- Tamagawa University, Tokyo, JAPAN
- 81-42-739-8176
- EFL. CALL, JACET, Educational Technology, Learner Autonomy, Independent learning, ESP, and 61 moreStudent Access Centers, Material Development, Self Access Language Learning, Teacher Education, Education, Business, Social Sciences, Teaching English as a Second Language, EFL composition in Japan, ER In An ELF Program, EFL Blogging, Linguistics, Popular Culture, Creativity, Visual Arts, English language, Cognition, Japan, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English Education, Teacher Professional Identity, Japanese EFL, EFL Reading Comprehension, Extensive Reading, Mobile Learning, Online Reading Comprehension, Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), Computer Assisted Language Learning/Teaching, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, Blogging, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), Teaching EFL, English as a lingua franca (ELF), English As a Second Language (ESL), English as a Lingua Franca, Editing of Journals, Efl and Esol Teaching, Computer Assisted Language Learning, ESL/EFL Writing, Bilingual Education, Language, Scholarly Publishing, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, English EFL TEFL learning, Edtech, methodology of teaching EFL, Feedback (Education), Graded Readers, Modern Foreign Languages Teaching and Learning, English and Foreign Languages University, Teacher Attitudes, Iphones, Blackboard LMS, EFL teaching, English medium instruction, Blogs, Flipped Classroom, ICT in Education, John Fanselow, Extensive listening, and Peer observation of teachingedit
- G'day,I'm a TEFL teacher/researcher at Tamagawa University, Tokyo, Japan. I'm interested in L2 listening, extensive reading and ELT.edit
This classroom study evaluates the effectiveness of pre-teaching communication strategies before learners undertake an information-gap speaking task. A convenience sample of 67 first-year students taking mandatory English classes at a... more
This classroom study evaluates the effectiveness of pre-teaching communication strategies before learners undertake an information-gap speaking task. A convenience sample of 67 first-year students taking mandatory English classes at a private Japanese university was subject to one of two instructional approaches. The experimental group (n=37) undertook a pre-task communication strategy awareness activity coupled with a video modeling the ensuing information-gap task and communication strategies, while the control group (n=30) received no pre-task training. An analysis of speaking times, task worksheets and audio recordings of conversations indicated that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in task accuracy and communicative efficiency. In addition, a review of experimental group conversations indicated that most participants implemented the six targeted communicative strategies multiple times throughout the speaking task. Major implications for foreig...
Research Interests:
This quasi-experimental study traces a 12-week reading fluency training program for elementary-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners at a Japanese university (N = 56). More specifically, this study examined whether a teaching... more
This quasi-experimental study traces a 12-week reading fluency training program for elementary-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners at a Japanese university (N = 56). More specifically, this study examined whether a teaching intervention combining (a) extensive reading and practicing, (b) timed reading, and (c) repeated oral reading during class time promoted reading fluency. At the end of the intervention, silent reading rates while maintaining a ≥ 75 % comprehension threshold improved by 46 standard words per minute. Further, the learners who did more extensive reading (a) achieved greater reading rate gains and (b) significantly improved listening and reading scores in the TOEIC® test. This study's implications include the benefit of combining these measures for nurturing EFL learners' reading rates, the utility of oral re-reading in the classroom, and the overall contribution extensive reading has upon reading and listening skills.
Research Interests: Psychology, Extensive Reading, Reading Comprehension, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, Speed Reading, and 13 moreTeaching EFL, Principles & Methods of ELT, Extensive listening, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), EFL curriculum development, Reading Speed and Performance, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, Extensive Reading and Motivation, EFL Methodology, Reading in EFL, EFL Reading Comprehension, and Reading Process
This study follows the cases of six students identified as extensive reading outliers-learners who read significantly more than their peers at a Japanese university. Following an inquiry into good or successful language learners, the... more
This study follows the cases of six students identified as extensive reading outliers-learners who read significantly more than their peers at a Japanese university. Following an inquiry into good or successful language learners, the researcher was interested in what insights avid extensive readers could teach, and whether these insights could help develop classroom approaches. In this paper, the process by which ER was implemented in the EFL course for Japanese university students precedes a narrative detailing each student's story. The analysis revealed some similarities between each of the learners-(1) many were avid readers in their L1, (2) most established personal goals to help reach the class reading targets , and (3) passing the post-reading quizzes appeared to elevate the self-efficacy of the learners. There were, however, more differences than similarities, which led the researcher to advocate a range of strategies for encouraging more reluctant or less motivated EFL readers to read extensively.
Research Interests: Psychology, Mathematics Education, Extensive Reading, Teaching EFL, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and 6 moreExtensive reading and SLA, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, Extensive Reading Program, Extensive Reading and Motivation, and Intensive and Extensive Reading Strategy
2020 presented teacher/researchers in the field its own set of unique challenges. Conferences were cancelled, data collection was complex, and the shift to emergency remote teaching left very little time to focus on research activities.... more
2020 presented teacher/researchers in the field its own set of unique challenges. Conferences were cancelled, data collection was complex, and the shift to emergency remote teaching left very little time to focus on research activities. Despite these circumstances, faculty at The Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) managed to maintain its strong connections to the academic community in the shape of participation in online conferences, publishing research articles, and helping different academic societies to adapt to the 'new normal'. In this short report, we table the Center's broad list of academic achievements.
Research Interests:
M-reader is a free Internet site which helps educational institutions to manage extensive reading (ER). It enables teachers to verify that students have read and understood graded reader books. This is achieved by students taking online... more
M-reader is a free Internet site which helps educational institutions to manage extensive reading (ER). It enables teachers to verify that students have read and understood graded reader books. This is achieved by students taking online quizzes designed to test their understanding of a book’s plot and characters, rather than how well they remember the book. Teachers and students can easily track the number of books and the number of words read. M-reader, established with the help of research funds from Kyoto Sangyo University in Japan and the Japanese Ministry of Education, was first made available online in March 2013 and is now used by educational institutions in 26 countries. In numerous contexts, teachers would like to conduct additive ER (extensive reading done outside of class time). Additive ER can only be widely used if effective measures are taken to ensure student accountability without overloading teachers or taking too much class time. M-reader meets these conditions. It...
Research Interests: Sociology, Psychology, Mathematics Education, Extensive Reading, Teaching EFL, and 15 moreCALL, ELT, Extensive reading and SLA, ICT in EFL teaching, ELF, methodology of teaching EFL, Extensive Reading Program, Efl and Esol Teaching, Extensive Reading and Motivation, Extensive Reasding and reading motivation, EFL Reading Comprehension, ASIA TEFL, EFL Reading, English As a Lingua Franca ELF, and Reading Process
Extensive reading (ER) is regarded as an effective method by which English language learners can make substantial gains in reading fluency and overall language acquisition. For language teachers, however, the actual implementation of ER... more
Extensive reading (ER) is regarded as an effective method by which English language learners can make substantial gains in reading fluency and overall language acquisition. For language teachers, however, the actual implementation of ER in curricula has proved very challenging. Responding to three issues: establishing accountability, providing appropriate reading assistance, and ensuring students are reading large quantities of text, the authors will report on the implementation of two online ER management systems. The online reading support systems were utilized by two senior high-school classes as part of a university bridging program in the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) at Tamagawa University. One class (n=24) read paperback graded readers (GR) and completed online quizzes using M-Reader®, the second class (n=20) read e-books and completed post-reading quizzes using the Xreading® platform. Despite beginner-level English language skills, those students who read e-books were able to read significantly more and displayed a slightly more positive perception of extensive reading at the end of the course. This study aims to contribute to the discussion on how ER can be effectively incorporated into an English language program.
