CASELE Research Bulletin

Papers Read at the 37th Annual Convention of the CASELE

Task-based Language Learning through Debate

Eiko NAKAMURA

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 1-10
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_1

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Learners' language production in task-based learning through debate in a high school English classroom is closely examined. Seeing a significant improvement in the students' language development in terms of fluency, accuracy, and complexity of language after a number of debate tasks, this paper goes on to explore in transcript data of one debate task how learners developed their oral competence. Crucial factors to push learners to make maximum use of their target language are noted. A learning stage, which I characterize as "the chaotic period", in which learners produce more pauses and self-initiated attempts at clarification caused by learners pushing themselves to paraphrase and improvise their speech, seems to play an important role in language development. Reasoning skills and learners' collaboration are also observed as important factors.

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The Reconstruction of Second Language through Dictogloss

Naoko ICHII

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 11-20
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_11

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This study explores the possibility that dictogloss may be one of the means by which Japanese university students who had difficulty learning English on their own would engage in language learning effectively. Sixty-five university students carried out dictogloss in class. During the task, they listened to texts and worked out reconstruction of target forms individually and then collaboratively. Their sentences were scored and their metatalk was analyzed on the basis of the previous study by Swain and Lapkin (1998). In discussing the results of the study, the procedure of dictogloss is illustrated and it is suggested that dictogloss may create a certain opportunity which would help students notice their linguistic problems and think about language use.

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The study on factors concerned with the shadowing skill : From the viewpoint of working memory capacity and collocation

Taku Sueyoshi

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 21-30
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_21

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The aim of this paper was to clarify the factors connected to the shadowing skill. This was done by examining the correlation between the shadowing skill and the following factors; (1) phonological memory); (2) working memory capacity; (3) knowledge of collocation; and (4) listening comprehension ability. The results revealed comparatively strong correlations between the shadowing skill and phonological memory (r = .62), and listening comprehension ability (r = .44). On the other hand, weak correlations were found between the shadowing skill and working memory capacity (r = .19), and knowledge of collocation (r = .19). It is concluded that the shadowing skill is influenced by temporary phonological memory rather than by higher level processing features such as working memory and collocation.

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Contribution which Lexical and Semantic Ability Have to the Ability to Recognize a Topic in a Paragraph and to Put Some Paragraphs in Order : With a Focus on the Difference in Interest Level to the Text

Tomoo ASAI

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 31-40
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_31

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We may assume that reading is influenced by the difference in interest in text content as well as lexical ability (Read, 2000) and grammatical ability ( Richards and Schmidt, 2002). However, conclusive research has not been done on the contribution of interest in text content on reading. In this study, data were divided into two groups based on test scores. We then examined how the contribution of lexical ability, grammatical ability, and interest in text content to understand an outline of a paragraph varies in accordance with the level of scores. Main result showed that lexical or grammatical ability significantly contributed in the lower score group with no correlation to the difference in interest in text content. The paper concludes by arguing that the influence of the difference in interest in text content on reading varies in accordance with linguistic difficulty of the text.

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Pragmatic Development of Japanese English Learners at the Junior High School Level : In the Case of Requests

Yasuhiro FUJIWARA

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 41-50
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_41

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This study describes and explores pragmatic competence and development of junior high school students in the case of requests, with a specific focus on request strategies such as 1) indirectness level, 2) syntactic/ lexical downgraders, and 3) supportive moves (e.g., Blum-Kulka et al, 1989). The date on those request strategies in this study were collected from a large body of students with a discourse completion test, and quantitatively analyzed using various statistical procedures. The results obtained show that, whereas the students improved the use of supportive moves as to the grade, their development in indirectness level and the use of downgraders regressed to a certain degree. Various causes of this regression will be discussed from theoretical and practical viewpoints.

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The Research on Learning Management in a Network-based English Training Program : The Effect of Observational Messages by E-mail

Takahiko ABE

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 51-60
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_51

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The purpose of this paper is to measure the effect of e-learning on learners' performance in the case of sending them periodic observational messages by e-mail and to explore effective ways of enhancing e-learners' motivation through a computer network. A total of 58 participants studied in a network-based English training program called Intensive English Training on the Web for about 2 months. Study materials were provided on web browsers through a computer network. In order to achieve these purposes, the author compared the performance of participants receiving messages (experimental group) with those not receiving messages (control group). The results indicated that although there were no significant differences between the two groups, the experimental group tended to do the exercises of the program more correctly than the control group.

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Understanding Plurilingualism for the Japanese Context

Yosuke YANASE

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 61-70
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_61

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This analysis of plurilingualism proposed by Council of Europe is aimed to provide a better understanding of both the language policy in Europe and the language policy in Japan. This paper clarifies the concept of plurilingualism in terms of (1) its difference from multilingualism, (2) its historical development, and (3) its political and educational nature. This clarification is intended to cast a new light on English Language Education in Japan.

