Evaluating a University Preparation Course for a Short-Term Study Abroad Program in Terms of Its Ability to Alleviate Student Anxiety Prior to Departure

View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE

福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要 2019, Vol. 28, No. 1, 1－25 原著 Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

Stuart GALE＊

Abstract：Excessive anxiety can compromise a person’s willingness to step outside of his of her comfort zone and interact with an unfamiliar environment. It can, therefore, militate against the objectives (i.e., enhanced linguistic and cultural competence) most commonly cited by study abroad programs. The purpose of this research was to evaluate an intensive 22.5-hour preparation course in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety. The preparation course was run in-house at a Japanese university as a precursor to a three-week stay in the United Kingdom. The research component― consisting of a survey in the form of a questionnaire―was conducted approximately two weeks prior to departure at the conclusion of the preparation course. The questionnaire included six Likert-style questions designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the preparation course relative to six of the most salient anxiety-inducing components of the study abroad program: taking an international flight, interacting with British people in everyday social situations, discussing social issues with British undergraduates, doing a homestay, teaching Japanese culture at a British elementary school, and personal safety. Five further questions evaluating the composition of the preparation course and allowing for more expansive answers completed the survey. The feedback from the 14 student participants confirmed that the preparation course had been generally effective in terms of counteracting anxiety. Nevertheless, the data also confirmed that certain components of the program induce more anxiety and are more resistant to the type of anxiety-alleviating technique applied by the preparation course. In conclusion, the paper contends that the research should be conducted in conjunction with every subsequent edition of the preparation course so as to facilitate a continuous process of fine-tuning towards its ideal composition. Key words：short-term study abroad program, preparation/orientation course, student anxiety, cultural competence

＊福岡県立大学人間社会学部・教授

― 1 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号

List of abbreviations template in 2008. That year’s program ALT Assistant Language Teacher was, however, remarkable in two respects, FPU Fukuoka Prefectural University marking as it did the ﬁrst and, as of 2018, L1 First language; one’ s native only instance of the program not being language run under the auspices of the independent L2 Second language; a language to education agency founded and run by the some extent acquired in addition to now-former faculty member and without one’s native language his direct personal involvement as principal tour coordinator and guide. It was also １．Introduction: a brief history of the the third and final program to be based UK study abroad program at Fukuoka predominantly in the city of York in the Prefectural University north of England. Though the coordinators had, up until The origins of Fukuoka Prefectural this point, taken great pains to see as University’s study abroad program to the much of the UK as possible (and had, to United Kingdom can be traced back to this end, ventured as far aﬁeld from York 2006 when the then sole native speaker as the Lake District in 2006 and 2008 and within the Faculty of Integrated Human Stratford-upon-Avon and Nottingham in Studies and Social Sciences took a group 2007), the temptation to establish a base of twenty students to the north of England closer to London had been assiduously for three weeks. That this initial trip was resisted with the sole exceptions of both unofficial and unprecedented meant overnight stays in Oxford and Windsor― that it was largely free from the regulatory locations conveniently close to London control that would later exert such a Heathrow airport―immediately prior profound influence on the development to returning to Japan. This conscious of the program. It also meant that the omission of the nation’s cultural center aforementioned faculty member was solely from the program’s itinerary was prudent responsible for the planning, preparing and in view of the fact that it would have day-to-day running of the trip. The current involved a single native-speaker leading a author is not, therefore, being unduly group of two dozen or so Japanese students modest when he refers to the 2006 trip as into a relatively densely-populated area a pioneering expedition and unparalleled with correspondingly high traffic accident achievement―far more so than when he and crime rates. This decision was taken himself succeeded to the same position despite the presence of a Japanese-national at FPU and applied the pre-existing FPU faculty member and, from 2009, a

― 2 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

handful of British undergraduates from and the policy of running daytrips into Oxford acting as assistants and chaperones. the capital established. In retrospect, 2009 The FPU faculty members accompanying may be seen as a pivotal year in terms the trip were always competent and of aligning the program with its current fully functional in terms of their English- form. It was the ﬁrst program to feature the language abilities. Nevertheless, and in program’s creator and the current author view of their lack of familiarity with the working alongside each other in the UK city’s layout and public transport system, and the first to incorporate a homestay their compliance with the decision to avoid component (the students having previously London was always forthcoming. The been lodged in university accommodation extent to which this arrangement was non- when in York and in youth hostels or consensual was, however, exposed in 2008 hotels when elsewhere). The rationale for when it was discovered that several of the switching to homestay accommodation participating students had been engaged was primarily educational―to immerse in making covert arrangements to visit the students into a completely English- the capital (from York, approximately 340 speaking environment without the safety kilometers away). Up until this point, it net provided by their bilingual teachers. had been deemed expedient to suppress In order to alleviate student anxiety and any desire on the part of the students to reduce the magnitude of the challenge, the visit London, not only by maintaining a decision was taken to arrange the students healthy distance but also by articulating into small groups of two to four same- (and perhaps even exaggerating) the risks gender “homestay buddies.” This policy has involved. The 2008 program served to similarly remained unchanged since 2009, demonstrate the futility of this policy. It though it should be pointed out that, as a also marked the point at which the demand consequence of the coordinators rejecting for daytrips into the capital began to “stress-inducing” homestay families (i.e., outstrip the reticence of the coordinators. any family whose standards of care were Fortunately, the pressure to visit London in any way perceived to be deficient) had been mounting in tandem with the and retaining only the most popular and confidence acquired over the course of cooperative, the potential for any form three successful three-week programs of unpleasantness has been reduced to a (2006‒2008). The locus of the 2009 program minimum. This continual vetting of the was therefore shifted to the City of Bath homestay families has, quite apart from (approximately 160 kilometers west of the city’s convenient location and World London but still readily accessible by train) Heritage status, been a signiﬁcant factor in