Research Interests:
This study traced the development of beginner-level (CEFR A1 and A2) Japanese university English learners' listening and reading skills (N=58). Improvements in listening and reading performance were compared among three groups of... more
This study traced the development of beginner-level (CEFR A1 and A2) Japanese university English learners' listening and reading skills (N=58). Improvements in listening and reading performance were compared among three groups of low proficiency EFL students: (1) learners who simultaneously read while listening to over 100,000 words from graded reader audiobooks (n=19), (2) learners who read over 100,000 words from digital graded readers (n=17), and (3) a control group who were not required to do any extensive reading (n=22). Changes in listening proficiency were evaluated by: (1) changes in TOEIC® listening test scores, and, (2), changes in listening vocabulary levels test (LVLT) results, while developments in reading proficiency were evaluated by: (1) changes in TOEIC® reading test scores. While the reading-while-listening group achieved significant gains across all measurements, and in comparison to the reading group, achieved better post-treatment results, the strong performance from the control group makes it difficult to conclude that extensive reading-while-listening is the most effectual approach for lower proficiency EFL learners.
Research Interests: Psychology, Extensive Reading, TEFL, Extensive listening, Extensive reading and SLA, and 10 moreActive Listening, TESL/TEFL, TEFL methodologies, Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), Extensive and consistent listening, Extensive Reading Program, Extensive Reading Research Methodology, Material and Method for Extensive Listening, Intensive and Extensive Reading Strategy, and Reading Process
The Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), an initiative of a private university in Tokyo, was founded with serious consideration given to the pedagogical implications of the widespread use of English as a lingua franca (ELF). Such... more
The Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), an initiative of a private university in Tokyo, was founded with serious consideration given to the pedagogical implications of the widespread use of English as a lingua franca (ELF). Such deliberation is not yet prevalent among academics and practitioners who should be most affected by ELF (Seidlhofer, 2011). Most ELF users have different first languages and do not usually interact with speakers of English as a first language, but rather with other ELF users. The transformation occurring in English as it is being used as a lingua franca need not be viewed as unusual but can be seen as part of the process of language evolution (Seidlhofer, 2011). In this paper we consider the implications of this process for teaching and learning in Japan, report on research in progress, and discuss how an ELF perspective may influence current pedagogical practices.
Research Interests: Political Science, Lingua Franca, English as a Lingua Franca, EFL coursebooks, Teaching EFL, and 13 moreEnglish as a Foreign Language (EFL), Professional development of ESL/EFL teachers, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, ELF, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, Pedagogical Practices, Efl and Esol Teaching, EFL Classrooms, English As a Second Language (ESL), ESL Curriculum Design, Teaching Culture In the EFL Classroom, and English As a Lingua Franca ELF
The world's situation has changed from facing COVID-19 pandemic to living with it. The Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) at Tamagawa University is one the usage of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) and try to enhance their... more
The world's situation has changed from facing COVID-19 pandemic to living with it. The Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) at Tamagawa University is one the usage of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) and try to enhance their students' ELF awareness. CELF Faculty Development (FD) provided various FD workshops, lectures, special seminars, and discussions to our teachers to promote diversity and inclusion and help enhance our teacher's professional development. This report will describe our faculty development activities and our faculty's research achievements.
Research Interests:
This article provides a practical example of how English teachers can use the of a prospective text, test, or worksheet. The paper begins with an introduction to the coverage comprehension model (McLean, 2021) and its implications for... more
This article provides a practical example of how English teachers can use the of a prospective text, test, or worksheet. The paper begins with an introduction to the coverage comprehension model (McLean, 2021) and its implications for selecting classroom materials. Importantly, this section discusses the recommended coverage benchmarks for different receptive modalities, or what percentage of words learners
Research Interests: TESOL, Corpus Linguistics, Corpus Linguistics & Language Pedagogy, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), TESL/TEFL, and 6 moreTEFL methodologies, Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), English EFL TEFL learning, English as a lingua franca (ELF), English As a Second Language (ESL), and Materials Writing - TEFL/TESL/ESP
This classroom study evaluates the effectiveness of pre-teaching communication strategies before learners undertake an information-gap speaking task. A convenience sample of 67 first-year stu- dents taking mandatory English classes at a... more
This classroom study evaluates the effectiveness of pre-teaching communication strategies before learners undertake an information-gap speaking task. A convenience sample of 67 first-year stu- dents taking mandatory English classes at a private Japanese university was subject to one of two instructional approaches. The experimental group (n=37) undertook a pre-task communica- tion strategy awareness activity coupled with a video modeling the ensuing information-gap task and communication strategies, while the control group (n=30) received no pre-task training. An analysis of speaking times, task worksheets and audio recordings of conversations indicated that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in task accuracy and communicative efficiency. In addition, a review of experimental group conversations indicated that most participants implemented the six targeted communicative strategies multiple times throughout the speaking task. Major implications for foreign language teachers include the value of pre-task modeling and communication strategies awareness-raising to help learners overcome disconnects in communicative tasks. Further, this study demonstrates the utility of information-gap speaking tasks for: (a) practicing communicative strategies; and (b) developing learners’ communi- cative competencies for real-world English as a lingua franca contexts.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
While extensive reading (ER) represents a very exciting approach for language learning, strong student agency needs to be exercised if the benefits of this approach are going to be realized. In particular, students need to exercise care... more
While extensive reading (ER) represents a very exciting approach for language learning, strong student agency needs to be exercised if the benefits of this approach are going to be realized. In particular, students need to exercise care when choosing level-appropriate texts and making decisions about when they can change levels. This presentation will promote the value in teachers helping students to choose level-appropriate graded readers and how it can be connected to their reading enjoyment. This will be followed by an introduction to digital and analogue tools for evaluating one’s reading level, and solutions for teachers ensuring that class groups are reading at appropriate levels.
Research Interests:
This chapter reports on a survey of 304 Japanese university students who completed a range of formative computer-assisted tests while studying in an English as a foreign language (EFL) class. We consider students’ attitudes toward the use... more
This chapter reports on a survey of 304 Japanese university students who completed a range of formative computer-assisted tests while studying in an English as a foreign language (EFL) class. We consider students’ attitudes toward the use of computer-assisted language testing (CALT) for formative assessment tasks and, more importantly, whether automated feedback influenced their behavior and learning. In short, we discovered that students overwhelmingly (77.7%) prefer CALT (opposed to paper-based testing or homework), and if available, students generally retake the tests for revision purposes. The authors hope that this chapter can promote a more effective implementation of CALT for formative assessment, as well as provide practical insights into how language learners are interpreting and acting upon automated feedback.
Research Interests: Psychology, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Formative Assessment, Language Testing, Computer Assisted Language Learning/Teaching, and 14 moreBlackboard LMS, ELT, Principles & Methods of ELT, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English Language Teaching (ELT), ICT in EFL teaching, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, Online assessment, Online testing, Efl and Esol Teaching, Tools for creating online tests, Teaching ESL/EFL, Testing Method for ESL Students, and Palgrave Macmillan
At the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), students interact with teachers and tutors who have different first languages and cultural backgrounds. The CELF goals are to raise student awareness of the use of language in such ELF... more
At the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), students interact with teachers and tutors who have different first languages and cultural backgrounds. The CELF goals are to raise student awareness of the use of language in such ELF contexts and to develop an ELF-oriented curriculum. ELF research has put forth a range of pedagogical implications. Suggestions by ELF researchers include exposing students to a “wide range of English” (Björkman, 2013, p. 191), and “promoting interactions among students themselves in the classroom” (Matsumoto, 2011, p. 110). Students should be encouraged with opportunities to engage in meaningful tasks which promote the use of such strategies as repetition, paraphrasing, clarification checks and “collaborative completion of utterances in their interactions as they negotiate meaning and co-construct understanding in English” (Kaur, 2014, p. 159). A research project incorporating these ELF insights has been developed and project-based learning (PBL) w...
