies research, and in the ensuing sections, I will review articles on: (i) the identification & classification of language learning
strategies; (ii) the variables affecting the use of language learning strategies; (iii) the effects of language learning strategies on second & foreign language acquisition; and (iv) the application of language learning strategies to language education. I also discuss, in the sixth section, the methodology of data collection. In the concluding section, suggestions and cautions on future research will be mentioned.
strategies; (ii) the variables affecting the use of language learning strategies; (iii) the effects of language learning strategies on second & foreign language acquisition; and (iv) the application of language learning strategies to language education. I also discuss, in the sixth section, the methodology of data collection. In the concluding section, suggestions and cautions on future research will be mentioned.
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This chapter briefly overviews previous studies on metacognition and its interventions and then proposes a new perspective for future research that pays particular attention to the socio-affective dimension. The importance of... more
This chapter briefly overviews previous studies on metacognition and its interventions and then proposes a new perspective for future research that pays particular attention to the socio-affective dimension. The importance of metacognition has been reported by many previous studies on language learning, and its interventions have been implemented around the world. Their effectiveness, however, has been confirmed only to a limited extent, particularly in the Japanese EFL (English as a foreign language) context. A review of the previous empirical studies identified two possible factors that might impede Japanese learners’ deployment of metacognition in their learning. One such concern is the social dimension, which pertains to the influence of teachers, peers, and their interactions in the classroom. The other seems to be related to learners’ affective variables such as motivation, anxiety, and self-efficacy beliefs. This chapter discusses the influence of these factors on metacognition in the framework of self-regulation, arguing for the importance of others and affect in metacognitive decision-making.
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Public elementary schools in Japan are currently tackling the enormous challenge of preparing to teach English as a formal academic subject to their pupils, which will officially begin in the year of 2020. Unfortunately, however, it has... more
Public elementary schools in Japan are currently tackling the enormous challenge of preparing to teach English as a formal academic subject to their pupils, which will officially begin in the year of 2020. Unfortunately, however, it has been reported that teachers are not well prepared for this endeavor, and their anxiety regarding teaching English has been drastically increasing since the announcement of introduction of “English” as an academic subject into the elementary school curriculum. This is because most of the teachers do not have sufficient pre-service training or in-service experience/training in teaching English. To partially help ameliorate this dire situation, in this chapter, an innovative in-service teacher training approach is developed, and its validation through the experience of the people involved is reported. Its development and validation, situated in a specific context, can surely contribute to the smooth implementation of “English” in public elementary schools.
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This chapter focuses on second and foreign language (L2) learning strategy research and its applications, reflecting on the past, describing its current state, and determining the implications for future studies. First, a brief outline of... more
This chapter focuses on second and foreign language (L2) learning strategy research and its applications, reflecting on the past, describing its current state, and determining the implications for future studies. First, a brief outline of the field is provided with emphasis on major topics such as taxonomies of strategies, variations in strategy use, strategy clusters, and the effectiveness of strategy instruction. The importance of the person-task-context configuration is identified herein, and, in this relation, a sociocultural perspective is also touched on. Second, major areas of controversies in L2 strategy research are summarized. Subsequently, the possibility of replacing the concept of strategies with that of self-regulation is discussed, and its merits and problems are compared, referring to related theoretical and empirical studies. Based on this discussion, the chapter then argues that discarding the concept of learning strategies altogether is not advisable and that the concepts of strategies and self-regulation in fact complement one another.Consequently, to understand a fuller picture of L2 learning processes, a theoretical framework encompassing both strategies and self-regulation is called for. Finally, future research directions and pedagogical applications are suggested, thereby paving the ways for a better understanding of L2 learning strategies and L2 learning processes.
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The purposes of this paper are to (a) elaborate on the Cyclic Model of Learning (CML; Takeuchi, 2007), which was formed based on the four phases of the design-based research (DBR) framework (Amiel & Reeves, 2008); (b) to put the model... more
The purposes of this paper are to (a) elaborate on the Cyclic Model of Learning (CML; Takeuchi, 2007), which was formed based on the four phases of the design-based research (DBR) framework (Amiel & Reeves, 2008); (b) to put the model into practice through use of technology in the field of EFL teaching; and (c) to examine how the CML-based teaching practice influences students' English ability and the instructor's teaching methods. Based on the four phases of the DBR framework, a qualitative investigation was conducted to identify the problems that impede teachers' use of technology in EFL teaching (Sumi, 2011). To ameliorate the problems, following the second phase of the DBR framework, the CML was created and applied to a research project. The most distinctive feature of the CML is its integration of in-class practices with students' out-of-class self-learning with aid of CALL technology. The CML was put into practice and tested on 19 first-year undergraduate students of EFL over the course of one year at a university in Japan. Data were collected, both on-and off-line, in a variety of ways including quizzes, weblog, video recording, questionnaires, and classroom observation. Findings confirmed that CML-based teaching practice contributed to the improvement of both students' English abilities and the instructor's teaching methods.