― 3 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 keeping the program anchored in Bath. education, and social welfare) on offer In the event, the 2009 program attracted to FPU students. It was, in retrospect, 41 student participants―an unprecedented an attempt to wring as much benefit as number well in excess of that registered by possible out of the limited time available― any other program before or since. In 2010, a policy consistent with the conventional the number fell to 22, thereby obviating view, as expressed by Carrillo (2014, p. the need to impose a “cap” at a similarly 1) and substantiated by Zorn, that longer manageable level. A year later, and the periods of immersion entail greater gains in disparity between the number of student cultural competence (1996, pp. 266‒272). In participants in 2009 and 2010 would mitigation, however, it should be pointed pay dividends during negotiations to out that shorter programs akin to FPU’s incorporate the program into FPU’s regular have also been found to facilitate cultural curriculum as an elective subject. On the and even linguistic competence (Ballestas one hand, the 2009 turnout (amounting & Roller, 2013, p.132; Kartoshkina, Chieffo to approximately four percent of FPU’s & Kang, 2013, p. 33) and that they tend total student body) was demonstrative of to be more affordable, more concentrated the program’s popularity and feasibility, in terms of their itineraries, and more while, on the other, the relatively modest compatible with other extracurricular 2010 figure had the advantage of being activities. unintimidating by comparison. This did The precise 2011 itinerary, as shown in not, however, deter the coordinators Appendix A, was also the first to substitute from upping the ante (and unnecessarily Oxford Brookes University accommodation overcomplicating matters) in a bid to for the Oxford youth hostel―an association make the program more palatable at that has undoubtedly added some luster to management level. As a consequence, the the program and bolstered its credentials in first and second accredited programs run the corridors of power at FPU. Furthermore, in 2011 and 2012 each featured concurrent and while indisputably innovative, the two-week and four-week itineraries (with 2011 itinerary also served to formalize those students opting for the latter in effect many of the longstanding features of the staying on in the UK for an additional two program, not least the policy of running a weeks). This extended program was still series of discussion-based lessons exploring of short enough duration to be conducted a variety of cultural themes. These lessons over the summer vacation period without typically divide the FPU students into infringing upon the other extracurricular small groups of four or five, each under the training programs (in the fields of nursing, nominal tutelage of a British undergraduate

― 4 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

acting as an Assistant Language Teacher the program while not actually running (ALT), and span or exceed the 22.5 study at a loss (a concern that prompted the hours comprising a regular university streamlining of the 2017 and 2018 programs course. This set-up has been a constant to twenty days so as to mitigate the effects feature of the program since its inception of inflation). Furthermore, and though in 2006 and is consistent with research it was also the last program to feature suggesting that peer interaction is a a trip to the Jurassic Coast in the south- significant factor in the development of west of England, it was also the first to linguistic competence (Shaheen, 2004). A stop over in Canterbury in the south- similarly omnipresent feature formalized in east (an indication of the disproportionate 2011 was the visit to an elementary school distances covered by the 2011 and 2012 to observe the British education system editions). This is not to deride or diminish in action and teach aspects of Japanese the extraordinary achievements of those culture (such as basic language, origami, years―the FPU UK Summer Program has and calligraphy) to British schoolchildren. always had a strong claim to offering more By contrast, the one-night stopover at a educational and cultural experience for youth hostel in Liverpool at the beginning less financial outlay than any other study of the fourth week proved to be a one- abroad program of comparable length off. It was also the last program to visit operating out of any other university in the Lake District. In retrospect, and as Japan. The trips undertaken in 2011 and has already been conceded, the 2011 and, 2012 were merely the most exceptional in in particular, the 2012 programs were this regard, and were highly instructive in overloaded with components which, terms of determining those components to despite being practically feasible and, in be retained and those to be discarded in the event, successfully executed, proved subsequent years. overly taxing upon the stamina of some This spirit of experimentation in pursuit of the students and at least one of the of excellence induced the coordinators to attendant staff members. The three-day substitute the City of Canterbury (with trip to Paris in the fourth week of the 2012 which they had been impressed over the program was a case point in this regard course of a three-night stay as a component and, for all its cultural value, has not been of the 2012 program) for Oxford as the repeated since. It should also be noted that initial (pre-Bath) base in 2013. That this it was difficult to reconcile going to Paris particular experiment again proved to be a with the education agency’s consistently one-off (the program having since returned selfless policy of minimizing the cost of to Oxford) is more attributable to Oxford's