Research Interests:
This teaching article introduces an extensive listening homework component designed around the website, ELLLO <elllo.org>, a listening training repository featuring non-native English speakers. Students were asked to self-select... more
This teaching article introduces an extensive listening homework component designed around the website, ELLLO <elllo.org>, a listening training repository featuring non-native English speakers. Students were asked to self-select listening texts from the ELLLO website and complete a short listening log entry for homework. In-class listening activities also featured ELLLO texts. Along with promoting this website for developing ELF students' listening skills, the authors hope this article will prompt teachers to consider introducing non-native speaker listening texts in their ELF classrooms to promote listening fluency and more effectively illustrate English use in international settings.
Research Interests: Psychology, English, Extensive Reading, Teaching EFL, Effective Listening, and 13 moreTeaching Listening, ELT, Extensive listening, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English Language Teaching (ELT), ICT in EFL teaching, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, Listening, ELF, methodology of teaching EFL, ELF Pedagogy, ELF-aware Teaching, and English As a Lingua Franca ELF
Despite calls for contemporary English teachers to have strong digital literacy skills, there is a reported lack of digital training in English teacher education programs (Hubbard, 2008; Kessler, 2006). However, in this environment where... more
Despite calls for contemporary English teachers to have strong digital literacy skills, there is a reported lack of digital training in English teacher education programs (Hubbard, 2008; Kessler, 2006). However, in this environment where higher-level digital skills and knowledge are criteria for prospective English teacher applicants, which digital literacies do contemporary EFL teachers possess? How confident are they using technology to augment their English lessons? How can the digital literacies of in-service EFL teachers be developed? This study aimed to survey the digital literacies of 42 English teachers employed at a private Japanese University. The questionnaire (adapted from Son, Robb & Charismiadji, 2011) considers ownership and accessibility to computers, ability to perform tasks electronically, personal and professional use of computers, CALL training, and interest in CALL. In short, this study found that teachers in this English program were very confident using digita...
Research Interests: Psychology, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Digital Literacy, Mobile Technology, ICT in Education, and 12 moreComputer Assisted Language Learning/Teaching, English as a Lingua Franca, Digital Media And New Literacies, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, TEFL, Digital Literacies, ICT in Teachers Education, TESL/TEFL, Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), Digital Media Learning, ICT In Teaching and Learning English Language, and Teaching English with Technology
Computer-assisted language testing (CALT) offers language teachers the opportunity to transform the work they do in the language classroom. Apart from saving teachers time to mark and manage the grading process, the immediate feedback... more
Computer-assisted language testing (CALT) offers language teachers the opportunity to transform the work they do in the language classroom. Apart from saving teachers time to mark and manage the grading process, the immediate feedback provided to students can have a powerful impact on their learning. In a review of Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) teachers’ use of the Blackboard content management system (CMS), however, Milliner & Cote (2016) identified that very few CELF teachers are making use of CALT. This article attempts to make a case for CALT and introduces two formats that teachers can adopt: (1) the Blackboard® CMS, and (2) Google Forms and Google Sheets with some helpful add-on applications.
Research Interests: Computer Assisted Language Learning, Language Testing, Computer Assisted Language Learning/Teaching, Computer Based Language Teaching, Blackboard LMS, and 11 moreMobile Assisted Language Learning, Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), Computer Assisted Instruction, Computer Based Learning, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), Volume, Online testing, Computer Assisted Language Learning and Testing, Computer Assisted Language Testing, Mobile Agent Assisted E-Learning, and Google Forms
In this report, the authors will describe the different faculty training and development initiatives aimed at promoting effective instruction in our ELF classes. This will be followed by a detailed report on the center’s research... more
In this report, the authors will describe the different faculty training and development initiatives aimed at promoting effective instruction in our ELF classes. This will be followed by a detailed report on the center’s research achievements in the 2017 academic year.
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) refers to the use of English as a contact language between people who have different first languages, including native English speakers (Jenkins, 2014). “ELF is simultaneously the consequence and the... more
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) refers to the use of English as a contact language between people who have different first languages, including native English speakers (Jenkins, 2014). “ELF is simultaneously the consequence and the principal language medium of globalizing processes” (Jenkins, Cogo, & Dewey, 2011, p. 303). In connection with Tamagawa University’s goals to enhance education from global perspectives, the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) at Tamagawa University piloted in 2012 and officially commenced in 2014. The CELF has continually promoted initiatives in raising ELF awareness, improving teaching practices, and researching language education. The objectives of this article are to (1) share CELF’s understanding of ELF; (2) report on student classroom-related activities and teacher professional development initiatives; (3) analyze student and teacher survey results; (4) present TOEIC results; and, (5) discuss future developments in the program.
Research Interests: Teaching English as a Second Language, English as a Lingua Franca, World Englishes, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, Teaching EFL, and 12 moreEnglish as an International Language, English language teaching, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Professional development of ESL/EFL teachers, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, ELF, methodology of teaching EFL, English Language Teaching, ELF Pedagogy, ELF Pedgogy, ELF-aware Teaching, and English As a Lingua Franca ELF
It has been suggested that second language (L2) listeners are the most under-researched group of language learners (for example, see Harding, Anderson & Brunfaut, 2015; Yeldham, 2017). This dilemma is further exacerbated by... more
It has been suggested that second language (L2) listeners are the most under-researched group of language learners (for example, see Harding, Anderson & Brunfaut, 2015; Yeldham, 2017). This dilemma is further exacerbated by test-orientated approaches taken by teachers which, by-and-large, are more interested in assessing learners’ level of comprehension (or lack of) rather than offering them specific instruction to develop their listening skills (Graham, Santos & Vanderplank, 2011; Siegel & Siegel, 2015). Recognizing these issues, and our limited skills to teach L2 listening effectively, we embarked on an action research project which began with giving listening greater prominence in our teaching. We have begun by developing original teaching materials to address bottom-up listening skills, which research has shown to be a more appropriate focus for developing lower-level learners’ listening skills (e.g., Siegel & Siegel, 2015). This paper shares three ELF-informed classroom activit...
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Psychology and IGI Global
Research Interests: Sociology, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Digital Literacy, Computer Assisted Language Learning/Teaching, Digital Media And New Literacies, and 11 moreDigital Literacies, Teaching EFL, Study Abroad, Mobile Assisted Language Learning, Study Abroad Programs, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Language Studies, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), English EFL TEFL learning, Curriculum and Pedagogy, and English As a Second Language (ESL)
Many tertiary institutions tout their implementation of e-learning technology as a way to lure prospective students, and promised implementation of e-learning strategies in college programs is crucial for securing valuable federal... more
Many tertiary institutions tout their implementation of e-learning technology as a way to lure prospective students, and promised implementation of e-learning strategies in college programs is crucial for securing valuable federal government grants. At the core of most e-learning strategies is the institution's course management system (CMS). A CMS facilitates efficient course management, increased learning outcomes, and greater student autonomy. However, getting faculty and staff to adopt the CMS has proved challenging (Black, Beck, Dawson, Jinks & DiPietro, 2007). Applying a modified technology acceptance model (TAM) (Alharbi & Drew, 2014), teachers in a university-level English language program were asked to share their opinions about the Blackboard® CMS. This study reports on faculty application of the Blackboard CMS, faculty perceptions of the Blackboard CMS according to a TAM analysis, and presents steps for augmenting the effective use of the CMS in all English courses.
