Thirdagers savouring foreign language learning

Dorota ZABORSKA

I investigate thirdage learners’ experiences of learning foreign languages through the lens of positive psychology. Drawing on interview data I explore connections between the savouring of language learning, overall wellbeing, and how these contribute to so-called successful ageing.

Perspective shifts through a high-school social issues research project

Aya HAYASAKI

This study explores how participation in an English-medium social issues project changes the values and career choices high-school students in a rural region of Japan, and what socio-cultural factors and emotions are involved in the process.

The resilience process of Japanese university students over EMI

Akiko KIYOTA

This study explores resilience and emotions emerging during an EMI course. Tracking university students taking EMI courses, using participants’ weekly reflective journals, interview data, and class observation field notes, the presenter will discuss preliminary results from her pilot study.

Effects of the Power Gap Between Teachers and Students in the Classroom.

Xiadan WANG

This research shows the power gap between the teacher and students by analyzing four aspects: topic shift, teacher’s control over time allocation, turn initiation and completion, and IRF sequence, which causes the negative influence of teacher’s dominance on students’ learning.

L2 Self and Motivation for Proficiency Development.

Tu NGUYEN

Successful models of non-native English users can have a positive influence on Japanese high school students’ L2 self. Such models portray attainable ideal L2 selves among students which can motivate students to advance and maintain their English learning.

Enhancing SHS Students’ Interactional Competence Through Teaching Communication Strategies.

Tomoko HIROSE

This presentation aims to examine the effectiveness of teaching communication strategies (CS) in SHS classes. The presenter discusses how integrating CS in daily lessons, especially response for maintenance strategies and signals for negotiation, can enhance the interaction between students.

A Reflection on the Teaching Assistant Experience.

Yibifu TILABI

This presentation is an account of an aspiring experience as a graduate teaching assistant. The presenter shares challenges and rewards of interacting with Japanese college students and conducting a demonstration in EAP courses as a model.

Teachers front and centre: Professional development in TESOL

Melissa REED

Despite popular interest in student autonomy in TESOL, teachers are not always treated as autonomous learners in professional development programs. This presentation explores teacher cognition and autonomy within TESOL centres by illuminating teachers’ perspectives on their own development.

Pragmatics teaching in Vietnamese and Australian English teacher training curricula

Anh Ton NU

This paper compares the pragmatics teaching for prospective English teachers in Vietnam and Australia to provide insights into the professional development journey of teachers from English as a foreign language contexts like Vietnam to the international English-speaking context of Australia.

Short-term and long-term SA students’ language learning motivation in Australia

Yeong Ju LEE

This study compared ten study abroad students’ language learning motivation. Narratives from interviews, journals, and class-observations, were analysed based on complex dynamic systems theory using NVivo. Findings revealed not only different motivational dynamics between the programs, but individual differences.

(Re)visiting English-medium instruction in Vietnamese higher education: Assumptions versus reality

Liem TRUONG

This presentation reports on a mixed-methods study which focuses not only on reflecting students’ views of their current learning but also responding to the assumptions normally attached to English-medium instructed learning, especially in Vietnamese higher education contexts.

Demotivation and affective states in online and face-to-face English classes

Miyu NOTO

This presentation reports on a study of factors that contribute to demotivation of students in online and face-to-face classes. A survey of English major students will be analysed to examine past and present demotivating experiences and present affective states.

Washback effects of the new university entrance exam in Japan

So SUDO

This presentation examines the possible washback effects of the new Common test to be implemented in 2021 on teaching and learning English. Based on previous literature, I hypothesise that the exam reform may cause negative or unintended washback effects.

Effects of extensive reading on attitudes towards autonomous learning

Yushi KASHIMURA

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether and how extensive reading enhances university students’ positive attitudes towards autonomous learning. I will present quantitative and qualitative data obtained from three online questionnaires.

A study of foreign language anxiety in Japanese English learners

Fuuko NAKAMURA

This research aims to investigate the causes of foreign language anxiety. Questionnaires and interviews are conducted to reveal the background of foreign language anxieties of Japanese EFL students with a special focus on WTC, coping strategies and communication strategies.

The effect of retelling on vocabulary acquisition and speaking fluency

Naomichi TSUTANO

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of retelling on vocabulary acquisition and oral fluency. Following a review of the literature, I propose a research method and suggest classroom activities involving different types of retelling.

