Abstract
How can Japanese language instructors assist learners who lack speaking opportunities outside the classroom, and who cannot find suitable speakers for practice? Learners progress effectively when they are conscious of their learning environment. They can begin speaking with those who are close, seek out opportunities to interact with others, overcome their anxieties about speaking, and widen the range of situations where they are able to speak and are comfortable speaking Japanese. This paper presents an analysis of university Japanese learners' reports of the situations where they use Japanese, and of interviews with these students based these reports.