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E-mail tandem is a reciprocal language learning method, in which two learners of different native language (L1) have e-mail communication in the target language (L2, the partner’s L1), and assist each other’s L2 learning by giving and... more
E-mail tandem is a reciprocal language learning method, in which two learners of different native language (L1) have e-mail communication in the target language (L2, the partner’s L1), and assist each other’s L2 learning by giving and receiving feedback. Appel (1999) suggested that correction of the partner’s errors makes learners aware of their L1 linguistic rules, and enhances the development of their metalinguistic awareness (MA), which is thought to facilitate L2 learning (Cummins, 2000; Lasagabaster, 2001; Otsu, 2008). This study, therefore, attempted to investigate 1) what L1 features Japanese tandem learners notice in their partner’s language use and analyze to explain linguistic rules to their partner, 2) how their heightened MA affects L2 knowledge, and 3) whether the degree of MA correlates the level of L2 proficiency. The results showed that tandem learners of this study were aware of “linguistic” aspects of L1, and their heightened MA seemed to affect L2 knowledge. Also, learners with a higher level of MA appeared to possess higher L2 proficiency. The study concludes by enumerating e-mail tandem’s advantages in MA development.
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Initial studies on good language learners (GLLs), such as Rubin (1975), Stern (1975), and Stevick (1989), show that GLLs tend to share strategies for language learning and thus indicate that research on their strategies would help... more
Initial studies on good language learners (GLLs), such as Rubin (1975), Stern (1975), and Stevick (1989), show that GLLs tend to share strategies for language learning and thus indicate that research on their strategies would help facilitate our understanding on the learning process of a second/foreign language. Since then, quite a few studies have been conducted to find out the strategies favoured by GLLs (see Oxford, 1990 for review) and the factors affecting their use (see Takeuchi, Griffiths and Coyle, 2007 for review). Recently, at- tempts to teach strategies to second/foreign language learners also have been made all over the world (Cohen, 1998; Dadour and Robbins, 1996; Graham and Macaro, 2008; Ikeda and Takeuchi, 2003, 2006; among others).
Some Asian studies, however, argue that the strategies favoured by GLLs in an Asian EFL context differ drastically form those in the North American ESL context (e.g., Gu, 1996; LoCastro, 1994; Takeuchi, 2003a; Takeuchi and Wakamoto, 2001). They also argue that the strategies preferred in the beginning stage of learning are not the same as those preferred in the advanced stages (e.g., Takeuchi, 2003b). Therefore, researchers come to feel the pressing need to return once again to the contexts in which they are doing research and probe the learning strategies preferred by GLLs in these contexts, while paying careful attention to the stages of learning. The two descriptive studies to be reported below are attempts for that purpose.1
Some Asian studies, however, argue that the strategies favoured by GLLs in an Asian EFL context differ drastically form those in the North American ESL context (e.g., Gu, 1996; LoCastro, 1994; Takeuchi, 2003a; Takeuchi and Wakamoto, 2001). They also argue that the strategies preferred in the beginning stage of learning are not the same as those preferred in the advanced stages (e.g., Takeuchi, 2003b). Therefore, researchers come to feel the pressing need to return once again to the contexts in which they are doing research and probe the learning strategies preferred by GLLs in these contexts, while paying careful attention to the stages of learning. The two descriptive studies to be reported below are attempts for that purpose.1
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The purpose of this chapter is twofold: (a) to review the literature investigating the influence of such variables as age, gender, motivation, career orientation, personality type, nationality, proficiency, and learning situation on... more
The purpose of this chapter is twofold: (a) to review the literature investigating the influence of such variables as age, gender, motivation, career orientation, personality type, nationality, proficiency, and learning situation on strategy use; and (b) to show how the literature review applies to individuals and groups in specific situations. The first section provides a review of empirical studies dealing with each of the variables, and indicates what we know so far concerning the influence of these variables on strategy use. The second section provides an example of a qualitative study conducted in New Zealand, which focused on individual variables in language learning. The relationships among strategy use, age, gender, motivation, career orientation, personality, nationality, and proficiency are examined. The third section looks at the situational variables conducive to development of strategies among learners in a classroom group—hence, the name ‘strategic classrooms’. It prov...