This study investigated the effects of the timing of explicit instruction in English education, focusing on whether it should be provided before or after a task in Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT). The concern is that pre-task explicit instruction may resemble the traditional Presentation, Practice, Production (PPP) approach. The study explored how the timing of explicit instruction impacts language acquisition, considering the communication skills emphasized by the Ministry of Education (MEXT). The research involved high school students in control and treatment groups. The control group received explicit instruction before tasks, while the treatment group engaged in tasks before explicit instruction. Data were collected through pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test, with task performance and explicit knowledge acquisition as the primary measures. Both groups improved in post-test scores, with the control group performing better, suggesting pre-task instruction aids performance. However, the treatment group retained explicit knowledge slightly better, indicating better long-term proceduralization of knowledge use. This study challenges the view that explicit instruction and TBLT are incompatible, showing both can be effective. The findings suggest a flexible approach that integrates explicit instruction and communicative tasks, aligning with MEXT’s emphasis on communication skills.

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This study analyzed seven elementary school English textbooks for 5th and 6th grades in Japan, focusing on activity types and task-based communication activities. Three research questions guided the analysis: 1. Are there differences in the number of activities included in textbooks? 2. Are there differences in the skills used in the activities included in textbooks? 3. Are there differences in the task-based in the activities included in textbooks? Significant differences were found in the number of activities across textbooks, suggesting a polarization between highvolume and standard-volume groups. A disparity in language skill focus was observed, with most textbooks prioritizing Listening while limiting Reading, Writing, and Form activities. Speaking Interaction and Speech activities varied considerably across textbooks, likely influenced by differing editorial policies. Analysis of communication activities' task-based nature revealed three categories: high task-based, standard, and low task-based textbooks. These findings can inform effective lesson planning and provide objective textbook selection and revision criteria. However, it is important to note that activity quantity and task-based nature alone do not determine textbook quality, as each serves specific pedagogical purposes.

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It is claimed that learning combinations of known and unknown words is more effective in acquiring meanings (receptive knowledge) than learning unknown words alone. However, the effectiveness of this learning method may be limited and have potential downsides (Hamada, 2024). Thus, to further investigate the effectiveness of learning unknown words in conjunction with known words, this study compared learning unknown verbs with known nouns and learning unknown verbs only. In this study, two groups comprising 63 Japanese junior high school students participated. They learned unknown verbs under two conditions: verbs with a noun condition (VNC) and verb-only condition (VOC). Subsequently, the students underwent two types of tests: a verb-only (VO) test and a verb-with-noun (VN) test. The results indicated that although VNC outperformed VOC in the VN test for meaning retrieval, VOC performed better in the VO test. However, no substantial difference in meaning retention was observed between the two conditions. These findings suggest that VNC is not more effective than VOC in meaning acquisition. Furthermore, the results in this study imply potential drawbacks associated with VNC.

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The purpose of this study is to gain practical knowledge that can be used in elementary school English education by understanding teachers’ mental structures. Based on the microsystem framework (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), we investigated the cognitive and emotional aspects of homeroom teachers who teach English and those who do not. We conducted a Likert scale questionnaire and free written comments survey and obtained data from 859 people for analysis. The results suggest some differences between the two groups in their cognitive aspects and that the understanding of the purpose of elementary school English education and the desired changes observed in the children led to changes in teachers teaching English. On the other hand, although no differences were found between them in their emotional aspects, analysis of their comments suggested several factors motivating teachers towards their own English learning and teaching.

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This study investigates the characteristics of task-oriented English classes in junior high schools by examining first-year English classes employing identical teaching materials under both Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and Presentation-Practice-Production (PPP) methodologies. Three methods were utilized: classroom observations, learner questionnaire surveys, and analysis of writing assignments. The findings are summarized in four key points. First, analysis of the TBLT classes revealed a high frequency of group activities, minimal focus on language forms, and a strong emphasis on communication. Second, regarding learners' perceptions of TBLT, results showed a heightened sense of purpose in speaking English and generally positive attitudes toward the activities, although some learners found the tasks challenging. Third, responses to open-ended questionnaire items suggested that TBLT may facilitate deeper learning compared to PPP. Finally, an analysis of learner performance indicated no significant differences in complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) scores between TBLT and PPP, suggesting that TBLT can achieve comparable outcomes to PPP without explicit instruction or practice of grammar and expressions.

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This study investigated differences in the level of "task-likeness" in speaking activities between Logic and Expression I and Logic and Expression II. The results revealed that task-likeness was generally higher in Logic and Expression II across most items. However, in Logic and ExpressionⅠ, we exhibited higher task-likeness in "Completion", likely due to the inclusion of role-play activities designed to review junior high school content. In contrast, Logic and Expression II textbooks emphasized debates and discussions aligned with the objectives and explanations outlined in the Courses of Study. This led to a repetitive and monotonous structure across the textbooks. To address this, incorporating diverse speaking tasks is proposed to increase activity variety in Logic and Expression textbooks. Such tasks align with the objectives of the Courses of Study and could foster more dynamic textbook structures and classroom practices. Furthermore, speaking tasks can potentially become a key component in enhancing English language education in Japan, particularly in subjects related to speaking skills.

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This study examined whether linguistic text complexity affects explanation modality (oral and written) to fictitious peers on students' learning by teaching. Thirty-three university students divided into two groups read expository stories of Grade Pre-2 and Grade 3 Eiken texts and generated an oral or a written explanation in Japanese. The findings revealed that there was a significant difference in oral explanation with Grade Pre-2 text compared to the written explanation. This suggests that a high-complex text is more efficacious when explained orally than when written because an oral explanation may increase high levels of social presence and trigger a more generative process. This was not observed with a low-complex text as there may be possibility that both oral and written explainers have the cognitive resources to process the information. Although oral or written explanation in terms of social presence was not statistically significant, the students' opinions revealed that they reviewed the text by explaining to fictitious peers and understood more about the text, experiencing satisfaction and enjoyment during the process. Practical implications were presented to enhance the learning by teaching effectively.

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