― 5 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 closer proximity to London than to its jour―an annual summer ritual that has greater renown as a center of learning so far encompassed such disparate threats (which, admittedly, resonates in a very as SARS, swine flu, bird flu, Ebola, and positive way with students and faculty Islamic fundamentalism. These threats― members alike). The coordinators also incontestably real but invariably miniscule decided to reduce the 2013 program to a even by comparison with the possibility of uniform three weeks―a logical compromise one of the participants becoming involved between the two-week and four-week in a traﬃc accident on the way to Fukuoka options hitherto available. A further Airport―have nevertheless deterred some integral and latterly omnipresent feature students from signing up to the program of the program established in 2013 was and induced others to drop out. They the visit to an elementary school in Bath. have also, on occasion, raised questions This particular visit and the quality of as to the advisability of running a UK- the interaction between the FPU students based study abroad program at all. The and the British schoolchildren actually paradox, of course, is that the Japanese induced the head teacher to add Japanese archipelago is not only prone to all manner to the school’s curriculum―a testament of natural disaster but also adjacent to to the program’s ability to establish the world’s last Cold War standoff. This and strengthen meaningful cultural ties unfortunate convergence might lead between Japan and the UK. some commentators to suggest (or even Since 2013, the program has continued statistically prove) that the Japanese to evolve via a policy of refinement students participating in the UK program rather than reinvention. The year-on- are actually over the course of safer year adjustments made subsequent to the those three weeks than their counterparts program’s formative years (2006‒2013) have remaining in Japan. This, however, would been subtle by comparison, culminating in be to ignore the distinction between what a 2018 schedule not markedly diﬀerent from might be perceived, albeit subjectively, as the 2013 equivalent (Appendices C and B, “avoidable versus unavoidable risk,” with respectively). It would be wrong to assume, any excursion off of one’s home turf and however, that the FPU UK Summer into a foreign “danger scenario” falling very Program has only ever been subjected to a much into the former category. spirit of benign experimentation or that this As its most current edition attests might solely account for its evolution. Since (Appendix C), the FPU UK Summer its inception, the program has also had to Program has consistently made itself contend with the media-induced panic du relevant to every student’s major subject,

― 6 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

irrespective of faculty or department, the type of complementary preparation through visits to social welfare, course widely cited as facilitative to the healthcare, and education institutions. success of the study abroad component This commitment is further apparent in (Johnston, 1993; Goldoni, 2013; Barber, 2014; the extraordinary lengths the principal Hockersmith & Newfields, 2016). Indeed, coordinator will go to in order to recruit some commentators have gone so far as British professionals from all of the to expose the rather glib assumption that aforementioned fields and have them studying abroad will, , benefit the ipso facto act as research-project interviewees student linguistically and interculturally (each student having drawn up, during (Pederson, 2010; Salisbury, An & Pascarella, the preparation course, a personalized 2013). The pre-departure course at FPU questionnaire allowing him or her to elicit has been a constant feature of the program data relative to a particular issue affecting since 2008 and gained official recognition both the UK and Japan). This comparative as an accredited course in its own right research component constitutes a student- in 2013. It is compulsory for all students led communicative experience and is participating in the program and comprises indicative of authentic task-based learning. 15 hours of classroom-based tuition plus It complements the aforementioned small- an additional 7.5 hours of directed self- group lessons built around a native- study (the sum 22.5 hours being equivalent speaker of comparable age and provides to the duration of a regular accredited a similarly conducive and motivating course). The classroom-based component environment in which to discuss real-world has traditionally been run intensively over sociological issues and cultural differences. two days approximately two weeks prior It is also the unconventional component to departure (its close proximity being that most demonstrably gives the FPU UK conducive to the focusing of young minds). Summer Program its edge over other the The precise nature of the course may most vast majority of study abroad programs clearly be demonstrated via an examination operating out of other universities. of its most recent incarnation and some of the PowerPoint slides comprising its ten ２．The preparation course 90-minute lessons (Appendices D and E). The 2018 preparation course applied four The FPU UK Summer Program’ s principal anxiety-alleviating techniques commitment to maximizing the potential via PowerPoint and oral explication offered by its assiduously planned schedule in English. The four techniques were is further apparent in its application of as follows: relevant to a specific advice

― 7 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 scenario, (i.e., directing a combination of anxiety-alleviating image training student to mentally conceptualize a speciﬁc techniques to each of the following six scenario and its possible permutations in themes: taking an international flight, terms of what might transpire and the performing successful speech acts in shops language that might be used), and restaurants, discussing social issues role-play and the elucidation of scenario-specific with the UK undergraduates acting as lexical sets and stock phrases, and ALTs, interacting with one’s homestay fact- through the elicitation or straight family, teaching Japanese culture to British checking dissemination of scenario-specific facts. schoolchildren, and taking precautions to How these respective techniques might ensure one’s personal safety. The course be presented relative to the potentially was also transparently and, according to anxiety-inducing experience of interacting Hockersmith and Newfields, appropriately with one’s homestay family is illustrated interactive and student-centered in terms of in Appendix D. It should be acknowledged, its application of role-plays and simulations however, that the four techniques are not (2016, p. 5). Less obvious was the way in entirely distinct from each other (there which the preparation course also served to being considerable overlap between, for disseminate a wealth of important practical example, and ). Nor information relating to the logistics of advice fact-checking is the sequential order of followed the trip and facilitate team bonding. This advice by followed by latter aspect is particularly important in image training role-play followed by strictly binding recognition of the participating students fact-checking or even necessarily appropriate. That being, in eﬀect, a group of virtual strangers Appendix E (detailing the order applied drawn from disparate departments and year to the experience of interacting with the groups coming together for the first time. British undergraduates acting as ALTs) The preparation course therefore allows is entirely devoid of a the students to negotiate and hopefully fact-checking component is furthermore illustrative of the overcome inhibitions that would otherwise extent to which a particular technique may threaten to stymie interaction. be deemed superfluous to requirements The fostering of student confidence (or, and, as a consequence, elided or its to put it another way, the alleviation of respective PowerPoint slide(s) replaced by student anxiety) may be identified as the other media or further oral explication in preparation course’s overarching raison English. d’être. As a consequence (and certainly The course therefore applied a carefully in relation to this single criteria), the considered if somewhat arbitrary effectiveness of the preparation course

