Learner perceptions and attitudes toward learning styles in Japan and Taiwan

Abstract

Savignon and Wang (2003) researched learner attitudes and perceptions toward communicative language teaching (CLT) in senior high school and junior high school using a questionnaire in Taiwan. The results showed students prefer to learn by more communication-based teaching, but their actual perceptions in both senior high and junior high school were that they have been taught by form-based teaching even though the Taiwanese Ministry of Education has placed much more emphasis on the development of communicative competence in English. This article investigated Japanese learners' perceptions and practices of CLT in their previous English learning experiences and compared the results for Taiwanese students and for Japanese students. A total of 174 first-year university students from two Taipei universities and 200 Japanese freshman students were selected from two universities. The results indicated the same tendency between Japan and Taiwan regarding classroom practice and belief whereas the difference was found concerning attitude.