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Research Interests: Engineering, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Management Learning, Technology Acceptance, English as a Lingua Franca, and 11 moreLearning Management Systems, Content Management Systems (CMS), Blended Learning, Blended learning in higher education, Blackboard LMS, Technology acceptance model(TAM), Course Management Systems, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), Blackboard and e-learning, E Learning, and English As a Lingua Franca ELF
Research Interests: Computer Science, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Extensive Reading, English as a Lingua Franca, Blended Learning, and 15 moreCALL, Extensive reading and SLA, ELF, English Reading for EFL Students, English EFL TEFL learning, Benefits of Extensive Reading, Extensive Reading Program, Efl and Esol Teaching, Extensive Reading and Motivation, Extensive Reasding and reading motivation, Graded Readers, EFL Reading Comprehension, EFL Reading, English As a Lingua Franca ELF, and Extensive Reading Online
Research Interests: Computer Assisted Language Learning, Teacher Education, Mobile Learning, Mobile Technology, Computer Assisted Language Learning/Teaching, and 15 moreMobile Language Learning, Mobile Computing, Teaching EFL, iPhone applications, CALL, Mobile apps, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), EFL teaching, iPhone apps development, Edtech, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, methodology of teaching EFL, Smartphone apps, and DiMLL
Smartphones, tablets, and today's touch screen laptops are powerful tools capable of serving hundreds of specialized, complex operations and applications to anyone, seemingly anywhere in the world. For second language learners and... more
Smartphones, tablets, and today's touch screen laptops are powerful tools capable of serving hundreds of specialized, complex operations and applications to anyone, seemingly anywhere in the world. For second language learners and those who teach them, these tools suddenly have the potential to recast the reading experience for 21st century students and invigorate Extensive Reading (ER) research. Exploration into digital ER exclusively through the medium of mobile devices is only an emerging area of study in the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) classroom. This study reports on the implementation of a 15 week (one semester) pilot test of Xreading® (www.xreading.com), an online Graded Reader (GR) library and learning management system (LMS) devoted specifically to the implementation and operation of extensive reading at a private university in Tokyo, Japan. Participants in this study have access to a vast virtual library of graded readers and are being instructed to read outside o...
Research Interests:
Online questionnaire technology can be used for various pedagogical purposes, as well as the core task of creating a research questionnaire. In this article, two teachers and writers for Digital Mobile Language Learning... more
Online questionnaire technology can be used for various pedagogical purposes, as well as the core task of creating a research questionnaire. In this article, two teachers and writers for Digital Mobile Language Learning <http://digitalmobilelanguagelearning.org> analyze Google Forms <http://google.com/forms/about/> and SurveyMonkey <http://surveymonkey.com> to examine ways these two services can be utilized by language teachers in both language teaching and conducting empirical research.
Research Interests: Computer Assisted Language Learning, Mobile Technology, TESOL, Computer Supported Collaborative Learning CSCL, Survey Research, and 15 moreBlended Learning, Teaching EFL, Google, CALL, Language Testing and Assessment, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), ICT in EFL teaching, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), Online Surveys, Questionnaires, Online Quizzes, ESL/EFL Writing, The Language Teacher, E Learning, and English As a Lingua Franca ELF
Mobile devices have sweeping repercussions in education and suggest shifting content-engagement paradigms. Extensive reading (ER) is not unaffected by the many evolving aspects of mobile technology in second language classrooms. This... more
Mobile devices have sweeping repercussions in education and suggest shifting content-engagement paradigms. Extensive reading (ER) is not unaffected by the many evolving aspects of mobile technology in second language classrooms. This paper reflects on Xreading®, an online graded reader (GR) and learning management system (LMS) designed for digital ER. Students at a private university in Tokyo had access to this online library using mobile devices. While overall reflections were positive, actual engagement with GR's and the software, was significantly lower for a surprising number of participants. Focusing on those reluctant readers (RRs) this study investigates the basis for disengagement, both with ER and perhaps with mobile technology. Using a post-pilot questionnaire and focus group discussion, the authors attempted to understand reasons behind the disconnect. Key findings for why students neglected this system included: insufficient software training, misconceptions about re...
Research Interests:
Smartphones, and their potential applications for mobile assisted language learning (MALL), signal a shift in classroom paradigms. Given the ubiquity of smartphones and the increasing availability of digitized text, the reading experience... more
Smartphones, and their potential applications for mobile assisted language learning (MALL), signal a shift in classroom paradigms. Given the ubiquity of smartphones and the increasing availability of digitized text, the reading experience for second language learners is one domain susceptible to change and new opportunities. Research into extensive reading (ER) through the medium of mobile devices is only an emerging area of study in the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) classroom. This paper will report on the initial stages of an ongoing pilot test of X-Reading® ( ), a new learning management system (LMS) devoted specifically to extensive reading at a private university in Tokyo, Japan. Participants in this study have access to a virtual library of graded readers and are being explicitly asked to read on their mobile devices. This paper reports on pre-pilot questionnaire data and it compares students'word-per-minute and reading comprehension tests scores for reading on their pe...
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, English as a Lingua Franca, CALL, Online Reading Comprehension, Online Reading, and 15 moreONLINE READING AND WRITING, Extensive reading and SLA, ICT in EFL teaching, ELF, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, ESL Reading and Writing, Extensive Reading Program, Extensive Reading and Motivation, Intensive and Extensive Reading Strategy, Graded Readers, EFL Reading Comprehension, EFL Reading, English As a Lingua Franca ELF, and Extensive Reading Online
Vocabulary Levels Tests (VLTs) represent one of the most practical test instruments for any language teacher’s toolbox. VLT results can inform a teacher’s selection of classroom materials, help track vocabulary growth, and identify gaps... more
Vocabulary Levels Tests (VLTs) represent one of the most practical test instruments for any language teacher’s toolbox. VLT results can inform a teacher’s selection of classroom materials, help track vocabulary growth, and identify gaps in high-frequency vocabulary knowledge. At the program level, VLTs can be used for class placement and program evaluation. For classroom research, VLTs can help researchers to group participants in terms of lexical knowledge. This article will introduce Voca- bLevelTest.org: a reliable, customizable, and free VLT system which teachers can use to create self-marking VLTs in less than five minutes.