― 8 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

may be evaluated even before departure to elicit the effect of the preparation course and the commencement of the UK-based upon each student’s confidence relative to component. After all, and as Thompson six potentially anxiety-inducing scenarios. and Lee (2014) have noted, a short-stay Questions 7‒10, on the other hand, called program precludes waiting for a student upon each student to critique the course to acclimatize and overcome his or her in terms of its composition. Question 11 anxiety by osmosis. The remainder of this was optional and non-specific, inviting the paper will therefore address the following student to comment on any aspect(s) of the question: Was the preparation course to the course at his or her own discretion. 2018 FPU UK Summer Program effective The questionnaire was distributed to (and in terms of fostering student confidence/ completed individually and anonymously alleviating student anxiety prior to by) all of the participating students at the departure? conclusion of the course. No time limit for its completion was imposed, the only ３．Materials and methods requirement being that all of the students respond to all of the questions (if only in In order to adequately survey all 14 the abrupt negative for questions 7‒11) of the student participants in the 2018 and in English (the course having gone to edition of the program in relation to the great lengths to shift the students into their above question, a single questionnaire L2 and encourage the airing of opinions was drawn up comprising six Likert- [Hockersmith & Newfields, 2016, p.6]). In style questions (Figure 1a) and five the event, 14 questionnaires were returned, further questions each requiring a more constituting one hundred percent of the expansive, written response in the event students participating in the preparation of an affirmative answer (Figure 1b). The course for the 2018 FPU UK Summer questionnaire was rendered entirely in Program. English using grammatical forms and vocabulary readily comprehensible to ４．Results and analysis all of the student participants. Access to bilingual dictionaries was provided and How the responses to each of the six select questions paraphrased in parentheses Likert-style questions were distributed in order to further allay any intelligibility across the five possible responses (A‒E) issues. is represented graphically in Figures 2‒7. Questions 1‒6 applied a singular format Figure 8, on the other hand, is of a more based on a Likert-type scale and designed composite nature, showing the average

― 9 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 this course! E) No! I now feel less confident and t?) I did before taking more nervous than ’ m ’ (no change!). D) No. Before this course I felt nervous and I still nervous now m ’ (no change!). C) No. Before this course I felt confident and I still confident now Was there any part of the course that you felt was unnecessary and ＝ Was there any part of the course that was too long and should b e reduced?) nervous. ＝ B) Yes. But I still feel a little Was there anything you wanted to hear more about or practice mo re?) m not ＝ ’ . Questionnaire on the composition of course b 1 A) Yes! I now nervous at all! feel completely Was there anything that you wish had been included in the cours e but wasn confident! I ＝

Figure one of the ) ✓ . ( please explain below) please explain below) please explain below) please explain below) ” ” ” ” ?) ” Yes Yes Yes Yes “ “ “ “ . Questionnaire on the eﬀect of course anxiety levels re lative to six potentially anxiety-inducing scenarios a

… 1 cut out “

Figure should be restaurants? conversation class with a British university student? origami) at a British elementary school? accidents and crime)? ) Was anything missing from the course? ( ) Was anything spoken about or practiced too briefly? ( ) Was there anything that was spoken about or practiced too much? ( ) Yes / No (if ) Was there anything that should have been deleted from the course? ( ) Is there anything else you would like to say about the course? If so, write your comments below. ) 7 8 9 ) taking an international flight? ) using English in places like shops and ) using English in a small-group ) ) doing a homestay with British family? teaching Japanese culture (for example, ) ) your personal safety (against things like ) Yes / No (if Yes / No (if Did the course make you feel more confident about Give your opinion by checking checking opinion by your Give

ve boxes next to each question each next to boxes ve Yes / No (if 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11

