Perception Gaps of English Language Learning among Japanese College Students

Abstract

In this paper, 3587 college students from 13 universities were divided into three groups depending on their English proficiency, and their perceptions of language study were investigated through seven scales adapted from past literature studies. The result shows that one of the major factors which differentiate the upper from the middle and lower percentile groups is the use of meta-cognitive strategies: the lower English proficiency the learners have, the less often their use of meta-cognitive strategies becomes. It is assumed that this phenomenon is caused by learners' stages of development of meta-cognition. Accordingly, in order to improve English proficiency of the middle and lower percentile groups, it is crucial to nurture their meta-cognition.