Text sentences are connected to each other by meaningful relations, which are the key for constructing coherent text comprehension. This study focused on the role of semantic relations between sentences in second language (L2) reading and aimed to replicate the author’s previous study. The following hypothesis that emerged from the original study’s finding was examined: The facilitation effect of sentence semantic relations on L2 text memory increases with learners’ reading skill levels. The treatment condition of the original study was altered by manipulating another text variable (i.e., causal relations of sentences) between participants, rather than within individual participants. Except for this, the current study followed the materials and procedure of the original study; participants read paired sentences that varied in their semantic relatedness as assessed by a computational method, and they then engaged in a cued recall task. The results of recall performance continued to support the original finding, suggesting that the interaction effect of semantic relations and L2 reading skills on text memory is robust enough to be replicated regardless of the treatment conditions. This finding provides further evidence for the role of semantic relations in L2 text comprehension as well as theoretical implications for L2 reading and development.

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The purposes of this study are: (i) to investigate whether nine linguistic measures in the domains of phonology, fluency, lexis, and grammar are differentially correlated with comprehensibility (ease of understanding) when evaluated by four American, nine Chinese, and seven Japanese listeners of English using a 9-point scale; and (ii) to examine which of the nine linguistic measures best predict comprehensibility for each listener group. Forty-five speech samples were obtained from Japanese speakers of English. Each listener assigned a comprehensibility score on each speech token. Four experienced American teachers then assessed the nine linguistic measures observed in the collected samples by listening to the sound stimuli or reading their transcriptions. Partial correlation analysis demonstrated that phonology and fluency qualities alone are significantly correlated with comprehensibility provided by both American and Chinese listeners. However, for Japanese listeners, not only phonology and fluency aspects but also lexical and grammatical features showed significant correlations with comprehensibility. In addition, three separate stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that intonation alone accounted for 66% of the comprehensibility by American listeners and 72% by Chinese listeners. Regarding Japanese listeners, rhythm (62%) and lexical richness (16%) were the best predictors of comprehensibility.

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In English writing classes the teachers give written corrective feedback (CF) to help learners improve their grammar and syntax. It has been widely debated how and to what extent grammatical CF should be given. This study examined the effectiveness of two types of CF—direct CF and metalinguistic explanation (ME) with error codes—on the use of VP-adverbs in the writing of 57 Japanese high school EFL learners. The feature of this study was that the VP-adverb errors were further categorized as lexical errors, form errors, position errors, and avoidance of usage. After completing five writing exercises on which CF was given, the participants performed an immediate posttest, followed later by two delayed posttests. The test results were compared among a direct CF group, ME group, and contrast group. Scores of high- and low-proficiency groups were also compared. In the subsample of low-proficiency learners, the ME group outperformed the contrast group in both posttests. The ME group also made fewer position errors than both other groups. The effectiveness of ME was particular to low-proficiency learners. These results suggest that ME helps low-proficiency learners and is generally useful for correcting position errors in use of VP-adverbs.

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Phonological short-term memory can explain individual differences in second language (L2) listening skills, because the ability to temporarily hold aural information is indispensable for listening comprehension. However, the relationship between phonological short-term memory and L2 listening skills has received relatively less attention from researchers, and the results of the studies that do address this topic have been inconclusive. Thus, this study investigates the degree to which phonological short-term memory contributes to L2 listening skills. Significantly, it examines not only verbal aspects but also acoustic aspects of phonological short-term memory capacity. The participants of this study were 223 Japanese learners of English as a foreign language. The participants’ verbal short-term memory was measured using the Forward Digit Span Test and the Non-Word Repetition Test, both of which are based on the participants’ first language, while their acoustic short-term memory was measured using the Tonal Memory Span Test and the Rhythm Memory Span Test. Their L2 listening skills were measured by the English Listening Dictation Test. The results of the regression analyses indicate that both verbal and acoustic short-term memory measured by the tests significantly contributed to listeners’ sound recognition skills.

