Integrative studies on the development of native Japanese speakers' speaking skills in English from elementary school years onward

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K02959
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: Yokohama National University (2017-2019); Shiga University (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Ojima Shiro 横浜国立大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (40404959)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 英語スピーキング / 英語学習経験 / スピーキング評価

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated the effects of the onset age of English learning and the total amount of English learing on the English-speaking ability of native Japanese speakers. Japanese-speaking children attending elementary school or junior high school who had high English proficiency took part. Linguistic analyses of their English-speaking data suggested their superiority to Japanese university students in fluency and the amount of speech produced. The key to their high speaking performance seemed to be both the early onset of learning and the massive amount of exposure to English at home obtained through learning materials.

Free Research Field

第二言語習得論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

子どもは高い言語学習能力を持っていると信じられていることが多い。実際に高い英語力を獲得している日本人小中学生を対象にした研究から見えてきたことは、彼らが幼少期に英語学習を開始しているだけでなく、幼少期のうちに超長時間の英語接触を得ている点である。こうした知見は、イメージで語られることの多い子どもの言語学習能力の具体像を明らかにし、英語教育や子育てについて示唆を与える。