Research Interests: Teaching EFL, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Professional development of ESL/EFL teachers, ICT in EFL teaching, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, and 6 moreTHE USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) IN THE EFL CLASSROOM, English EFL TEFL learning, ESL/EFL Writing, EFL Methodology, EFL/ESL/TESOL, and Teaching ESL/EFL
This quasi-experimental study traces a 12-week reading fluency training program for elementary-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners at a Japanese university (N = 56). More specifically, this study examined whether a teaching... more
This quasi-experimental study traces a 12-week reading fluency training program for elementary-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners at a Japanese university (N = 56). More specifically, this study examined whether a teaching intervention combining (a) extensive reading and practicing, (b) timed reading, and (c) repeated oral reading during class time promoted reading fluency. At the end of the intervention, silent reading rates while maintaining a ≥ 75 % comprehension threshold improved by 46 standard words per minute. Further, the learners who did more extensive reading (a) achieved greater reading rate gains and (b) significantly improved listening and reading scores in the TOEIC® test. This study's implications include the benefit of combining these measures for nurturing EFL learners' reading rates, the utility of oral re-reading in the classroom, and the overall contribution extensive reading has upon reading and listening skills.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, Speed Reading, Teaching EFL, Principles & Methods of ELT, and 11 moreExtensive listening, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), EFL curriculum development, Reading Speed and Performance, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, Extensive Reading and Motivation, EFL Methodology, Reading in EFL, Teaching ESL/EFL, and EFL Reading Comprehension
Focusing on the teaching of listening strategies to second language (L2) learners, this study sought to revisit Renandya and Farrell’s (2011) claims that explicit listening strategy instruction for lower- proficiency learners of English... more
Focusing on the teaching of listening strategies to second language (L2) learners, this study sought to revisit Renandya and Farrell’s (2011) claims that explicit listening strategy instruction for lower- proficiency learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) is a fruitless endeavor. As such, we implemented a quasi-experimental study to measure the effectiveness of a metacognitive intervention for a convenience sample of lower-proficiency (CEFR A2) Japanese university EFL learners (n ! 129). The training program focused on an explicit process-based approach, involving integrated experiential learning tasks and guided reflections, to develop learners’ L2 listening skills. Data collection consisted of TOEIC® test scores, listening comprehension tests, cloze tests, a listening self-efficacy questionnaire, and a post-treatment survey. While the training program was received favorably by students, and students displayed a slightly more confident stance towards listening in their L2, we were unable to find any strong empirical evidence that our lower-proficiency EFL learners’ listening performance improved. As such, these results provide evidence of a potential proficiency threshold for EFL learners to start to benefit from a strategy-focused metacognitive intervention.
Research Interests: Teaching EFL, Teaching Listening, Metacognitive Strategies in Listening, Extensive listening, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and 7 moreListening Comprehension, ELF, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, Material and Method for Extensive Listening, EFL Listening, and Interactive Listening Strategies
2020 presented teacher/researchers in the field its own set of unique challenges. Conferences were cancelled, data collection was complex, and the shift to emergency remote teaching left very little time to focus on research activities.... more
2020 presented teacher/researchers in the field its own set of unique challenges. Conferences were cancelled, data collection was complex, and the shift to emergency remote teaching left very little time to focus on research activities. Despite these circumstances, faculty at The Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) managed to maintain its strong connections to the academic community in the shape of participation in online conferences, publishing research articles, and helping different academic societies to adapt to the 'new normal'. In this short report, we table the Center's broad list of academic achievements.
Research Interests:
This study follows the cases of six students identified as extensive reading outliers-learners who read significantly more than their peers at a Japanese university. Following an inquiry into good or successful language learners, the... more
This study follows the cases of six students identified as extensive reading outliers-learners who read significantly more than their peers at a Japanese university. Following an inquiry into good or successful language learners, the researcher was interested in what insights avid extensive readers could teach, and whether these insights could help develop classroom approaches. In this paper, the process by which ER was implemented in the EFL course for Japanese university students precedes a narrative detailing each student's story. The analysis revealed some similarities between each of the learners-(1) many were avid readers in their L1, (2) most established personal goals to help reach the class reading targets , and (3) passing the post-reading quizzes appeared to elevate the self-efficacy of the learners. There were, however, more differences than similarities, which led the researcher to advocate a range of strategies for encouraging more reluctant or less motivated EFL readers to read extensively.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, Teaching EFL, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Extensive reading and SLA, methodology of teaching EFL, and 6 moreExtensive Reading, Second Language Acquisition, English EFL TEFL learning, Extensive Reading Program, Extensive Reading and Motivation, Intensive and Extensive Reading Strategy, and Teaching ESL/EFL
In this article, I will question some of the arguments McQuillan (2019) put forward in his critique of my article (Milliner, 2017) titled, “One Year of Extensive Reading on Smartphones: A Report”. My response criticizes some of the... more
In this article, I will question some of the arguments McQuillan (2019) put forward in his critique of my article (Milliner, 2017) titled, “One Year of Extensive Reading on Smartphones: A Report”. My response criticizes some of the evidence presented by McQuillan to support his claims. I contend that my application of extensive reading or ER (Milliner, 2017), and McQuillan's (2019) “pleasure reading” diverge on some points. While both approaches seek to encourage second language (L2) learners to read a substantial number of self-selected L2 texts and promote a love for reading in the L2, they deviate on how these goals can be achieved. I detail how ER (pleasure reading) ought to be implemented in foreign language classrooms.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, Teaching EFL, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Extensive reading and SLA, Extensive Reading, Second Language Acquisition, and 6 moreExtensive Reading Program, Extensive Reading and Motivation, Extensive Reading Research Methodology, Intensive and Extensive Reading Strategy, Extensive reading, comprehensible input, and Extensive Reading Teaching
Even though it is recognized as the macro-language skill most strongly correlated with the rapid development of foreign language skills, listening is reported to be the most under-researched and the most neglected by foreign language... more
Even though it is recognized as the macro-language skill most strongly correlated with the rapid development of foreign language skills, listening is reported to be the most under-researched and the most neglected by foreign language teachers. Motivated by our will to improve as L2 listening teachers, we embarked on an action research project aiming to develop a series of listening training approaches based on contemporary listening research. Focusing on a combination of metacognitive, top-down and bottom-up strategies, twelve English as a lingua franca-informed listening training activities were implemented at a private Japanese university. This paper provides a review of the listening training program for 147 Japanese students. It considers pre and post-program listening assessment, student perceptions of their self-efficacy as L2 listeners, teachers" observations and student reactions to the explicit training program. While the program was received favorably by students, as indicated by their positive stance towards listening and communicating in English at the end of the treatment, no improvement in listening test scores was observed.
Research Interests: Teaching EFL, ELT, Principles & Methods of ELT, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Elt Methodology, and 7 moreApplied Linguistics , ELT, EFL, English Language Teaching (ELT), Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, ELF, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, and English as a lingua franca (ELF)
A study abroad experience represents a wonderful opportunity for foreign language learners to elevate their language proficiency and deepen intercultural understanding. In addition to the development of language skills, an important... more
A study abroad experience represents a wonderful opportunity for foreign language learners to elevate their language proficiency and deepen intercultural understanding. In addition to the development of language skills, an important consideration for directors of contemporary pre-embarkation programs is the strengthening of students' digital literacies so that they can effectively function in the foreign academic and social contexts. Considering the poor digital literacies reported among Japanese university freshmen, the researchers of this study questioned whether inferior digital literacies restricted their students' one-year study abroad experience in Australia. If so, did it restrict access to or engagement with academic and social communities while studying abroad? Considering data received via surveys and focus group discussions with returnees, this report focuses on a review of students' technology use and digital literacies integration while studying abroad in Australia. Important results include: digital literacies prior to embarkation are inadequate; computers were more frequently used in the study abroad context (Australian universities) compared to the Japanese university; and, minimal consideration is dedicated to developing digital literacies prior to the study abroad program.
Research Interests:
Faculty development (FD) plays an integral role in the development of the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) program at Tamagawa University. The Center has a hiring policy that is not based on the native English speaking norm.... more
Faculty development (FD) plays an integral role in the development of the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) program at Tamagawa University. The Center has a hiring policy that is not based on the native English speaking norm. As a result, the Center has welcomed a diverse mix of teachers from different cultural and language backgrounds (e.g., Bulgaria, Brazil, Finland, Macedonia, Ukraine, Thailand, The Philippines) who bring rich authentic ELF resources and enhance the first-hand ELF-communication experience for our students. In this report, we describe the different faculty training and development initiatives aimed at promoting effective instruction in our ELF classes. This will be followed by a detailed report on the center's research achievements in the 2018 academic year.