A phenomenological study: Nepalese EFL teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction

Samikshya BIDARI

This study explores EFL teachers’ perceptions of Differentiated Instruction (DI) in Katmandu, Nepal. Data were collected from 15 secondary level EFL teachers via questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. Strategies to support students with differences in learning abilities are investigated.

Arts Integrated Learning: Self-expression and safe spaces in Indian classrooms

Riya KARTHA

This study investigates Arts Integrated Learning (AIL) in two Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools. The study focuses on AIL in English language instruction, the effectiveness of implementation, and self-expression and safe space in the AIL classroom.

Stage performance materials development for Chinese L2 learners

Jia LIN

This curriculum development project included a needs analysis with 150 Chinese high school EFL learners. A student survey and teacher interviews were used to develop materials for stage performance as a strategy to help improve learners’ language skills.

Exploring the fostering of critical thinking in English teacher education

Nu Anh VO

This presentation addresses methodological issues in a study on exploring the fostering of students’ critical thinking in English language teacher education. The study is a comparative case study of two Master’s programs in Applied Linguistics/TESOL in Australia and Vietnam.

Heritage language proficiencies of Chinese immigrant children in Australia

Yining WANG

Adopting a sociolinguistic ethnographic approach, this study investigates heritage language proficiencies of Chinese immigrant children and contributing factors. The findings show that that their proficiency outcomes vary with age of migration, family language policy, use of print resources, and peer influence.

Using Fitbits to physiologically measure language learner speaking anxiety

Jonathan SHACHTER

The main objective of this project is to develop and test a proof of concept software measurement tool, which can be used to collect HR measures (in a classroom) using a software Application Programming Interface (API) provided by FitBit, Inc.

The pragmatics of swearing, (potentially) offensive, and taboo language in English

Joshua WEDLOCK

This presentation addresses the rationale for investigating how nonnative English speakers perceive and understand swearing and taboo language in two different contexts (Australia, South Korea). In addition, the importance of this provocative linguistic style for EFL/ESL learners is discussed.

Lesson plan for Kanda Gaigo Gakuin

Liling SEJIMA

This lesson plan for a vocational school includes three objectives: students will write faster and better through 10-minute fluency writing and writing blogs, expand their vocabulary using Quizlet Live, and improve their reading comprehension by using reading techniques.

An advanced learner’s acquisition of articles and tenses/aspects

Sarara MOMOKAWA

This study explored the teaching of two grammatical features of English, articles and tense/aspect to an adult learner of English. The results showed that an advanced adult learner can improve grammatical accuracy through receiving explicit corrective feedback.

Effect of consciousness-raising and practice activities on two simple aspects

Omar MASSOUD

This research looks at how a young L2 Japanese professional improved her understanding and use of two simple aspects, simple present and simple future through consciousness-raising activities, contextualized practice, and controlled and uncontrolled practice.

How effective are vocabulary building applications?

Kathryn YAMAGISHI

I will discuss the process and results of a comparative case study conducted on the effectiveness of a popular vocabulary building application and traditional word list learning with first-year Japanese university students.

Facilitating reading with listening activities

Kazune AIDA

This study explored the effectiveness of listening activities to support reading for low-intermediate high school students. By introducing listening exercises and oral reading practice before reading to facilitate it, this study examines the role of sounds in reading.

Reading comprehension and motivation in Japanese high school classrooms

Yukiko ISHINO

The relationship between reading comprehension and motivation in Japanese EFL junior high school classrooms was gauged through questionnaires and extended reading activity which consisted of reading worksheet-style activity developed by the researcher.

Building automatization and improving reading fluency through repeated reading

Mihori ITO

This study investigates whether repeated reading, a process of reading the same materials repeatedly with various methods such as reading with an auditory model, improves reading fluency, reading comprehension, and EFL learners’ attitudes toward reading.

Improving writing skills of Japanese junior high school EFL students

Ayumi KOKUBO

This research examines the effectiveness of function-based writing, which is a three-sentence writing activity, in classes. It discusses how function-based writing changed the writing skills and attitudes toward learning English of first-year Japanese junior school students.

Improving communicative competence through task-based language teaching

Eriko NISHIZAWA

A variety of tasks including role-playing, opinion exchange, and group presentations were adopted in high school English Communication classes. The improvement of students’ communicative abilities and their motivation toward communication in English are discussed.

