Small Group Lessons and the Development of the Learner Language by Japanese Learners of German

• Project/Area Number: 16520358
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: HOSHII Makiko Waseda University, School of Law, Associate Professor (90339656)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): IKOMA Miki Waseda University, School of Political Science and Economics, Associate Professor (90350404) ; MUROI Yoshiyuki Waseda University, School of Political Science and Economics, Professor (60182143)
• Project Period (FY): 2004 – 2006
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2006)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000); Fiscal Year 2006: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2005: ¥1,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000); Fiscal Year 2004: ¥1,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000)
• Keywords: second language acquisition / teaching methods and learning theory / intercultural communication / German as a foreign language / 第2言語習得 / 音声コミュニケーション

Research Abstract

This research investigated the contributions of small group lessons to the development of learner language by Japanese learners of German. It is often said that Japanese learners of German have difficulty in oral production and communication, when they learn the target language only in their home country. The aim of this project was to explore how Japanese learners of German develop their learner language, when they get opportunities to learn in a small group (4-5 learners per group) with a native speaker of German and to communicate in the target language. The topics of the analysis were : 1) phonetic, 2) lexical, 3) syntactic development and 4) development in the use of communication strategies. The participants were students at Waseda University, who took part in small group lessons for German (Tutorial German), then received oral interviews from native speakers of German. During the research period (2004-2006), 73 interviews were given to a total of 55 learners ; 19 learners participated in more than two interviews, 7 learners in more than three interviews. The tasks were as follows : 1) free conversation (2-3 minutes, as warming up), 2) retelling the story of a silent film, which they saw before, 3) roll playing (situation : a summer course in Germany) and 4) reading an open-ended skit. Video and audio recordings of the students' performances were made and then transcribed. Developmental changes appeared in the position and duration of poses, response time, use and quality of fillers, complexity in the use of lexical unites, syntactic structures, and communication strategies. Results, however, varied to a degree from one participant to another. It would be necessary to take into account the learners' background and experiences with the target language for the analysis.