Educational Impact of Short-term Study Abroad Programs for English Language Learning

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22254
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: :Education and related fields
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: Kitano Chika 立命館大学, 言語教育センター, 嘱託講師 (70838325)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 英語学習 / 短期留学 / ネイティブ信仰 / オンライン学習 / 身体性 / 物質性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study critically analysed the native-speakerism in English language education from the perspective of English language ideology. The interview data from this study was used to examine the effectiveness of short-term study abroad programmes for communicative English language acquisition. Initially, study abroad programmes involving physical travel were the subject of the study. However, this study changed the research target to online short-term exchange programme, which was mainstream under the COVID19 pandemic. The results showed that learners who did not limit their ideal English speakers to Inner Circle English speakers, but sought to interact with a variety of English speakers, showed a positive learning attitude. What was also noticeable in online learning was the use of learners' physical and material resources, which was suggested as an important aspect of future online language learning environment.

Free Research Field

社会言語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、Inner Circleの英語を絶対視するネイティブ信仰のもと、初の海外での異文化交流を期待して短期留学に参加するのではなく、短期留学であっても、多様な英語話者を想定して、英語学習を行い、異文化交流の機会を増やすことを動機付けることの重要性を示唆している。短期留学における、事前事後学習の学習内容に一石を投じるものである。また、オンライン交流下でも、言語は相手との交渉の中で構築されるという考えのもと、言語的情報のみならず、視覚的、感覚的情報を共有しながら言語交流を図ることの効果を示した事例研究の結果は今後のオンライン交流の充実に寄与するものである。