Research Interests:
It has been suggested that second language (L2) listeners are the most under-researched group of language learners (for example, see Harding, Anderson & Brunfaut, 2015; Yeldham, 2017). This dilemma is further exacerbated by... more
It has been suggested that second language (L2) listeners are the most under-researched group of language learners (for example, see Harding, Anderson & Brunfaut, 2015; Yeldham, 2017). This dilemma is further exacerbated by test-orientated approaches taken by teachers which, by-and-large, are more interested in assessing learners' level of comprehension (or lack of) rather than offering them specific instruction to develop their listening skills (Graham, Santos & Vanderplank, 2011; Siegel & Siegel, 2015). Recognizing these issues, and our limited skills to teach L2 listening effectively, we embarked on an action research project which began with giving listening greater prominence in our teaching. We have begun by developing original teaching materials to address bottom-up listening skills, which research has shown to be a more appropriate focus for developing lower-level learners' listening skills (e.g., Siegel & Siegel, 2015). This paper shares three ELF-informed classroom activities that have been positively received in our ELF classes.
Research Interests: Teaching EFL, Teaching Listening, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Listening, ELF, and 8 moremethodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, English as a lingua franca (ELF), Listening and Speaking of English Language Learners (teaching and assessment), Listening Strategies, ELF Pedagogy, Teaching Listening Skills, and ELF-aware Teaching
Despite calls for contemporary English teachers to have strong digital literacy skills, there is a reported lack of digital training in English teacher education programs (Hubbard, 2008; Kessler, 2006). However, in this environment where... more
Despite calls for contemporary English teachers to have strong digital literacy skills, there is a reported lack of digital training in English teacher education programs (Hubbard, 2008; Kessler, 2006). However, in this environment where higher-level digital skills and knowledge are criteria for prospective English teacher applicants, which digital literacies do contemporary EFL teachers possess? How confident are they using technology to augment their English lessons? How can the digital literacies of in-service EFL teachers be developed? This study aimed to survey the digital literacies of 42 English teachers employed at a private Japanese University. The questionnaire (adapted from Son, Robb & Charismiadji, 2011) considers ownership and accessibility to computers, ability to perform tasks electronically, personal and professional use of computers, CALL training, and interest in CALL. In short, this study found that teachers in this English program were very confident using digital technology to support their teaching both inside and outside their classrooms. In addition, respondents recognised the importance of developing their digital literacies and they were actively pursuing advanced skills.
Research Interests:
This study traced the development of beginner-level (CEFR A1 and A2) Japanese university English learners' listening and reading skills (N=58). Improvements in listening and reading performance were compared among three groups of low... more
This study traced the development of beginner-level (CEFR A1 and A2) Japanese university English learners' listening and reading skills (N=58). Improvements in listening and reading performance were compared among three groups of low proficiency EFL students: (1) learners who simultaneously read while listening to over 100,000 words from graded reader audiobooks (n=19), (2) learners who read over 100,000 words from digital graded readers (n=17), and (3) a control group who were not required to do any extensive reading (n=22). Changes in listening proficiency were evaluated by: (1) changes in TOEIC® listening test scores, and, (2), changes in listening vocabulary levels test (LVLT) results, while developments in reading proficiency were evaluated by: (1) changes in TOEIC® reading test scores. While the reading-while-listening group achieved significant gains across all measurements, and in comparison to the reading group, achieved better post-treatment results, the strong performance from the control group makes it difficult to conclude that extensive reading-while-listening is the most effectual approach for lower proficiency EFL learners.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, TEFL, Extensive listening, Extensive reading and SLA, TESL/TEFL, and 8 moreExtensive Reading, Second Language Acquisition, TEFL methodologies, Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), Extensive and consistent listening, Extensive Reading Program, Extensive Reading Research Methodology, Material and Method for Extensive Listening, and Intensive and Extensive Reading Strategy
This teaching article introduces an extensive listening homework component designed around the website, ELLLO <elllo.org>, a listening training repository featuring non-native English speakers. Students were asked to self-select listening... more
This teaching article introduces an extensive listening homework component designed around the website, ELLLO <elllo.org>, a listening training repository featuring non-native English speakers. Students were asked to self-select listening texts from the ELLLO website and complete a short listening log entry for homework. In-class listening activities also featured ELLLO texts. Along with promoting this website for developing ELF students' listening skills, the authors hope this article will prompt teachers to consider introducing non-native speaker listening texts in their ELF classrooms to promote listening fluency and more effectively illustrate English use in international settings.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, Teaching EFL, Effective Listening, Teaching Listening, ELT, and 9 moreEnglish as a Foreign Language (EFL), English Language Teaching (ELT), ICT in EFL teaching, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, ELF, methodology of teaching EFL, English as a lingua franca (ELF), ELF Pedagogy, and ELF-aware Teaching
In this report, the authors will describe the different faculty training and development initiatives aimed at promoting effective instruction in our ELF classes. This will be followed by a detailed report on the center's research... more
In this report, the authors will describe the different faculty training and development initiatives aimed at promoting effective instruction in our ELF classes. This will be followed by a detailed report on the center's research achievements in the 2017 academic year.
Research Interests: Teacher Education, Faculty Development, Teacher Training, Teaching EFL, ELT, and 8 moreEnglish as a Foreign Language (EFL), Professional development of ESL/EFL teachers, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, ELF, English as a lingua franca (ELF), English As a Second Language (ESL), ELF Pedagogy, and Teaching Culture In the EFL Classroom
Central to most e-learning strategies is the course management system (CMS). While a CMS has the potential to facilitate better course management, enhance learning, and encourage student autonomy, reports indicate that faculty are slow to... more
Central to most e-learning strategies is the course management system (CMS). While a CMS has the potential to facilitate better course management, enhance learning, and encourage student autonomy, reports indicate that faculty are slow to adopt a CMS, and yet others claim most faculty are not using a CMS to its potential. This chapter considers teachers in a university English program who were surveyed about their perceptions of the Blackboard CMS using the technology acceptance model (TAM) and data from usage logs were analyzed to appraise actual CMS application. While the teachers had an overwhelmingly positive view of the CMS, their utilization of Blackboard was limited or unsophisticated. As e-learning coordinators in the English program, the authors are interested in increasing CMS adoption and developing a robust e-learning component in the curriculum.
Research Interests: Computer Assisted Language Learning, Computer Assisted Language Learning/Teaching, Learning Management Systems, Content Management Systems (CMS), Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), and 3 moreTEFL- CALL- MCALL-BILINGUALISM -PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPEMENT, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL)
Even though part-time teachers form the foundation of many university-level language programs in Japan, they receive very little support from their institution and full-time colleagues. Such working conditions can leave teachers feeling... more
Even though part-time teachers form the foundation of many university-level language programs in Japan, they receive very little support from their institution and full-time colleagues. Such working conditions can leave teachers feeling isolated or demotivated, and it can have an adverse impact upon the classes they teach. Aiming to encourage greater support for part-time teachers, this paper presents five steps that full-time faculty can take to support their part-time colleagues.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
While extensive reading (ER) represents a very exciting approach for language learning, strong student agency needs to be exercised if the benefits of this approach are going to be realized. In particular, students need to exercise care... more
While extensive reading (ER) represents a very exciting approach for language learning, strong student agency needs to be exercised if the benefits of this approach are going to be realized. In particular, students need to exercise care when choosing level-appropriate texts and making decisions about when they can change levels. This presentation will promote the value in teachers helping students to choose level-appropriate graded readers and how it can be connected to their reading enjoyment. This will be followed by an introduction to digital and analogue tools for evaluating one’s reading level, and solutions for teachers ensuring that class groups are reading at appropriate levels.
