While Ishizaki and Wu’s (2020) integrated model can theoretically explain the findings of the aforementioned studies, Ishizaki and Wu (2021) aimed to confirm this model by reanalyzing the empirical data from Ishizaki (2019) and Ishizaki and Wu (2021). The results provided additional supporting evidence for the four-stage model; however, they also implied that the stages could be facilitated. The question to be resolved is whether this facilitation results from the similarity between the writing systems of the languages, traditional Chinese character in Taiwanese and kanji in Japanese, or from the difference within the writing systems of the language, kanji and kana in Japanese. This study aims to address this issue by conducting an additional verification, focusing on the difference within the writing systems of the participants’ native language; kanji, the logogram, and kana, the phonogram, in Japanese. The results showed similar facilitation; therefore, this could be attributed to the distinction between logograms and phonograms within the language, rather than cross-linguistic similarities.

Since the formal adoption in 2020 of English as an official subject at elementary schools in Japan, an increasing number of elementary school students have been found to be non-resistant to speaking and listening to the language. At the same time, more students have developed an aversion to English. Although increasing the amount of comprehensible input is recognized as one key to improving English proficiency, opportunities for input are limited for most English learners in Japan, making extracurricular and home-based learning vital. To address the scarcity of input, attention has turned to the use of digital textbooks with integrated audio components. Available on tablets since 2023, these digital textbooks enable students to access comprehensible and repeatable audio input during their home study. Prior research has been conducted from an educational technology perspective, but none has incorporated Second Language Acquisition theory. In the present study, an experiment was conducted using digital learner textbooks for English home study with 5th and 6th grade elementary school students. Data were collected through tablets and analyzed using AI and data science techniques. The results showed that 6th grade students who were in the habit of studying but did not spend much time on English, as well as those who enjoyed and excelled in skills-based subjects like English, demonstrated significant improvement in performance test scores. Significant effects were exhibited in knowledge and skills for the former group, and in abilities to think, make decisions and express oneself for the latter.

This study investigated the associations between self-perceived English language proficiency and preferences for model texts of varying lexical difficulty, as well as between intrinsic motivation for learning English and preferences for model texts of varying lexical difficulty, among 136 students at National Institute of Technology, KOSEN. Using chi-square tests of independence, this study found significant associations between the students’ self-perceived English proficiency and their model text difficulty preferences, as well as between their intrinsic motivation and their model text difficulty preferences. Further analysis revealed that the students preferring advanced model texts were more likely to prioritize factors other than readability, irrespective of their self-perceived English proficiency levels or intrinsic motivation strength, while those preferring basic model texts were more likely to prioritize readability, irrespective of these variables. The implications of the findings for L2 writing instruction were discussed.

This study presents the potential effectiveness of inner shadowing, which is a type of shadowing without vocalization. Previous research has demonstrated that shadowing develops EFL learners’ rehearsal accuracy and articulation speed, thereby enhancing their listening ability. However, it is unclear whether vocalization in shadowing plays a role in improving rehearsal accuracy and articulation speed. To overcome this limitation, the present study compared the effects of vocalized and inner shadowing on developing rehearsal accuracy and articulation speed. Statistics revealed that both types of shadowing significantly promoted rehearsal accuracy and articulation speed. Furthermore, inner shadowing was significantly more effective in improving rehearsal accuracy than vocalized shadowing. These results imply that vocalization in shadowing is not essential to develop rehearsal accuracy and articulation speed, thus uncovering the potential effectiveness of inner shadowing as a training method for EFL listening.

In the second year of a three-year research project aimed at supporting subject teaching by young English teachers working in small rural schools with limited opportunities to learn from experienced teachers of the same subject, this study examines classroom interactions between teachers and students, focusing on the division of roles between a Japanese teacher of English (JTE) and an assistant language teacher (ALT) in team teaching. An analysis of transcriptions from six English lessons conducted over a two-year period revealed developments in the roles of the ALT, which had been identified in the first year as an area requiring improvement during after-class discussions with external educators. The findings indicate that both the quantity and quality of the ALT’s involvement evolved: the number of interactions initiated by the ALT more than tripled from the first class in the first year, and the ALT assumed a greater variety of roles, such as delivering presentations on the main topic of a lesson, while the JTE facilitated interactions between the ALT and students. However, challenges remain in optimizing the use of the ALT, particularly in the JTE’s interventions in the interactions between the ALT and students.

This study explored the impact of integrating blog-based writing tasks and portfolio assessment into an English as a foreign language (EFL) writing course for Japanese university students. It focused on students’ perceptions of topic selection freedom, engagement through blogs, and portfolio assessment. 45 second-year students completed four sequential blogging tasks over a 15-week semester. The questionnaire results indicated that students appreciated the freedom to choose topics, which enhanced their motivation, writing volume, and understanding of the topics. Blog writing further promoted their emotional engagement by offering an interactive and class-wide platform that created a more enjoyable learning experience. While portfolio assessment fostered motivation and autonomy, students reported challenges with their self-reflection skills, suggesting the need for structured instructional support. These findings highlight the potential of blogs and portfolios in enhancing EFL writing engagement while emphasizing the importance of addressing practical and reflective skill development in future implementations.