An Investigation of English Abilities of Junior High School Students-From the Perspective of Grammar Structure Acquisition

2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 15330189
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Education on school subjects and activities
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (2004-2006); Hyogo University of Teacher Education (2003)
• Principal Investigator: TAKASHIMA Hideyuki Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Professor (40128434)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NEGISHI Masashi Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Graduate School of Area and Culture Studies, Professor (50189362) ; MURAKAMI Mihoko Seijoh University, Faculty of Business Administration, Associate Professor (10331638)
• Project Period (FY): 2003 – 2006
• Keywords: English grammatical structures / English word order / Longitudinal study / Cross-sectional study / EFL context / Acquisition / Learning of English / Junior high school students

Research Abstract

The purpose of this research project was to (1) follow Japanese junior high school students' acquisition of English grammatical structures for three years, longitudinally as well as cross-sectionally, (2) to pin-point exactly which structures were obstacles to language learning, and (3) to propose remedies for future teaching and learning. In order to fulfill these goals, all 6 textbooks which were then (year 2004) in use were subjected to examination, and 12 particular structures were chosen in accordance with their common appearance in all the textbooks. Based on these structures, four kinds of written tests and one speaking test were created. These tests were conducted as a prelude, or as a pilot study, to the final study. The two written tests which were best correlated with the speaking test were selected to use in the final study. These same two tests were given twice a year (July and February) for the three years in three schools (two in Kochi City and one in Iwaki City) and for two years in five schools (an additional two schools in Tokyo plus the previous three). Among the 12 structures, 6 structures were common to all grades, 10 structures to the 2nd and the 3rd grades, and 12 structures to the 3rd grade, as the 3rd graders had learned all 12 structures by the time the test was given.
The results show that (1) well practiced structures with main verbs (e.g., I play soccer every day.) were acquired quite early, (2) related but not well practiced ones with negation (e.g., I don't want milk.) were not as early, (3) over-learned or overly-practiced structures with an introducer, "This is...," were confused with "This book is...", and it took time to differentiate the two similar but different structures. It was also found that in an EFL context like Japan where English input is meager, the SVOO structure (e.g., Mary gave the cat some milk.) was not learned because of the flexible Japanese corresponding structure where the direct and indirect objects were interchangeable with a postposition.
In sum, first learned and well practiced or used structures were learned earlier unless they are flexible corresponding structures. These results were reported to each school, and this research will be scheduled to be published in an international journal.