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Developing a Practical Pre-service Teacher Training Program for Teaching English at Japanese Elementary Schools

Research Project

Project/Area Number 18530677
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Education on school subjects and activities
Research InstitutionMiyagi University of Education

Principal Investigator

SASAKI Yuri  Miyagi University of Education, Miyagi University of Education, Department of Education, Associate Professor (00361212)

Project Period (FY) 2006 – 2007
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2007)
Budget Amount *help
¥3,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
Fiscal Year 2007: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
KeywordsEnglish Instruction at Elementary School / Pre-service Teacher Training / Communicative Competence / 現職支援
Research Abstract

This research strived to establish a practical pre-service teacher training program in order to provide communicative English instruction at elementary schools in Japan. Prior to development of the program, how communicative competence is acquired as well as how young learners learn was examined. It was found that in order to enhance communicative ability, learners need to be involved in interaction where they use the target language with necessity and purpose. When the learning processes of young learners were examined, on the other hand, it became clear that: 1) they actively explore ways to participate in the social environment, 2) they interpret situations and learn by interacting with the environment, 3) they learn what is within their learning potentials, and 4) their learning is assisted by scaffolding provided in the environment. Therefore, communication-based English instruction involves two drastic shifts from the conventional English education in Japan: a shift in content/st … More ructure of English instruction, and a shift in teacher role. It was devised that the shift in content/structure be realized by three schemes: providing learners with ample aural input, providing learners with opportunities to put the language to use, and creating a context that is meaningful to learners. Educating pre-service teachers thus becomes of prime importance since they are the agents who will implement the new approach in their everyday instruction. Taking these findings into consideration, curriculum was developed around a project work structure where each small step in the project was presented in three stages: first introduced by songs/chants, then practiced in small-group activities, and finally reinforced by games. Pre-service teachers were included in the instructional team to support the young learners with thorough practice and follow-up small-group activities. This program was successful not only in providing the young learners with a learning context in which necessity and purpose of language use was naturally interwoven, but also in providing the pre-service students with a practical training where they can experience the new approach both as a student (learner) and a teacher (assistant). Less

Report

(3 results)
  • 2007 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 2006 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (4 results)

All 2008 2007

All Journal Article (2 results) Presentation (2 results)

  • [Journal Article] 「コミュニケーション能力」を考える-日本が目指すこれからの英語教育と変わりゆく指導者の役割-2008

    • Author(s)
      佐々木 ゆり
    • Journal Title

      宮城教育大学紀要 第42巻

      Pages: 137-144

    • NAID

      110006647850

    • Related Report
      2007 Annual Research Report
  • [Journal Article] 「コミュニケーション能力」を考える-日本が目指すこれからの英語教育と変わりゆく指導者の役割2007

    • Author(s)
      佐々木 ゆり
    • Journal Title

      宮城教育大学紀要 第42巻

      Pages: 137-144

    • NAID

      110006647850

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2007 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Presentation] A theoretical framework in TEFL context for Japanese elementary school learners2007

    • Author(s)
      Sasah, Yuri
    • Organizer
      The International Society for Language Studies 2007 Conference
    • Place of Presentation
      Honolulu, USA
    • Year and Date
      2007-04-04
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2007 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Presentation] A theoretical framework in TEFL context for Japanese elementary school learners2007

    • Author(s)
      Sasaki, Yuri
    • Organizer
      The International Society for Language Studies 2007 Conference
    • Place of Presentation
      Honolulu, USA.
    • Year and Date
      2007-04-04
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2007 Final Research Report Summary

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Published: 2006-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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