A Cognitive Linguistics approach to the teaching of polysemous verbs

Toshifumi TANIWAKI

This work investigated teaching of polysemous verbs, e.g., "break". Seven students studied four polysemous verbs the conventional way and another four following a Cognitive Linguistics method, focusing on core images of words. The latter was shown to be more successful.

Analysis of university students' TED talks simulation activity

Ran FAN

This research presents a 16-week student autonomous classroom activity of TED talks simulation. I describe students’ peer assessment of each other’s presentations and analyse their videos to report on what they achieved and what they need to improve further.

Living language and life skills through drama and arts

Shannon PARKS and Alison LARKIN KOUSHKI

This presentation summarizes Shannon Parks' MA dissertation on the effects of dramatizing literature and language arts on English learners’ language and life skills. The data emerges from Alison Larkin Koushki's students' involvement in theatre productions over a seven-year period.

In my opinion: Modality in Japanese EFL learners' argumentative essays

Christine PEMBERTON

Learners' use of modal devices (MDs) in argumentative writing is compared with that of English native speakers and with frequencies of MDs in the school curriculum. Curriculum, topic, and other potential factors are identified as influential on learners' MD use.

Technology acceptance model application for high-immersion virtual reality learning environments

Alex BARRATT, Ethan QUAID, Austin PACK, Litong ZHOU

This presentation reports the results of a covariance-based structural equation modelling analysis investigating the application of Davis' (1989) technology acceptance model to determine students' intention to use a high-immersion virtual reality system for the purpose of learning paragraph structure.

An anecdotal experience using Google Drive for remote emergency teaching

David Andrew HAMMETT

In 2020, university teachers were presented with an unprecedented situation with an outbreak of Covid-19 and were given a limited amount of time to create an online curriculum and materials. I will demonstrate how Google Drive was used as an LMS.

Enhancing junior high school students’ speaking fluency

Akiko YAMANOUCHI

This study aims to enhance Japanese junior high school students’ speaking fluency through a story retelling program. Forty-second extemporaneous speech tests were conducted before and after the three-month program and fluency was measured by word-time, token, and pause length.

The effectiveness of vocabulary output activities

Mikiko MAJIMA

Vocabulary teaching in Japanese high schools has not been sufficiently studied. This research explored whether vocabulary output activities in class were effective for L2 vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension.

Process writing to raise metacognitive awareness in high school classrooms

Megumi OSHIDA

This action research implemented process writing, aiming to raise students’ metacognitive awareness. After a brief introduction of the writing procedure, peer discussion and feedback were practiced and repeated, after which the results were examined.

Graphic organizers and reading comprehension

Kagari SATO

Skilled readers can identify main ideas, recognize organizational patterns, and use reading strategies. Graphic organizers are known as a strategy-based instructional tool in improving reading comprehension. This action research investigated the effects on retelling activities of using graphic organizers.

Vocabulary learning strategy instruction in English for Specific Purposes

Naoko SHIODA

This presentation reports the effect of vocabulary learning strategy instruction on medical engineering majors. The instruction encouraged them to build vocabulary and to become independent vocabulary learners after leaving school. Strategies were taught explicitly in regular language classrooms.

Expectations and realities of a short-term study abroad program

Christopher PIROTTO

This presentation discusses the expectations and experiences of nine Japanese university students who participated in a 16-day short-term study abroad program to California. Data collected from both qualitative and quantitative sources will be discussed.

Gender representations in an English language textbook for the UAE

India ROBERTS

This study investigates gender representations in an English language textbook developed for students in the UAE. Analysis of linguistic and images indicates balance in linguistic representations only. Semi-structured interviews with authors explore the results further.

Representations of gender in the Genki Japanese language textbook series

Madoka THOMAS

This presentation explores representations of men and women and gender bias in Genki textbooks through discourse analysis and collocation analysis employing two specialised corpora. It also explores how Japanese language teachers confirm or challenge gender bias in their teaching.

Junior high school textbooks: What are we really dealing with?

Roy KEMM

Three Japanese junior high school textbooks are analysed using Littlejohn's (2011) textbook analysis framework. The resulting discussion suggests that although the textbooks are surprisingly homogeneous in nature, they are well suited to the current practical realities of junior high school classrooms.