Research Interests:
Study abroad programs provide an excellent opportunity for students to accelerate their language learning and acquire cultural capital (Byram & Feng, 2006). Research into returnees from a variety of study abroad programs, however, has... more
Study abroad programs provide an excellent opportunity for students to accelerate their language learning and acquire cultural capital (Byram & Feng, 2006). Research into returnees from a variety of study abroad programs, however, has revealed that this is not always the case. To promote a more positive academic and culturally-inclusive study abroad experience, one recommendation is for language teachers to focus on students’ digital literacy (Kinginger, 2011). Given the reported poor levels of digital literacy among freshman Japanese students (see Lockley 2011; Murray & Blyth, 2011), the researchers in this current study were attempting to determine if this wider trend also applied to students at their private university in Tokyo. The presenters surveyed 112 first-year tourism and hospitality majors preparing for a year-long study abroad program. The survey considered accessibility to, ownership of, and proficiency manipulating personal computers and mobile devices for personal and professional use. Along with survey results, the presenters will identify the core skills that they are aiming to develop when preparing students for a year-long study abroad program and describe some of the tasks they have adopted to serve this purpose. The information presented in this talk will be of interest to ESP curriculum designers, faculty affiliated with study abroad programs and teachers inspired to include CALL activities in their classroom.
Research Interests:
Many language teachers are interested in computer technology to facilitate language learning and help learners engage with the new literacies and the intercultural opportunities being presented in the digital age (Corbel & Gruba, 2004).... more
Many language teachers are interested in computer technology to facilitate language learning and help learners engage with the new literacies and the intercultural opportunities being presented in the digital age (Corbel & Gruba, 2004). There have also been calls made for language teachers to be competent working within online environments and possessing strong digital literacy (e.g., Hubbard & Levy, 2006; Hubbard, 2008: Son, Robb & Charismiadji, 2011; Stockwell, 2009). However, in the presence of such pushes for increased skills, what digital literacy levels do contemporary foreign language teachers possess? How confident are they at implementing CALL? With an overarching goal to learn how to more effectively train language teachers for using CALL tools and developing the language teaching curriculum, the authors of this study surveyed 50 faculty members employed to teach English at their private Japanese university. The questionnaire (adopted from an earlier study by Son, Robb, & Charismiadji, 2011) contained questions relating to the teachers’ ownership and accessibility of computers, their level of ability to perform tasks electronically, their personal and professional use of computers, CALL training experiences, and interest in CALL. The findings of this study provide a contemporary picture of language teachers’ computer literacy and their attitudes towards CALL. The presenters will also introduce steps that they have taken to provide training and support for teachers. This information should be of interest to foreign language program leaders, CALL trainers and foreign language teachers.
Research Interests: Educational Technology, Distance Education, ICT in Education, TEFL, CALL, and 8 moreTEFL- CALL- MCALL-BILINGUALISM -PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPEMENT, Teacher Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Second/Foreign Languages (TESOL), ELF, TESL/TEFL, ICT in teaching and learning English language, Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), English as a lingua franca (ELF), and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
Research Interests:
Extensive reading (ER) is regarded as an effective method by which English language learners can make substantial gains in reading fluency and overall language acquisition. For language teachers, however, actual implementation of ER into... more
Extensive reading (ER) is regarded as an effective method by which English language learners can make substantial gains in reading fluency and overall language acquisition. For language teachers, however, actual implementation of ER into curricula has proved daunting. In response to three ER management issues: establishing accountability, providing appropriate assistance, and ensuring students are reading large quantities of text, the authors will report on the implementation of two online ER management systems designed to overcome these hurdles - Xreading® and M-Reader. These online reading support systems were utilized by two senior high-school classes studying in a university bridging program. One class (n=24) read paperback graded readers (GR) but completed online quizzes provided by M-Reader®; the second class (n=20), using the Xreading® platform entirely, read e-books on their smartphones or personal computers and completed online post-reading quizzes. Despite beginner-level English language skills, those students who read e-books were able to read significantly more and displayed a slightly more positive perception of extensive reading at the end of the course. Participants in this presentation will consider how technology can be used more effectively to manage an extensive reading component in an English language course.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, ESP, EFL. CALL, Teaching EFL, Teaching EFL to Young Learners, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and 21 moreExtensive reading and SLA, Professional development of ESL/EFL teachers, ICT in EFL teaching, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, C.A.L.L. and Extensive Reading, methodology of teaching EFL, Extensive Reading, Second Language Acquisition, English EFL TEFL learning, Benefits of Extensive Reading, Extensive Reading Program, Efl and Esol Teaching, Extensive Reading and Motivation, EFL Classrooms, Extensive Reading Research Methodology, Reading in EFL, Intensive and Extensive Reading Strategy, EFL Reading Comprehension, Extensive reading Libraries, adult education, Extensive Reading Online, Extensive Reading Teaching, and EXTENSIVE READING AND WRITING
Many tertiary institutions tout their utilization of technology or e-learning as a way to lure prospective students, and in some countries, committing to the implementation of technology in college programs is crucial for securing... more
Many tertiary institutions tout their utilization of technology or e-learning as a way to lure prospective students, and in some countries, committing to the implementation of technology in college programs is crucial for securing valuable federal government grants. At the core of most e-learning strategies is the institution’s learning management system (LMS). An LMS platform has the potential to enhance a language course by facilitating engagement with content outside of class, providing students with opportunities to express ideas, promoting student confidence during virtual interactions, fostering deeper connections between teachers and peers, and creating more personalized learning activities (Dang & Robertson, 2010). However, getting faculty and staff to use an LMS proves to be challenging (Black, Beck, Dawson, Jinks & DiPietro, 2007). This study focuses on the application of an established LMS at a private university in Tokyo, Japan. The presenters will reflect on results from their application of a modified technology acceptance model (TAM) analysis (Alharbi & Drew, 2014) and focus group study. Specifically, the authors will consider how they can encourage teachers in a campus-wide language program to adopt the LMS and how to effectively train the teachers to implement the LMS tools successfully. Participants can learn how to apply the TAM model to gauge teacher perceptions of technology and consider how they can augment the application of e-learning strategies in their own teaching contexts.
