A theoretical and empirical study of the effect of knowledge of a foreign language on meta-linguistic awareness with respect to one's mother tongue

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21633
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 2:Literature, linguistics, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kansai University (2020-2022); Meikai University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Otsu Yukio 関西大学, 外国語学部, 客員教授 (80100410)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: メタ言語能力 / ことばへの気づき / 母語 / 外国語 / 英語教育 / 国語教育 / 言語教育 / 認知科学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, a cognitive model was first constructed to capture knowledge of mother tongue, knowledge of foreign languages, meta-linguistic awareness related to mother tongue and meta-linguistic awareness related to foreign languages in a single framework. When we were to test the adequacy of the model, COVID-19 spread, and we were forced to conduct a reduced-scale survey instead of a large-scale school-based survey which had been originally planned. It was suggested that the knowledge acquired in learning a foreign language may positively influence the development of meta-linguistic awareness related to mother tongue.
It should also be noted that efforts were made to clarify the social significance of the results of this study through regular meetings and exchanges of views with groups of teachers in primary, junior high and senior high schools.

Free Research Field

認知科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

外国語の学習において身につけた知識が母語に関するメタ言語能力の発達に正の影響を与えるか否かを理論的・実証的に探る試みはその重要さにもかかわらず体系的な研究はほとんど行われていなかった。また、母語に関するメタ言語能力と外国語に関するメタ言語能力が共通の認知機構に根ざすものであるかという点も体系的な研究はほとんど行われていなかった。本研究はこの欠落を埋め、言語教育の中に外国語教育を明確に位置づけるための重要な基礎作業となった。
上記のいずれの目的に照らしても、本研究の成果は学校教育における言語教育の在り方について示唆するところが多く、大きな社会的意義を持つ。