Enhancing EFL Learners’ Communication Skills in English Classes at a Japanese University

抄録

This study aimed to identify the educational effects of pair-work applications for Japanese English as a foreign language (EFL) learners enrolled in English classes at a Japanese university. The classes were conducted for 15 weeks during the first semester of 2022. In every class, students participated in an English-speaking activity involving 60-minute conversation sessions. The researcher taught the classes and analyzed data collected from pre- and post-tasks respectively conducted in April and August. The study’s participants comprised 10 Japanese EFL learners who were third-year engineering students at a Japanese university. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results demonstrated improved English fluency in the participating students. More importantly, the English classes motivated students and inculcated a more cooperative attitude in them. Short practice sessions performed during ordinary English classes at a Japanese university were quite effective in enhancing the English fluency and communication skills of Japanese EFL learners.