― 10 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

score achieved by each of the six Likert- inducing scenarios style questions on the basis of each of １： Taking an international flight the possible responses being awarded ２： Using English in places like shops and a commensurate number of points (an restaurants “A” response scoring five points; a “B” ３： Using English in a small-group response scoring four points; a “C” response conversation class with a British scoring three points, etc.). A higher university student average score over and above the one- ４：Doing a homestay with a British family point minimum and towards the five-point ５： Teaching Japanese culture (for maximum would suggest a more successful example, origami) at a British outcome in terms of the preparation elementary school course fostering student confidence in ６：Personal safety (relative to accident relation to a particular scenario. The one- and crime scenarios) point discrepancy between the “C” and “D” responses was adhered to despite Without exception, the graphs both denoting no change in the student's representing each of the six potentially anxiety level―a fact that might imply anxiety-inducing scenarios (Figures 2‒7) equivalency were it not for the “D” exhibit a bias towards responses “A” and response being solely indicative of failure “B.” This would suggest that the course as opposed to mere redundancy. was to some extent effective in terms of its principal objective of alleviating anxiety Key to Figures 2‒8：Student responses relative to each specific scenario. Indeed, Ａ：Yes! I now feel completely confident! an “A” or a “B” response was selected by I'm not nervous at all! at least 50 percent of the student body for Ｂ： Yes. But I still feel a little nervous. all of the scenarios bar those relating to Ｃ：No. Before this course I felt confident “using English in places like shops and and I’m still confident now (no restaurants” (Figure 3) and “using English change!). in a small-group conversation class with a Ｄ： No. Before this course I felt nervous British university student” (Figure 4). Even and I’m still nervous now (no change!). in these instances, however, the aggregate Ｅ： No! I now feel less confident and more percentages for the two responses denoting nervous than I did before taking this a measure of failure (i.e., “D” and “E”) course! were only 21.4% and 7.1%, respectively. This latter tally (representing a single Key to Figure 8：Potentially anxiety- student returning a “D” response) was

― 11 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号

Figure 2. Did the course make you feel more conﬁdent about taking an international ﬂight?

Figure 3. Did the course make you feel more conﬁdent about using English in places like shops and restaurants?

― 12 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

Figure 4. Did the course make you feel more confident about using English in a small-group conversation class with a British university student?

Figure 5. Did the course make you feel more conﬁdent about doing a homestay with a British family?

― 13 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号

Figure 6. Did the course make you feel more confident about teaching Japanese culture (for example, origami) at a British elementary school?

Figure 7. Did the course make you feel more conﬁdent about your personal safety (against things like accidents and crime)?

― 14 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

Figure 8. The effectiveness of the course relative to each potentially anxiety-inducing scenario (*a score of 5 points having been awarded for each A response; 4 points for each B response; 3 points for each C response; 2 points for each D response, and 1 point for each E response)

common to all of the scenarios with the proportion of “A” responses (28.6%) and exception of “personal safety” (Figure 7). highest cumulative score (Figure 8). It No “E” responses were returned, suggesting may not be entirely coincidental that that the course itself had not provoked this was the only component of the anxiety (a distinct possibility, given its course where explication in English was preoccupation with anxiety-inducing complemented by explication in Japanese scenarios). (courtesy of the travel agent who “dropped In terms of its effect upon each specific by” for approximately twenty minutes scenario, the data suggests that the to distribute documents and advise the course was most effective relative to students on matters pertaining to the “taking an international flight,” with flight and UK customs and immigration). 78.6% of the student body returning Conversely, the relatively low number either an “A” or “B” response (Figure 2). of points garnered by the only scenarios This interpretation is borne out by the specifically highlighting (in the wording same scenario registering the highest of the questionnaire) the necessity of

― 15 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号

“using English” (i.e., the aforementioned The data collected by questions 7‒11 “shops and restaurants” scenario and the was less quantifiable and more interpretive. “small-group conversation class” scenario) Nevertheless, certain salient trends were would seems to be indicative of a deeply discernible. Chief among these was an entrenched lack of linguistic confidence. almost-uniform reluctance on the part of the That the course singularly failed to students to assist in the fine-tuning of the provoke a single “A” response in relation course by writing anything negative about to either of these scenarios (Figures 3 it. This could, of course, be interpreted as and 4) would seem to lend weight to this proof of the course’s abiding excellence. interpretation. Even here, however, a Such an interpretation would, however, relatively low cumulative score belies the fail to account for precisely 50 percent of fact that each of the “English-stipulating” the responses to questions 1‒6 implying a scenarios registered a disproportionately modicum of lingering post-course anxiety high number of “C” responses denoting a (the responses being something other than pre-existing lack of anxiety―a distinction either “A” or “C”). In fact, and leaving shared only by the “personal safety (against aside the approbatory comments (e.g. “The things like accidents and crime)” scenario course was very good! It was very helpful (Figure 7). By contrast, and with the for me. Thank you!”) and those relating exception of the “taking an international to matters beyond the remit of the course flight scenario,” the “doing a homestay (e.g. “If you have decided who will stay at with a British family” and “teaching which host family’s house, please tell us.”), Japanese culture” scenarios (Figures 5 and the only comments of any practical use 6, respectively) comfortably registered the were those bare few written in response to highest cumulative percentages of “A” and questions 8 and 11. These comments have “B” responses. Perhaps the most surprising been reproduced verbatim and, for ease of data was, however, returned in relation to reference, numbered below: the course’s effect upon the aforementioned final scenario concerning personal safety, Comments in response to question 8 (“Was the distribution of responses indicating that anything spoken about or practiced too the students are relatively anxiety-free from briefly?”): the outset and amenable to having any 1) “ I want few Japanese meeting.” residual misgivings allayed by the course 2) “ I wanted to practice using English in (Figure 7). Other, more circumstantial places like restaurant and shop, and in evidence suggests that the same cannot be small-group conversation class with a said of their parents or teachers. British university student.”

