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Language Learners' Beliefs: Development and Change A LANGUAGE LEARNERS’ BELIEFS: DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE A Dissertation Submitted to the Temple University Graduate Board In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education By Sakae Suzuki May, 2012 Examining Committee Members Marshall Childs, Advisory Chair, TESOL/CITE David Beglar, TESOL/CITE Mark Sawyer, External Member, Kwansai Gakuin University Tim Murphey, External Member, Kanda University of International Studies Masako Sakamoto, External Member, Bunka Gakuen University © Copyright 2012 by Sakae Suzuki iii ABSTRACT This longitudinal study was designed to provide an orderly account of how beliefs about English language learning develop among seven Japanese high school students, identify beliefs that are beneficial and interfering for language learning and the routes by which these beliefs are reached, and identify belief changes and their sources. Beliefs are defined as a cognitive representation about self and the world. They are situated in experiences and social context. Learner beliefs pertain to many aspects of language learning and come from multiple sources, including educational background, experience living overseas, peers, teachers, and persons met in chance encounters. The data for the study were collected from seven students attending a Japanese public high school. Beginning when the students were first-year high school students (10th graders), the data, which were drawn from in-depth interviews, journals, written reports, observations, and school records, form a qualitative multiple-case-study. Data gathering ended when the students chose a university in the third year of high school. There were five major findings. First, learners develop and modify their beliefs based on their life experiences inside and outside the classroom. This finding suggests that providing learning experiences is important, but teachers should be aware that learners with different learning backgrounds and personal traits will likely respond to those experiences differently. Experiences that most influence learners’ beliefs seem to be those that learners choose themselves. Second, beliefs are usually implicit, and thus, learners are not always aware of their beliefs until they are asked to verbalize them. Thus, one role for researchers and teachers is to find effective ways to elicit learner iv beliefs and make them explicit. Third, beliefs can be placed in three categories: beneficial beliefs, indeterminate beliefs, and interfering beliefs. Beneficial beliefs enhance learners’ motivation to learn, while interfering beliefs concern negative thoughts that hinder them from learning and from engaging in challenging tasks. Indeterminate beliefs can be either beneficial or interfering depending on the context in which they occur. Those beliefs are context-sensitive; thus, they are not necessarily shared by all learners. Individual learners have different beneficial and interfering beliefs depending on their learning context. Fourth, adolescent learners’ beliefs change over time because adolescents are in the process of growing and changing physically and mentally. This suggests that there is great potential for modifying their beliefs in positive ways. Fifth, learners develop personal theories about learning based on their beliefs. Considering that learners behave according to their theories of learning, eliciting learners’ beliefs can bring benefits for researchers and teachers because they can anticipate learners’ behavior by knowing their beliefs. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS After finishing the courses, the members of my doctoral cohort started a journey called "dissertation writing." We felt as if we were thrown into the ocean. It took me a while before I finally found what I really wanted to know and investigate. It came to me like lightning one day in the midst of English activities while observing my students and feeling impressed with their efforts and strong motivation to learn. At that time, I decided to set off on a journey of conducting my dissertation study with some of them as the participants in the study. I owe a great deal to the many professors from Temple University Japan Campus. Classes I took in TUJ were all inspiring and instilled me with the pleasure of learning. I attribute overcoming numerous hardships and setbacks to the guidance provided by all my professors and their inspiring classes. Writing a dissertation is not easy. It is like growing bonsai. I was at first a tiny plant, then I developed by having my branches trimmed, receiving fertilizer and water, and finally being placed in a pot for all to see. I needed professional craftsmen to help me become a well-shaped bonsai. I am, thus, grateful to all of the academic professionals who took time out of their busy schedules and provided valuable and detailed knowledge for my project. My original interest toward learners' beliefs began in Dr. Mark Sawyer's psychology class. Dr. Childs has always been a wonderful listener and guided me in the right direction. Talking with him about teaching, classes, students, and research gave vi me numerous ideas and a great deal of inspiration. I owe immense gratitude to Dr. David Beglar, who has been in charge of dissertation writing for many of the doctoral students at TUJ. I admire and appreciate his professional commitment to academic work and the pursuit of success. His precise and quick feedback, comments, and suggestions encouraged me during the long journey of writing my dissertation, making me believe that I was able to finish it. I also thank Professor Tomoko Nemoto for giving me advice on various aspects of writing my dissertation. I am grateful to all of my dissertation committee members. Dr. Sawyer gave me encouragement and helped my find the focus of my research. Dr. Tim Murphey gave me kind and insightful input that was relevant to my dissertation. Their feedback helped me add new layers of understanding to my writing. In addition, Dr. Masako Sakamoto, whose dissertation has been a model for me, also encouraged me and gave me helpful comments. My cohort members have been supportive and I have enjoyed studying with them. They were, are, and will continue to be an inspiration for me. I miss those days when we were taking classes together. We have different backgrounds, learning and teaching histories, but at TUJ, we were good classmates, friends, co-workers, and co- researchers. My special thanks go to Tazuru Wada, Takaaki Kumazawa, Masako Kumazawa, Takako Nishino, Yuka Kusanagi, and Steve Connolly. Without their encouragement, this project would never have reached completion. I thank all of them for their encouragement, advice, and suggestions. vii I have been fortunate to have a supportive and understanding community at Rokkaku High School. I thank Yasuki Suwabe, principal at that time, who allowed me to pursue my project whilst at Rokkaku High School. I also would like to extend my appreciation to my teaching colleague at Oyama National College of Technology. Tetsu Ueno, a philosophy teacher, who has been a good listener of my stories of writing dissertation. He understands the ups and downs I have gone through while working on my dissertation and has encouraged me and made me believe that it is a worthwhile project. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the seven students, Maiko, Kazuo, Honey, Rumiko, Satsuki, Natsuko, and Fumiko, who participated in this study. They started out as participants in the study, but eventually I felt that it was fate that brought us together. I shared ideas with them and we had a good time talking together. It was a privilege to work with them and to see them grow into independent young adults. Their contribution to the TESOL field should be recognized by teachers and researchers not only in Japan but also in other countries. I believe now that they are not just students and participants in a study; they have also contributed to an academic field and they have made a lasting impression on me. I will never forget them. Finally, I would like to thank my family members, Mikio Suzuki, Teruyo Suzuki, Shigeru Suzuki, Maki Suzuki, and lifelong friends, Reiko Ikeo and Kiyomi Ueno. They believed in me and have been supportive and encouraged me to go forward. viii For my father, Mikio Suzuki, who has been a leading light of my study ix TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. vi DEDICATION................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................... xvi CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................1 The Background of the Issue ...................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem.......................................................................................10 Purposes of the Study.............................................................................................12 Significance of the Study.......................................................................................14 Audience for the Study ..........................................................................................15 Organization of
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