CASELE Research Bulletin

Papers Read at the 43rd Annual Convention of the CASELE

The Relationship Between Temporal-Dimensional Confidence and Social Comparison in Learning English

Shinji FUJII

Article type: Article
2013 Volume 43 Pages 1-10
Published: March 29, 2013
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.43.0_1

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This study aims to explore the relationship between confidence and social comparison in learning English at school. A total of 158 tenth graders responded to the questionnaire. The three temporal-dimensional confidence scales were constructed. The multiple linear regression analysis, the canonical correlation analysis and the cluster analysis were conducted to explore the relationship. The main results were as follows. First, the learners' confidence is based on a kind of illusion in downward social comparison. Second, past confidence is unrelated to present social comparison. Third, present confidence is based on downward social comparison. Fourth, prospective confidence is based on imaginary upward social comparison. Therefore, it was recommended that teachers should provide less comparative information about academic scores if not necessary.

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The Development of Large Grammar for Enhancing Second Language Output Skills : Implementation at Junior High School Level with a Focus on Analysis of Results

Kazumi ADACHI

Article type: Article
2013 Volume 43 Pages 21-29
Published: March 29, 2013
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.43.0_21

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Large grammar activities have been implemented in class using junior high school students as well as university students on an experimental basis for several different occasions thus far. This paper presents some of these experiments using the students at a junior high school in Tottori city and the results thereof. The primary focus of this study lies with presenting qualitative as well as quantitative data of the sentences the students produced and of the vocabulary used in those sentences. In particular, an analysis of the vocabulary used in one of the written activities, called Expansion Activity, reveals traces of qualitative changes in the vocabulary knowledge of students, which are characterized by the "verb-like" quality appropriate to the dynamic process of (second) language output activities.

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The Use of 'I' in Academic Writing

Keiko MAKIGAWA

Article type: Article
2013 Volume 43 Pages 31-40
Published: March 29, 2013
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.43.0_31

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The purpose of this paper is to analyze the use of the first person pronoun 'I' in academic writings. Since those writings should be objectively directed, how to use 'I' seems to require special attention. This will affect how to establish our stance and create identities in them. Japanese English learners who have little adequacy to distinguish written English from spoken need to understand how 'I' is used in academic writings. I analyzed a corpus consisting of 20 academic writings and described the features of 'I' used in them. This paper finally showed pedagogical implications for the EFL teachers.

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The Usage of English Picture Books in Elementary School English Activities with a Perspective of its Link to Junior High English Lessons : Using the Picture Book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? as a Teaching Tool

Yoko MATANO

Article type: Article
2013 Volume 43 Pages 41-50
Published: March 29, 2013
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.43.0_41

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This paper will address the subject of storytelling using picture books in elementary school English activities. The record of the actual teaching in an elementary school is described under the following headings: (1) pre-storytelling activities; (2) intra-storytelling activities; and (3) post-storytelling activities. I investigated how story-based lessons in elementary school English activities are linked to junior high school English education from several perspectives. For example, the story-based lesson could be related to oral introduction (interaction) of the new material, reading and writing, or task-based language activities in junior high school. Functions of communication, language materials, and learning strategies used in story-based lessons in elementary school could also serve as a foundation for more successful junior high school English lessons.

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Improving High School Students' English Skills Using Debate as a Communication Tool

Masami TOITA

Article type: Article
2013 Volume 43 Pages 51-60
Published: March 29, 2013
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.43.0_51

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This paper reports on how to make use of English debate to improve high school students' English skills. English debate is said to be an effective way to provide students with various skills: reading and researching a topic, examining the matter from different perspectives, writing logically, speaking effectively, and also responding properly to the questions asked by the others. Through doing various activities involved with English debate, students have increased their motivation and improved on the above skills. There is still room to improve, but we have been developing a course for teaching English with debate as a communication tool.

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Papers Read at the 38th Annual Convention of the JASELE

Self-Descriptions of Japanese English Teachers on Their Own Practice : Case Study of Publicly Open Descriptions in Japanese and Private Descriptions in English

Mitsuko KASHIBA, Shimpei KAMIYAMA, Mari YAMAMOTO, Yosuke YANASE

Article type: Article
2013 Volume 43 Pages 61-70
Published: March 29, 2013
Released on J-STAGE: March 01, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.18983/casele.43.0_61

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This paper examines journal writing by two Japanese teachers of English in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of reflective practice and the principles behind it. It reveals important parameters for effective journal writing such as second-order self-observation/description, revision, mentor, audience, purpose, and use of proper nouns. We argue that understanding these features may make journal writing more principled for effective reflective practice. We also take the issue of language choice and report that despite the catchphrase of "English for communication" English has not yet become a means of communication among English teachers in Japan for their professional development.

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