The Influences of Studying Abroad on Language Proficiency and the Use of Language Learning Strategies : In the Case of a Three-Week English Program

抄録

This study was conducted to examine whether participation in a three-week English study program in an English-speaking country results in any progress for Japanese university students in improving their English language proficiency and developing their range of appropriate language learning strategies. For this purpose, a group of students participating in a language program in New Zealand for approximately three weeks and a group who stayed in Japan over the same period of time took part in this study as an experimental group and a control group respectively. An English test and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) by Oxford (1990) were given to both groups twice, before and after the implementation of the program. In regard to the students' English proficiency, the experimental group showed a significant gain in the total score in the English test after the program both in comparison to the control group and within the group. When the result of each section was examined, no significant differences were observed in the scores of grammar, writing, or reading between the groups and within each group, but in the listening section, a significant increase was noted after the program when comparing the data between the two groups and within the experimental group. In regard to the language learning strategy use, the program participants showed significantly higher strategy use after the program when compared to the non-participants and also compared to their use before the program. This tendency of participants was confirmed to continue even seven weeks after the New Zealand home-stay program.