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For Japanese university students, EFL classes are often compulsory at some stage of their university career. Although surveys regularly solicit reactions to classes, little systematic attention seems to be paid to how students feel about their grades. A learner’s reaction to an assessment or test affects the scores and the way they interact with assessment. This research project was developed to help discover how students experience the grading process in a compulsory EFL listening and speaking course in a single department. Using Q methodology (Brown, 1980), 104 second-year students from four classes at different levels completed a forced-distribution sort of 40 statements on course assessment. This was accompanied by an open-ended survey on aspects of grades and grading. The resulting sorts were subject to factor analysis using a varimax rotation, and factors were compared with the qualitative survey data. Factors were then reviewed using the “crib sheet” introduced in Watts and Stenner (2012). A six-factor solution was found for the combined group, with differing attitudes and approaches to grading observed. Whilst the grade was overall viewed as fair, some issues may benefit from institutional review. Q methodology represents a powerful tool for teachers to co-create data for this process.

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Self-regulated learning (SRL) leads to greater achievement because students are more likely to plan, organize, and self-monitor their learning. (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990). At the university level, SRL leads to greater motivation and academic achievement (Kosnin, 2007). One context that might contribute to improved SRL skills is e-learning because an e-learning system promotes continuity inside and outside the class. Moreover, a flipped classroom enables effective practice and interaction by reversing in-class instructional time and out-of-class practice time. Previous research on the relationship between e-learning and SRL, however, has yielded mixed results (e.g., Kramarski & Gutman, 2006; Lynch & Dembo, 2004; McManus, 2000), which might be attributed to the difficulty of continuing work inside and outside of the classroom (Adachi, 2007) or the procrastination associated with e-learning (Goda, 2012). In this study, an SRL system was developed in support of flipped classroom activities to encourage students to self-regulate. University EFL students in Japan, the Philippines, and Malaysia were investigated to examine the relationship between motivation and self-regulation as well as the effectiveness of a self-regulated flipped classroom system. In addition, we investigated the influence of learner characteristics on their sense of satisfaction with the flipped classroom.

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In spite of the widespread research on vocabulary learning strategies (VLS), there is only a little evidence regarding Japanese elementary students’ VLS. This study examined the relationships between the metacognitive awareness of VLS and the three variables of language proficiency, gender, and extracurricular language learning experience for Japanese 4th, 5th and 6th graders (N = 327). Data stem from Hirano, Hotta, and Sakai (2017), in which five factors regarding VLS were extracted using the factor analysis procedure. The findings revealed that the effects of the three variables on the students’ metacognitive awareness of VLS differed depending on five factors. For the factor of focusing on similarities of vocabulary, girls outperformed boys in a lower-proficiency group with extracurricular language learning experience. In addition, for the lower-proficiency group, girls were more aware of the factor of repetition and practice than boys. The group with extracurricular language learning experience outscored the group without it in terms of all of the five factors relating to VLS. Moreover, there were no significant differences between girls and boys, and between groups with and without extracurricular language learning experience in terms of the degree of contributions of VLS to language proficiency.

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The present study investigates Japanese learners of English as a foreign language’s (EFL) use of discourse markers (DMs) in spoken and written texts. Language use is influenced by the mode of discourse, but only a few empirical studies have identified differences in the features of DM use between spoken and written modes. To rectify inadequacies in previous research, the spoken and written products of Japanese university students were analyzed in terms of English proficiency levels and different tasks. A quantitative analysis of DMs revealed no significant interaction between discourse modes and English proficiency levels, as well as between discourse modes and two different tasks. However, a qualitative observation showed that the students preferred using structural function markers such as finally to narrate and write a story, and frequently used markers with an interpersonal function such as well and I see to respond to the questions given in their speech and writing. The findings suggest that Japanese EFL learners may not make different uses of DMs according to the discourse mode, although they can use DMs that are suitable for a given task.

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This research aims to quantitatively clarify the mechanism of nationwide diffusion of English language education (ELE) in Japanese elementary schools before compulsorization in 2008. This will refine conventional discussions on processes expanding ELE for elementally level in Japan as well as another school subjects or for school levels hopefully. The present study analyzed the regional characteristics and policy diffusion that contributed to the revision of the Course of Study in Japan from the viewpoints of public policy and public administration. As the primary research material, the author used questionnaire surveys concerning variables related to elementary ELE and filled nationwide by local governments in 2017. In addition, statistical data representing those municipal governments’ characteristics provided by the national government was collected and used as dependent variables. The results show that responding to the internal needs of local governments was an important factor for municipalities who started elementary ELE at an early stage while those that started later needed guidance from the higher level government such as national and prefectural government. Based on this research, supporting educational resources for local governments beginning ELE later should be considered.

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