― 16 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

3) “ Practice (for example: pronounce many The second and third comments made words; differences between British and in response to question 8 were, however, American English).” more consequential in terms of informing the composition of the course. Despite the The first comment, which might have misleading implication that role-play was been more appropriately made in response neglected (when, in fact, it was extensively to question 9 (“Was there anything that applied to a variety of potentially anxiety- was spoken about or practiced too much?”), inducing scenarios, including those has been interpreted as referring to that explicitly mentioned by the student), the component of the course that had been former comment has been interpreted as a intended to give the students practical request for a greater emphasis on simulated experience of teaching Japanese culture practice. Likewise the potentially speech- (specifically origami and calligraphy) to act stymieing disparities between British schoolchildren. To this end, an arrangement English and American English which had been made for six or seven (albeit were only dealt with incidentally by the Japanese-speaking) schoolchildren from course (comment #3), the teacher having the university’s center to be glibly assumed that exposure to his own hikikomori “taught” origami and calligraphy in English vernacular would sufficiently attune the by the course students for one hour. In the students to British English and allay the event, however, only a single schoolchild possibility of interference. Future research accompanied by two staff members visited will determine the veracity of the teacher's the class, thereby rendering the exercise assumption that instances of speech-act largely redundant from a teaching practice failure in the UK due to Japanese students perspective. All of the (diminished) benefits being more familiar with American English that accrued in terms of the course students are few and far between. Nevertheless, being able to practice the relevant task- and at the very least, the course should specific English phrases could have and explicitly address the issue, identify the should have been procured far more lexical disparities between British English efficiently―a point succinctly made by and American English most likely to cause comment #1. In mitigation, however, it is interference, and provide reassurance that quite conceivable that, with a higher quota such disparities are highly unlikely to of schoolchildren, this component of the cause offence or misunderstanding. course might have proved an enjoyable and thoroughly worthwhile diversion, as in previous years.

― 17 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号

Comments in response to question 11 (“Is wholly inconsistent with the arguably there anything else you would like to say superseding objective of developing coping about the course?”): strategies as a precursor to the student 1) “ Explain of money in England was becoming immersed in an English-speaking very easy to understand, but I want it environment. And while some concession directly.” to the L1 was made by the course (viz. the 2) “ I want you to explain in Japanese when flight-related advice administered by the I have what I don’t know. For example, visiting travel agent), comment #3 suggests (name withheld) sensei explain to me in that the predominant use of the target Japanese.” language did not preclude comprehension 3) “ Thank you for the simple explanation! and that it was an effective medium for the Your explanation really helped!” conveyance of important information. Before proceeding to its conclusion, The first comment has been interpreted, this paper must briefly acknowledge and possibly erroneously, as a request for a account for certain inconsistencies, not more “hands-on” demonstration vis-à-vis least those pertaining to the idiosyncratic the handling of British currency through nature of the course itself. It must be the introduction of realia (i.e., actual conceded that, of the six potentially notes and coins). This is a reasonable anxiety-inducing scenarios, some were request and one that will be acted upon afforded more emphasis than others (the in subsequent years, the teacher having “shops and restaurants” scenario, for hitherto relied upon screen-based images. example, having been subjected to a The latter comments, meanwhile, arguably more extensive role-play component than reveal more about the learning proclivities the “personal safety” scenario). These of their authors than they do the efficacy of discrepancies were attributable to nothing the course. On the one hand, comment #2 more than teacher intuition in pursuit of the refers to a Japanese-national teacher and optimum blend (the primary objective of her technique of providing explication to this research being to replace that intuitive her students in their mutual first language aspect with something more empirical). It (L1). This mode of instruction, evidently is worth noting, however, that as in every analogous to “better teaching” in the real-world teaching scenario involving opinion of at least one student, allows finite resources and an ever-changing mess for the confirmation of meaning and, to of personalities, abilities, and learning that extent, might even be contributive to preferences, this pursuit can only ever the alleviation of anxiety. It is, however, be maintained by an ongoing process of

― 18 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

negotiation with, as far as possible, each “carrier” students and infecting others. course adapting itself to the specificities of Furthermore, and for a host of other the greater program, learning context, and reasons only obliquely relevant to the participants. alleviation of anxiety (the fostering of interpersonal relationships within the group ５．Discussion and conclusions and the dissemination of important advice and information, for example), the status In conclusion, the data suggests that the of the course as a worthwhile endeavor 2018 incarnation of the preparation course should not be questioned. was generally effective in terms of its Having thrown the disparate levels of principal objective, i.e., the alleviation, prior lingering anxiety into starker contrast, to departure, of student anxiety relative to this research will facilitate the pursuit of six specific study abroad scenarios. That a more appropriate balance in terms of the scenarios were arbitrarily imposed by the emphasis afforded each potentially the course teacher would be of greater anxiety-inducing scenario (the data having concern were it not for the students’ demonstrated the need for more practice apparent inability to identify alternative relative to the “shops and restaurants” sources of anxiety when prompted to do scenario, for example). The research should so. It must, however, be conceded that, be repeated and conducted in conjunction relative to any given scenario, up to half with every subsequent incarnation of the of the participating students were left course so as to be in a continuous state of unmoved by the anxiety-alleviating efforts negotiation with the elusive ideal balance. of the course for the simple reason that The data accrued should also be applied they were (by their own accounts) not to the explanatory presentations that are harboring any anxiety to begin with. This the basis for recruitment onto the FPU is evocative of redundancy or, at the very UK Summer Program, it being readily least, of overkill in terms of the course conceivable that the same anxieties felt by misdirecting its efforts towards the slaying students who have nevertheless committed of non-existent monsters. Nevertheless, and to studying abroad will, if not addressed with at least as many students admitting from the outset, dissuade other less daring to a modicum of pre-existing anxiety types from doing so. relative to any given scenario, such an interpretation would be unduly dismissive. It would fail to acknowledge the possibility of anxiety festering within the minds of

