2016 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Multicultural Japan: Effective Methodologies for Teaching Language and Culture to Japanese University Students
| Project/Area Number |
16K02945
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| Research Institution | Otemae University |
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Principal Investigator |
安藤 幸一 大手前大学, 総合文化学部, 教授 (20310691)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
Jackson John 大手前大学, 現代社会学部, 講師 (40737657)
C・M Browne 明治学院大学, 文学部, 教授 (50286225)
アリポンガ ジョナサン 関西国際大学, 教育学部, 教授 (50388873)
田中 キャサリン 大手前大学, 総合文化学部, 講師 (50740049)
Carlson Gordon 大手前大学, メディア芸術学部, 准教授 (60736057)
ロバート シェリダン 近畿大学, 農学部, 講師 (70648245)
タン ダニエル (タンダニエル) 大手前大学, 総合文化学部, 講師 (60781052)
アンドウ シャーリー 大手前大学, 現代社会学部, 准教授 (90441162)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | EFL / Japanese culture / culture in EFL / language education / TESOL / University EFL textbooks |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In 2016, we conducted a preliminary survey of 215 English language university teachers across Japan on textbook selection and usage. We presented our initial findings in conferences organized by academic associations such as the Japan Association of Language Teaching, Thai TESOL, CamTESOL, University of the Philippines Cebu, and Hawaii TESOL. In addition to the survey, a pilot study on the efficacy of culturally familiar contexts in base texts in terms of content and vocabulary recall was completed. This study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Language in East Asia. Finally, we established a section of Otemae University's website to catalog our research results and held a 2-day symposium on teaching Japanese content.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
We were able to effectively complete the first year of our research as planned. We attribute this to the tight coordination of the team and the diligence of each researcher.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In 2017, we will begin with a follow-up survey as our initial findings indicated the majority of materials were made by instructors or produced by universities. In addition to following up on cultural content in self-produced materials, we will continue our follow-up with the universities we surveyed by conducting campus visits and interviewing both students and teachers on the efficacy of the materials. Prior to the visits and interviews, we will review literature on effective interview questions and design the questionnaire. Our data collection on the impact of cultural familiarity on the four language-learning skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) will continue. Based on data gathered, as a team we will analyze classroom tactics, textbook use, engagement with the materials and enter our assessment into our internet database. In December, we will host our second symposium on cultural familiarity and language pedagogy with a specific focus on material writing and design. We will include representatives from all universities that took part in our surveys as well as interested members of the general public. This is a vehicle to bring together English teachers in Japan of many different nationalities.
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| Causes of Carryover |
One of our researchers attended a conference in late March, 2017 and could not obtain the necessary documents in time to complete his 2016 budget allocation.
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| Expenditure Plan for Carryover Budget |
Please see the above reason. The researcher's funds have been allocated although the documentations were incomplete.
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