Abstract
This study utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure brain activation during English language use. Our objective was to assess effective teaching methods for Japanese university students learning English as a second language (L2). Eighteen right-handed male volunteers majoring in engineering were divided into two groups based on their TOEIC® L&R test scores: a high proficiency group and a low proficiency group. They initially worked individually to complete word recognition, listening, speaking, and speech shadowing tasks in English. Subsequently, they engaged in collaborative tasks with other participants and discussed a topic related to science. Our experiments revealed that four factors are presumably associated with cortical activation: learners’ English proficiency, the level of target words, the type of language activity (listening, speaking, speech shadowing), and individual vs. collaborative learning. Suggestions for effective teaching and learning include selecting an appropriate word level, creating blanks on the working sheet so that learners can focus on the target words or sentences, and tailoring tasks to the English proficiency level of L2 learners.