― 19 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号

(1), 23‒37. Retrieved References for International Scholars, 3 from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1149926.pdf Ballestas, H.C., & Roller, M.C. (2013). The Pederson, P.J. (2010). Assessing intercultural effectiveness of a study abroad program for effectiveness outcomes in a year-long study increasing students’ cultural competence. abroad program. Journal International Journal of , (6), 125‒133. (1), 70‒80. Doi:10.1016/ of Nursing Education and Practice 3 Intercultural Relations, 34 Doi:10.5430/jnep.v3n6p125 j.ijintrel.2009.09.003 Barber, J.P. (2014). Salisbury, M.H., An, B.P., & Pascarella, E.T. (2013). Designing pre-departure . SIT The effect of study abroad on intercultural orientation as a for-credit academic seminar Capstone Collection. Paper no. 2718. Retrieved competence among undergraduate college from http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/cgi/ students. Journal of Student Affairs Research and viewcontent.cgi?article=3755&context=capstones (1), 1‒20. Doi:10.1515/jsarp-2013-0001 Practice, 50 Carrillo, R. (2014). Shaheen, S. (2004). e eectiveness of short term study The effect of pre-departure abroad programs in the development of intercultural preparation on student intercultural development . . (Doctoral competence among participating CSU students during study abroad programs CSU Stanislaus State (Stirrings). Retrieved from dissertation, The Ohio State University). https://www.csustan.edu/sites/default/files/honors/ Retrieved from https://etd.ohiolink.edu/ documents/journals/Stirrings/Carrillo.pdf ap/10? 0 ::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM: Goldoni, F. (2013). Students’ immersion experiences osu1091481152 in study abroad. , Thompson, A.S., & Lee, J. (2014). The impact of Foreign Language Annals, 46 359‒376. Doi:10.1111/flan.12047 experience abroad and language proficiency on Hockersmith, A., & Newfields, T. (2016). Designing language learning anxiety. , TESOL Quarterly study abroad pre-departure trainings. (2), 252‒274. Doi:10.1002/tesq.125 Ryugaku: 48 , (1), 2‒12. Retrieved Zorn, C.R. (1996). The long term impact on nursing Explorations in Study Abroad 9 from http://www.tnewfields.info/Articles/PDF/ students participating in international education. SAResearch.pdf , (2), 106‒110. Journal of Professional Nursing 12 Johnston, B. (1993). Conducting effective pre- Doi:10.1016/S8755-7223(96)80056-1 departure orientations for Japanese students going to study abroad. （原稿受付．掲載決定） The Language Teacher, 2019.5.8 2019.6.12 (6), 7‒10. 19 Kartoshkina, Y., Chieffo, L., & Kang, T. (2013). Using an internally-developed tool to assess intercultural competence in short-term study abroad programs. International Research and Review: Journal of Phi Beta Delta Honor Society

― 20 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

Appendix A Itinerary for the concurrent 2-week and 4-week FPU UK Summer Programs run in 2011 Month/Day Morning Afternoon Accommodation 8/16 Depart Fukuoka Airport (In-ﬂight) 8/17 London Heathrow to Oxford Oxford tour 8/18 Lesson 1 (09:00‒11:30) Coach trip to Blenheim Palace Oxford Brookes 8/19 London (09:00‒20:00) Coach trip (with Oxford Brookes students): University Westminster (Big Ben), National Gallery, Downing Street, etc. dormitory

8/20 London (09:00‒20:00) Coach trip (with Oxford Brookes students): x 5 nights British Museum, St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge, Greenwich, etc. 8/21 Lesson 2 (09:00‒11:30) Lesson3 (13:30‒16:00) 8/22 Oxford to Cotswolds Arrive Bath 8/23 Lesson 4 (09:30‒12:00) Lesson 5 (13:30‒16:00) 8/24 Lesson 6 (09:30‒12:00) Lesson 7 (13:30‒16:00) 8/25 Coach trip to Stonehenge and Lacock (10:00‒18:00)

8/26 Lesson 8 (09:30‒12:00) Lesson 9 (13:30‒16:00) Homestay in 8/27 Coach trip to Cardiﬀ and Blaenavon (09:00‒18:00) Bath 8/28 Coach trip to Glastonbury and Wells (09:00‒18:00) x 7 nights (for 2-week 8/29 Research interviews to 2-week students depart students) 8/30 Lesson 10 (09:30‒12:00) Bath University campus tour x 15 nights 8/31 Coach trip to Stratford-upon-Avon (09:00‒19:00) (for 4-week 9/1 Lesson 11 (09:30‒12:00) Free time in Bath students) 9/2 Lesson 12 (09:30‒12:00) Lesson 13 (13:30‒16:00) 9/3 Coach trip to Jurassic Coast (10:00‒19:00) 9/4 Free time in Bath 9/5 Lesson 14 (09:30‒12:00) Lesson 15 (13:30‒16:00) 9/6 Coach trip to Ironbridge Chester (tour) to Liverpool Youth hostel 9/7 Liverpool tour Lake District

