An Integrated Approach to Developing Japanese Students' English Presentation and Discussion Skills

We examined the types of difficulties that Japanese high school students have in English presentation and discussion activities. We conducted factor analysis (principal factor method with promax rotation) on the survey data, which was divided into four stages: (1) the presentation preparation stage; (2) the presentation stage; (3) the listening stage; and (4) the discussion stage. The results showed that students had difficulty with the following skills during each of the four stages: (1) "effective ways of providing information," "revision," and "collaborative work" during the presentation preparation stage; (2) "basic presentation skills," "handling questions," and "audience management" during the presentation stage ; (3) "active interaction" and "active understanding' during the listening stage; and (4) "overcoming communication anxiety," "adaptation to classroom activities," "problem solving approach," and "self-relativization" during the discussion stage

Effects of Small-Group Facilitators on Speaking Performance of Junior High School Students

本研究は，中学生のスピーキング活動におけるファシリテーターの働きに注目し，その発話の特徴とそれが学習者の発話にどのように影響するかについて，日本人英語教員，外国人英語話者および学習者がファシリテーター役を担う小集団を設定し，調査結果を量的・質的に分析することにより，今後のスピーキング指導の在り方の方向性を提案することを目的とした。結果として，日本人英語教員，外国人英語話者ともに学習者への発話量の多さはあるものの，ディスカッションで求められる学習者の思考の深まりを促す働きは確認できなかった。しかし，会話分析から，ファシリテーターの発話の量と質のバランスを工夫することにより，学習者から発話を引き出し，思考の深まりを促すきっかけを与えることができる可能性があることは確認できた。今後は，今回の調査において，発話回数が少なかった「学習者に自信を与える発話」や「思考を深める発話」に焦点を当てた調査・分析を課題としたい。The aim of this research is to propose how the instruction on speaking activities can be effective by focusing on the role of a facilitator. In this research, a Japanese teacher, a foreign language speaker and a junior high school student played the role of the facilitator in a group of junior-high students. The facilitators’ utterances produced in the groups were analyzed by both qualitative and quantitative ways. As a result, the majority of the facilitators succeeded in letting the students speak out, but their work wasn’t sufficient enough to deepen the students’ thoughts. However, this research suggests that the facilitators can help students to speak out and deepen their thoughts by using adequate types of facilitation, which encourages the students to speak out and allows them to deepen their thoughts

A Study on Utilizing the Potentials of ALTs in Foreign Language Activities at Elementary Schools (Part 2) : ALTs' Interpretation of the Objectives of Foreign Language Activities in the Course of Study

The Japanese Ministry of Education revised its Course of Study for elementary and secondary schools in 2008, and one major change in the elementary school curriculum is that "foreign language activities" are to become a compulsory part of the school curriculum in 2011. The main goal of these activities is to form the foundation of children's communication abilities by achieving three sub-goals: (1) developing an understanding of languages and cultures through various experiences, (2) fostering a positive attitude toward communication, and (3) familiarizing pupils with the sounds and basic expressions of foreign languages. The Ministry also recommends that homeroom teachers should be responsible for planning activities with help from assistant language teachers (ALTs) or other human resources available in the local community. This study analyzes how ALTs interpret the Ministry's English version of the above-mentioned objectives of foreign language instruction both at elementary schools and at junior high schools. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey administered to ALTs in one prefecture. The ALTs were asked to comment on both the objectives specified for elementary schools and those for secondary schools. The two different sets of responses were then compared and analyzed. 25 questionnaires were completed and returned: twelve were from first-year ALTs, who had just arrived in Japan at the time of the survey, and the remaining thirteen were from ALTs who had worked in Japan for at least one year. Regarding the objectives of foreign language instruction at junior high school, we obtained no negative responses from both the experienced ALTs and newly-arrived ALTs. However, regarding the objectives of foreign language activities at elementary school, there is a marked difference between the two groups: the experienced ALTs produced many questions and ideas such as the importance of teaching literacy skills to children, while the newly-arrived ALTs stated that the objectives should be more focused and that the language used in the objectives should be clarified. If no appropriate information or instruction is given to ALTs who identify foreign language activities more narrowly with teaching English itself rather than fostering children's basic communication abilities as advocated by the Course of Study, then there is a risk of misunderstanding and miscommunication between Japanese teachers and the ALTs. Based on the results of this survey, we discuss how ALTs should be utilized in conducting foreign language activities and also involved in planning in-service teacher development programs in the future that involve both ALTs and Japanese teachers

外国語指導助手は日本人英語教員との職場での関係をどう認識しているか

日本の外国語教育(英語教育)の改善,地域レベルの国際化の促進を意図して1987年に始まったJETプログラムには,近年二つの大きな変化が表れてきている。一つは,このプログラムによる外国青年(その大半は外国語指導助手,ALT)の招致人数の漸減であり,今一つは改訂された学習指導要領による小学校における外国語活動の必修化の流れによるALTに対するニーズの高まり,である。 こうした環境変化の中で,ALTと日本人教員(英語科教員及び学級担任)との相互理解という問題は,これまで以上に重要となってこよう。筆者らは,過去においてALTと日本人英語科教員の相互理解に関わる課題を質問紙調査等を通して行ってきた(Tsuido 1997, Otani & Van Loh 1998, 築道2000)。いずれの調査からも10年以上が経過した。そこで,過去の質問紙調査における主要な質問項目と上述の新たな変化要因を質問に取り込んで,中国地方のA県のALTに質問紙調査を2010年11月に実施した。68名のALTのうち,38名から有効回答を得た。本稿では,ALTの役割,仕事への満足度、10の葛藤場面に対するフラストレーションの程度、小学校と中学校との違いに関する認識等を中心に質問紙調査に対する回答を分析する。また,自由記述にみられる問題や解決策を質的に検討し,教員研修等においての改善策を提案する