“The Goal of EFL Is the Native Speakers‟ Norm” and the Question of Grammatical Versus Communicative Language Learning
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Durham E-Theses Japanese students' EFL experience: the role of the student's voice SHIMAZU, SHIGEKO How to cite: SHIMAZU, SHIGEKO (2013) Japanese students' EFL experience: the role of the student's voice, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/7351/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk University of Durham Japanese students‟ EFL experience: the role of the students‟ voice By Shigeko Shimazu In Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education 2013 0 Acknowledgements I acknowledge the support by Professor Byram and Professor Fleming with gratitude for the help, and the stimulation that I have received. My acknowledgement would also be incomplete without the recognition of the students who reported their views and suggestions that are often ignored in public debates but contribute to the research framework of this study. Finally, I am grateful to my parents and children, and friends in Durham who gave me trust over the years. 1 Declaration I confirm that this is my own work and that it has not been previously submitted in candidature to this or any other university. 2 Statement of Copyright The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without the author's prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged 3 List of contents page Acknowledgement 1 Declaration 2 Statement of Copyright 3 List of contents 4 List of tables 9 List of Abbreviations 10 Abstract 11 Chapter I Introduction 12 1 Background of the study 12 2 Current debates in Japan 14 3 Contextual background ` 15 4 The statement of problems 16 5 The purpose of this thesis 17 6 The research questions 18 7. Overview of the research 20 8. The originality of this research 20 9. The organization of the thesis 21 4 II. Literature Review 22 Introduction 22 1. General evaluation of language learning in Japan 23 a) Communicative skills 23 b) Pronunciation 23 c) TOEFL scores 23 2. Instruction 24 d) Teacher centred instruction 25 e) The focal skills approach 25 f) The Direct translation method 27 g) The grammar translation method 28 3. Environment 28 h) EFL in the education system 29 i) University entrance examination 30 j) Fear of internationalization 32 k) Curriculum reform 33 4. Personal factors 34 l) Motivation 36 m) Attitudes 38 n) Reticence 40 5 III. Research Methodology 45 Introduction 45 1. Research Paradigms 45 2. Research Method 47 3. Qualitative method of the present study 47 3-a) The research question of the study 48 3-b) Reasons for choosing the research questions 49 3-c) Justification of the Qualitative method 54 3-d) linking the interview questions to the research question 55 3-e) Pilot Study 58 3-f) Reflection of the Pilot Study 59 4. Description of the interview process 61 4-a) Instrument 62 4-b) Participants 63 4-c) Data collection 63 5. Data Analysis 64 5-a) Transcription and extension of the interviews 64 5-b) Translations 65 5-c) Thematic analysis 66 5-d) Credibility, Transferability, Dependability, Conformability 68 6 5-e) Ethical issues 71 IV. Data Analysis 72 Introduction 72 1 - a) The use of the Monolingual Method 73 1 - b) The advantages and disadvantages of NETs, and NNETs 76 1 - c) The belief “the earlier, the better” 96 1 - d) English as a lingua franca or Standard English 108 1 - e) The use of the Direct Method 120 1- f) The EFL goal and the pedagogical approach 130 1 - g) Language skills and national power 140 1 - h) The Japanese students‟ English proficiency 150 2 - i) The attitudes toward and their opportunities for EFL 162 2 - j) How did the students acquired their English skills? 182 2 - k) What type of English skills do students wish to learn? 204 2 – l) What kind of change do student want in EFL? 218 V. Discussion and Conclusion 229 1. Introduction 229 2. The meaning of the findings and the comparison to the literature 230 3. Summary 241 4. Conclusion 243 5. Limitations of the study 246 6. Reflection 247 VI. References 250 VII. Appendices 273 Appendix 1 Interview questions for the pilot study 274 Appendix 2 The pilot study details 276 7 Appendix 3 Research questions for the main study 278 Appendix 4 Invitation to the research 281 Appendix 5 Consent Form 282 Appendix 6 Interview transcription 4) 283 Appendix 7 Interview transcription 7) 301 Appendix 8 English skills 331 1 Self assessed English skills 331 2 Least proficient English skills 331 3 English skills for the current needs 331 4 English skills for the future needs 331 8 List of Tables 1.1 Research Questions 11.2 Codes and Categories 1V.1 Proficiency Skills 9 List of Abbreviations Abbreviations CLT Communicative language teaching EFL English as a foreign language ELT English language teaching JALT Japan Association of Language Teachers JET Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program Juku Coaching class Yokibo Cramming class L2 Second language LF Lingua Franca MEXT Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology NS Native English Speakers NNS Non-native English speakers NET Native English teachers NNET Non-native English Teachers TESOL Teaching English as a second or foreign language TEFL Teaching English as a forging language TOEFL Text of English as a foreign language TOEIC the Test of English for International Communication 10 Japanese students‟ EFL experience: the role of the students‟ voice Abstract Japanese students are often said to have little success in developing communicative skills in a foreign language. This is evident from Japanese media, researchers in education, public concern, and from government policy documents. Much of the existing research has examined factors in the environment or in the psychology of the learners. However, Japanese students „views have not been adequately taken into consideration in the debate. This study investigates Japanese students „views about the teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL). In doing so, two main research questions are set; 1) What are students‟ opinions about EFL principles? 2) What are Japanese students‟ experiences in the EFL classroom? The data was collected from 14 Japanese students at universities in Tokyo by interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify similarities and differences between participants‟ views. The data shows that: 1) the students were well informed and had clear views; 2) they do not consider the situation problematic; 3) instead, they offered possible causes of the factors that affect English performance and suggestions for improving practice. Finally, several suggestions are offered to improve EFL classes arising from the students‟ views. 11 I. Introduction 1. Background of the study In the past few decades, the demands of higher education in Japan have increased and competition is fierce. University entrance examination is a challenging process for Japanese students. For them, English is one of the most important subjects to qualify for higher education. In addition, due to spread of English around the world, students are facing a challenge to master communicative skills in English for intercultural communication. As a result, increasing numbers of students are seeking coaching after school in Asian countries including Japan. A few decades ago, the fact that communicative skills in English were not tested was unsurprising since it was not a globalized world. In a new competitive world, could native English speakers of English become the front-runners? Alternatively, what happens to students who have less developed English skills? In making a pitch to lead in the global society, Non Native English Speaker (hereafter NNS) countries have taken steps to encourage students to improve communicative skills in English for various reasons but mainly to secure national security (e.g. political and economic power). However, critics of World English such as Phillipson (1992) argue that the dominant use of English language for global communication leads to imbalance of power - linguistic imperialism - a term that he coined. Referring to the interrelationships between language and power, Kachru (1992:66) claimed that the non-native models of English are linguistically identifiable, geographically definable, and functionally acceptable, but they are still not necessarily attitudinally acceptable. Native models of English in this study are defined as English spoken by native English speaking countries (namely, Received Pronunciation (hereafter RP) and General 12 American (hereafter GA) (Kachru 1992:50). Kachru (ibid.) noted that the spread of English stretches in three concentric circles; an inner circle where English is spoken as a mother tongue, an outer circle where English is used in institutional setting, and in an expanding circle where English is used for global communication. The characteristics of English in these societies derive from the patterns of acquisition and the functional domains of English. Consequently, inevitable linguistic changes are taking places in English with local variations. One of the problems that arise here is that the language changes, namely in spoken language, affect interpretability.