9/8 Visit to Dowdales School (observing/teaching Japanese language) Youth hostel 9/9 Visit to Dowdales School (observing/teaching origami) x 4 nights 9/10 Lake District walking tour 9/11 Free time in Lake District Oxford Youth hostel 9/12 Oxford to Windsor (tour) London Heathrow Airport (In-ﬂight) 9/13 (In-ﬂight) Arrive Fukuoka Airport

― 21 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号

Appendix B Itinerary for the 3-week FPU UK Summer Program run in 2013 Month/Day Morning Afternoon Accommodation

9/5 Depart Fukuoka Airport London Heathrow to Canterbury

9/6 Canterbury orientation Canterbury tour

9/7 Lesson 1 (09:30‒12:30) Coach trip to Leeds Castle Canterbury Christ Church 9/8 London (09:00‒20:00) Coach trip (with Oxford Brookes students): University Westminster (Big Ben), National Gallery, Downing Street, etc. dormitory

9/9 Lesson 2 (09:30‒12:30) Coach trip to Dover Castle x 7 nights

9/10 Coach trip to Cambridge (09:00‒20:00)

9/11 Canterbury high school tour Free time in Canterbury

9/12 Canterbury to Kew Gardens Arrive Bath

9/13 Lesson 3 (09:30‒12:30) Bath tour

9/14 Lesson 4 (09:30‒12:30) Free time in Bath

9/15 Coach trip to Cardiﬀ (09:00‒18:00)

9/16 Coach trip to Oxford (09:00‒19:00)

9/17 Lesson 5 (09:30‒12:30) Visit to Roman Baths Homestay in 9/18 Coach trip to Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon (09:00‒19:00) Bath

9/19 Lesson 6 (09:30‒12:30) Elementary school visit 1 x 13 nights

9/20 Lesson 7 (09:30‒12:30) Elementary school visit 2

9/21 London (09:00‒20:00) Coach trip (with Oxford Brookes students): British Museum, St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge, Greenwich, etc.

9/22 Coach trip to Stonehenge and Lacock (09:00‒19:00)

9/23 Lesson 8 (09:30‒12:30) Research interviews

9/24 Lesson 9 (09:30‒12:30) Free time in Bath

9/25 Bath to Windsor (tour) London Heathrow Airport (In-ﬂight)

9/26 (In-ﬂight) Arrive Fukuoka Airport

― 22 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

Appendix C Itinerary for the 20-day FPU UK Summer Program run in 2018 Month/Day Morning Afternoon Accommodation

9/2 Depart Fukuoka Airport London Heathrow to Oxford

9/3 Lesson 1 (09:30‒12:30) Oxford tour

9/4 Lesson 2 (09:30‒12:30) Free time in Oxford Oxford Brookes 9/5 Lesson 3 (09:30‒12:30) Christchurch and Bodleian tour University dormitory 9/6 London (09:00‒20:00) Coach trip (with Oxford Brookes students): Westminster (Big Ben), National Gallery, Downing Street, etc. x 7 nights

9/7 London (09:00‒20:00) Coach trip (with Oxford Brookes students): British Museum, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Greenwich, etc.

9/8 Coach trip to Blenheim Palace Free time in Oxford

9/9 Oxford to Cotswolds Arrive Bath

9/10 Lesson 4 (09:30‒12:30) Bath tour

9/11 Lesson 5 (09:30‒12:30) Visit to Roman Baths

9/12 Lesson 6 (09:30‒12:30) Visit to elderly care facility

9/13 Lesson 7 (09:30‒12:30) Elementary school visit Homestay in Bath 9/14 Lesson 8 (09:30‒12:30) Free time in Bath x 11 nights 9/15 Coach trip to Cardiﬀ (09:00‒19:00)

9/16 Coach trip to Bristol (09:00‒19:00)

9/17 Lesson 9 (09:30‒12:30) Research interviews

9/18 Lesson 10 (09:30‒12:30) Coach trip to Lacock

9/19 Free time in Bath

9/20 Bath to Windsor (tour) London Heathrow Airport (In-ﬂight)

9/21 (In-ﬂight) Arrive Fukuoka Airport

― 23 ― 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号

Appendix D PowerPoint slides demonstrating the four techniques ( , and advice, image training, role-play ) applied by the 2018 preparation course relative to interacting with one’s fact-checking homestay family

― 24 ― GALE：Evaluating a university preparation course for a short-term study abroad program 福岡県立大学人間社会学部紀要第28巻第１号 in terms of its ability to alleviate student anxiety prior to departure

Appendix E PowerPoint slides demonstrating the three techniques ( , and advice, image training role-play [the latter represented by two slides, having been elided]) applied by the 2018 fact-checking preparation course relative to interacting with British undergraduates acting as ALTs

― 25 ―