Analysis and development of pre-service teachers' abilities to implement classroom interaction using task-based language teaching (TBLT)in the EFL classroom

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23K00703
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Review Section	Basic Section 02100:Foreign language education-related
Research Institution	International Christian University
Principal Investigator	藤井彰子国際基督教大学, 教養学部, 准教授 (60365517)
Project Period (FY)	2023-04-01 – 2026-03-31
Project Status	Granted (Fiscal Year 2023)
Budget Amount *help	¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000) Fiscal Year 2025: ¥520,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥120,000) Fiscal Year 2024: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000) Fiscal Year 2023: ¥3,250,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥750,000)
Keywords	TBLT / in-service teachers / task implementation / materials development / teacher development / interaction / collaborative reflection
Outline of Research at the Start	The purpose of this research study is to address challenges with using tasks to develop students’ spoken interaction skills. The study investigates pre- service and in-service teachers in both Japan and North America, and focuses on the specific techniques that teachers can rely on to elicit interaction in the language classroom in the Japanese secondary school context as well as on building the skills of pre-service teachers. In addition, the study aims to develop teachers’ skills through a combination of practical experience and collaborative reflection.
Outline of Annual Research Achievements	During the 2023 fiscal year, I conducted a qualitative study with 9 in-service secondary teachers in Japan. Findings were presented in a conference in March, 2024. Data was collected through classroom observations and interviews. The goal of the study was to fulfill the aims of Stage 1 of my research plan, that is to identify and analyze teachers' practice and challenges in implementing task-based interaction. The main findings indicated that appropriate materials were needed, especially for cognitively difficult content and text-based lessons for senior high school students. Some teachers had developed strategies for successful task implementation, which could be shared as best practices. Finally, teachers wanted to know more about the learning outcomes of the tasks they implemented in their classrooms. They welcomed collaboration with university researchers. In the 2023 fiscal year, I also spent several months at Georgetown University where I attended multiple discussion and lectures on task-based learning with Dr. Alison Mackey, Dr. Lara Bryfonski, their colleagues and students. At Georgetown University, I gave a presentation titled "Overcoming challenges in promoting interaction in L2 language classrooms: Learners, tasks, teachers, and community" on Oct. 20, 2023. The presentation highlighted factors crucial to task implementation such as storyline, task structure, the role of facilitators in the classroom, scaffolding, and emotional support for younger learners.
Current Status of Research Progress	Current Status of Research Progress 3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed. Reason Data collection in the U.S. was delayed due to timing and access to appropriate participants and difficulty in obtaining research ethics approval and informed consent. However, it is expected that we will be able to make progress on this aspect in fiscal year 2024.
Strategy for Future Research Activity	During fiscal year 2024, I plan to move forward with obtaining data in the North American context in collaboration with Dr. Lara Bryfonski at Georgetown University. Also, I plan to implement a teacher training module for pre-service teachers that includes task design for secondary school students, task implementation, and collaborative reflection. I hope to present the results of the teacher training module at the TBLT 2025 conference in Groningen, The Netherlands, in April, 2025.