An analysis of interactions among homeroom teachers (HRTs), assistant language teachers (ALTs), and pupils in English classes in a Japanese elementary school

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13115
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 02100:Foreign language education-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Gakugei University (2023); Waseda University (2020-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Shino Ayano 東京学芸大学, 教育学部, 特任講師(Ⅰ種) (00822199)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 小学校英語教育 / 教室談話分析 / 会話分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of the study is to investigate how homeroom teachers (HRTs), assistant language teachers (ALTs), and pupils interact with each other to learn and teach English in English classes in a Japanese elementary school. The results of the study show that the three parties learn or teach English by utilizing various ways, such as the use of discourse markers, the interlocutors' L1, repetition, repair, and silence, using linguistic and non-linguistic resources available in order to achieve mutual understanding. Moreover, it is revealed that the ALTs in the study are hired not only from English-speaking countries but also from various countries, and they become model learners or users of English for the pupils.

Free Research Field

外国語教育（特に小学校英語教育）、教室談話分析

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

国際化に伴い、日本の公立小学校では、2020年度から高学年における英語の正式教科化、中学年における英語活動の必修化が始まった。こうした背景を踏まえ、小学校における英語教育の機会が今後更に増えることから、日本の小学校英語教育における教室内のインタラクションを録音分析し、学級担任とALTのより効果的なチームティーチングの方法および教師と児童のより効果的な英語授業中の関わり方について探究することは非常に重要な課題である。