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Developing descriptors for an oral proficiency scale

Hidenobu NEKODA

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 71-80
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_71

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Over the past few years, language testing research has been focusing on performance tests, rather than traditional paper-and-pencil tests. This change of focus is closely related to a world-wide trend in education, namely, the progressive introduction of criterion-referenced assessment and the harmonizing of this with norm-referenced assessment. In the light of these current trends, the present study attempts to develop descriptors which could be used to describe the oral proficiency of language learners, on the basis of the theoretical framework shown in Council of Europe (2004). It is expected that these descriptors will be of considerable assistance to Japanese teachers of English and will enable them to make more reliable judgments on their students' performance.

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A Comparative Study on the Attainment Targets for Foreign Language Education in Japan and England

Nobukazu MATSUURA, Koki SHIGEYAMA

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 81-90
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_81

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The new system of evaluation has introduced into Japanese junior and senior high schools. It is the criterion-referenced evaluation. The criteria are drawn from the overall objectives of English Language Education presented in The Course of Study. Its introduction is quite meaningful. But unfortunately the concrete standard to each criterion has not yet been settled. In the settlement of it, The National Curriculum of England is sometimes referenced. The question is whether it is reasonable to use The National Curriculum when we settle the standard reflecting The Course of Study. In this paper, attainment targets in both documents are compared and the validity of the application of The National Curriculum is discussed. In conclusion, seven propositions are presented in using The National Curriculum as a model of attainment target.

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An Argument over Objectives in School English Education in Japan Based on the Changes of a Course of Study : Focusing on Enriching Students' Language Awareness

Tomohide ISHIHARA

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 91-100
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_91

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Recently in English language education in Japan, there is an argument for cooperation with Japanese language education (Language Arts). For such an argument, it is necessary to rethink the objectives of school English education. Reviewing a series of courses of study and relevant remarks, the author proposes that enriching language awareness should be a major objective of school language English education. The cogency and the necessity are discussed in this study referring to some remarks on the study of Language Awareness (LA). An overview of such studies reveals that English language education in Japan should be treated in a bigger frame called language education for the purpose of encouraging students' awareness of how language works and how communications are made. Yet, developing tasks, and materials and also establishing evaluations will be necessary in the future.

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Mutual Language Learning Activities at the Elementary School Level : Theory and Practice

Kazumi ADACHI, Ryoichi NAGATA

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 101-110
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_101

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This paper focuses on foreign language education at elementary school level. The theoretical framework described here touches on input and output, in foreign language learning, and also encompasses linguistic awareness on the part of the student. In addition, the paper discusses the ways in which appropriate student attitudes toward a foreign language as well as towards foreign people can be developed and enhanced as an integral aspect of foreign language education in Japan. The second part of the paper explains the implementation of specific teaching procedures which are based on the preceding theoretical background. A teaching approach entitled "Mutual Language Learning" is explained here. The findings and a discussion of these findings are reported in the remaining sections of the paper.

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Papers Read at the 32nd Annual Convention of the FELES

The Relationship between Skill and Language : A theoretical clarification for interview studies

Yosuke YANASE

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 111-120
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_111

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Despite the significance of interview studies, methodological awareness is not necessarily shared in the field of English Language Education in Japan. Previous studies have only provided general methodology of interview studies, failing to pay special attention to the language in the interview and the skill which the language is supposed to explicate. The language of the skills (maxim) does not present a full account of the skill, nor is the skill fully translated into words. In this paper, we introduce the epistemology by a philosophical scientist (M. Polanyi) and two theoretical practitioners (H. Mitsuoka and Y. Kono) to explain a partial, yet important, contribution of language for skill acquisition. Following this theoretical argument, three practical suggestions are offered for interview studies.

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Word Order Correspondence between Source Language Text and Target Language Text in English-Japanese Translation : Analysis of a Meiji Era English Self-Study Book

Tomoyuki YOKOYAMA

Article type: Article
2007 Volume 37 Pages 121-130
Published: April 01, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.37.0_121

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This paper shows the degree of word order correspondence in English-Japanese translation between a source language text and its target language version by computing Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficients. The source language text is a nineteenth century English reader for American elementary school students, which was widely used as a foreign language textbook in Japan. The target language version is a self-study book called "hitoriannai," which is an extremely literal translation used in studying English as a foreign language in Meiji-era Japan. The results indicate that strong negative correlation coefficients are rare and that strong positive correlation coefficients are found in many cases. The majority of the sentences seem to show neither strongly negative nor strongly positive correlation.

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