The impact of participant background on ELF interactions in EMI

2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13137
• Research Institution: The University of Shiga Prefecture
• Principal Investigator: Hawkes Martin 滋賀県立大学, 人間文化学部, 准教授 (60756675)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: lingua franca / ELF / EMI

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

The grant has allowed me to purchase some literature that has helped me develop the research design going forward. Also, I have been able to purchase and trial the 360 video camera recording devices and data analysis software, as well as learning techniques for maximising their potential as a data collection tool.

Further, in the spring of 2020, I was able to conduct a small pilot study involving English as a native language (ENL) speakers along with domestic ELF speakers. I was able to collect a small set of online group task interactions and conduct a preliminary interaction analysis. I have submitted proposals to present the findings obtain from these analyses at an international conference in the autumn of 2021.

Current Status of Research Progress

4: Progress in research has been delayed.

Reason

As explained above, the COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected the progress of this investigation. As the main purpose is to analyse the English as a lingua franca (ELF) interactions which arise during English as a medium of instruction (EMI) classes, the lack of incoming exchange students has seriously impacted the progress of this project.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

There are hopes and plans for international students to be permitted to enter Japan and join our institution's EMI classes from the autumn of 2021. I hope to be able to recruit research participants from the incoming cohort. Before that time, I need to flexibly prepare and adapt to the changing situation.

From the preliminary data that I have already collected and analysed, I intend to report my findings later in the year as both a conference paper and an article.

Causes of Carryover

While the situation for the coming year is unclear, I hope to be able to make progress with the research project. To conduct a different type of analysis with the existing data set, I intend to purchase another type of data analysis software. Furthermore, with incoming exchange students, I will need to purchase more recording devices so thatI can begin to collect and analyse more data. I hope to be able to report on this data at upcoming conferences. However, I anticipate that many or all of these conferences will be online, and I may not use the travel expenses portion the grant in 2021/22.