Research Interests:
Today’s smartphones are powerful, mobile computing devices capable of performing hundreds of specialized, complex applications to anyone, seemingly anywhere in the world. Mobile computing technology is driving the evolution of many... more
Today’s smartphones are powerful, mobile computing devices capable of performing hundreds of specialized, complex applications to anyone, seemingly anywhere in the world. Mobile computing technology is driving the evolution of many aspects of our academic lives, and for language learners, the process of extensive reading (ER) is one practice being refashioned by smartphone technology. This presentation introduces Xreading® (<www.xreading.com>), an online graded reader (GR) library and learning management system (LMS) devoted specifically to the digital implementation and management of extensive reading. In this one year study at a private university in Tokyo, Japan, students used a smartphone, tablet or PC to access a vast online library of GR’s. For the faculty who teach them, Xreading provides a dynamic, ER management system designed to provide a broad range of feedback data on students’ reading progress and history. Presenters will report on student engagement with this platform over the duration of one academic year in regards to changes in reading speeds, volume of reading, and correlations between these results and TOEIC® IP test scores. Results from post-pilot questionnaire data and a focus group discussion will illustrate student perceptions of this new approach to ER. This presentation will be of interest to those involved in mobile assisted language learning (MALL) as well as teachers and administrators who recognize the benefits of ER and who, for various reasons, have struggled to implement extensive reading into their curriculum.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, ESP, EFL. CALL, Teaching EFL, CALL, Literature in ESL/EFL Classroom, and 8 moreExtensive listening, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), ICT in EFL teaching, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, Efl and Esol Teaching, and EFL Reading Comprehension
Extensive reading (ER) is regarded as an effective method by which English language learners can make substantial gains in reading fluency and overall language acquisition. For language teachers, however, implementing ER in curricula has... more
Extensive reading (ER) is regarded as an effective method by which English language learners can make substantial gains in reading fluency and overall language acquisition. For language teachers, however, implementing ER in curricula has proved very formidable. Responding to three challenging issues: establishing accountability, providing appropriate reading assistance, and ensuring students are reading large quantities of text, the presenter will report on the implementation of mobile-based extensive reading component.
Xreading (<www.xreading.com>) is an online graded-reader library and learning management system devoted specifically to the implementation and management of extensive reading. During a 15 week pilot test at a private Japanese university, four classes (n=70) read e-books and completed post-reading quizzes using the Xreading platform. Participants in this study had access to a vast virtual library of graded readers and were instructed to read outside of class using their preferred mobile device. The speaker will report on student engagement with this platform in regards to changes in reading speeds, volume of reading, and correlations between these numbers and TOEIC® IP test scores. Moreover, an account of student attitudes and perceptions of reading digitally will be shared. The presentation will close with with a list of considerations for teachers and administrators who recognize the benefits of ER and who, for various reasons, envisage implementing extensive reading into their classroom syllabus or program curriculum.
Xreading (<www.xreading.com>) is an online graded-reader library and learning management system devoted specifically to the implementation and management of extensive reading. During a 15 week pilot test at a private Japanese university, four classes (n=70) read e-books and completed post-reading quizzes using the Xreading platform. Participants in this study had access to a vast virtual library of graded readers and were instructed to read outside of class using their preferred mobile device. The speaker will report on student engagement with this platform in regards to changes in reading speeds, volume of reading, and correlations between these numbers and TOEIC® IP test scores. Moreover, an account of student attitudes and perceptions of reading digitally will be shared. The presentation will close with with a list of considerations for teachers and administrators who recognize the benefits of ER and who, for various reasons, envisage implementing extensive reading into their classroom syllabus or program curriculum.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, ESP, EFL. CALL, Teaching EFL, CALL, Extensive listening, and 8 moreEnglish as a Foreign Language (EFL), ICT in EFL teaching, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, Efl Reading in Japan, Reading in EFL, EFL Reading Comprehension, and EFL Reading
Today’s smartphones are powerful, mobile computing devices capable of performing hundreds of specialized, complex applications to anyone, seemingly anywhere in the world. Mobile computing technology is driving the evolution of many... more
Today’s smartphones are powerful, mobile computing devices capable of performing hundreds of specialized, complex applications to anyone, seemingly anywhere in the world. Mobile computing technology is driving the evolution of many aspects of our academic lives, and for language learners, the process of extensive reading (ER) is one practice being refashioned by smartphone technology. This presentation introduces Xreading® (<www.xreading.com>), an online graded reader (GR) library and learning management system (LMS) devoted specifically to the digital implementation and management of extensive reading. In this one year pilot study at a private university in Tokyo, Japan, students can use a smartphone, tablet or PC to access a vast online library of GR’s. For the faculty who teach them, Xreading provides a dynamic, ER management system designed to provide a broad range of feedback data on students’ reading progress and history. The authors of this study will demonstrate the ER experience on the different platforms and guide the audience through the various management and evaluative tools teachers can exploit to monitor and supervise their students’ ER progress. The presenters will conclude with a summary of some of the key findings and observations.
Research Interests: Computer Assisted Language Learning, Extensive Reading, English as a Lingua Franca, Teaching EFL, Smartphones, and 11 moreEnglish as a Foreign Language (EFL), Learning with digital technologies; augmented and virtual reality in museums; ubiquitous mobile technologies and learning in the museum, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), Reading and Literacy in second language learners, Mobile Devices, Extensive Reading, Second Language Acquisition, Iphones, Tablets, Mobile Devices in Education, The Use of Tablets in Education, and Smartphones and Education
Many tertiary institutions tout their implementation of e-learning technology as a way to lure prospective students, and promised implementation of e-learning strategies in college programs is crucial for securing valuable federal... more
Many tertiary institutions tout their implementation of e-learning technology as a way to lure prospective students, and promised implementation of e-learning strategies in college programs is crucial for securing valuable federal government grants. At the core of most e-learning strategies is the institution’s course management system (CMS). A CMS facilitates efficient course management, increased learning outcomes, and greater student autonomy. However, getting faculty and staff to adopt the CMS has proved challenging (Black, Beck, Dawson, Jinks & DiPietro, 2007). This project is considering how e-learning administrators at a private university in Tokyo can both encourage their faculty to utilize their CMS and provide sufficient training in how to apply the CMS tools in their language courses. Applying a modified technology acceptance model (TAM) (Alharbi & Drew, 2014), teachers in an English as a lingua franca program were asked to share their opinions about the Blackboard® CMS. The presenters will reflect on the teachers' beliefs about the CMS' ease of use, perceived usefulness and attitudes toward usage. Participants in this presentation will learn how to apply the TAM model to gauge teacher perceptions of CMSs and consider strategies for augmenting and increasing the application of this ICT tool in their teaching contexts.
Research Interests: Management Learning, Technology Acceptance, English as a Lingua Franca, E Learning Management System, Online Learning, and 13 moreLearning Management Systems, Content Management Systems (CMS), Instructional Design for Online Learning, LMS, Blackboard LMS, Technology acceptance model(TAM), Course Management Systems, Learning Management System, LMS and E-Learning, Blackboard and e-learning, Technology Acceptance Model, LMS design and delivery, and Course Management System
M-reader is a free Internet site which helps educational institutions to manage extensive reading (ER). It enables teachers to verify that students have read and understood graded reader books. This is achieved by students taking online... more
M-reader is a free Internet site which helps educational institutions to manage extensive reading (ER). It enables teachers to verify that students have read and understood graded reader books. This is achieved by students taking online quizzes designed to test their understanding of a book’s plot and characters, rather than how well they remember the book. Teachers and students can easily track the number of books and the number of words read. M-reader, established with the help of research funds from Kyoto Sangyo University in Japan and the Japanese Ministry of Education, was first made available online in March 2013 and is now used by educational institutions in 26 countries. In numerous contexts, teachers would like to conduct additive ER (extensive reading done outside of class time). Additive ER can only be widely used if effective measures are taken to ensure student accountability without overloading teachers or taking too much class time (Robb & Kano, 2013). M-reader meets these conditions. It also allows modification of several parameters to suit the needs of students. This paper outlines some principles of extensive reading, introduces the functions of M-reader, and reports students’ perceptions of M-reader during a pilot program for M-reader in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) classes at a private university in Tokyo. The authors hope that this paper can be used as a reference for English language teachers who are considering using M-reader to manage their extensive reading program.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, Teaching EFL, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Extensive reading and SLA, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, and 6 moreC.A.L.L. and Extensive Reading, Extensive Reading, Second Language Acquisition, Extensive Reading Program, Extensive Reading and Motivation, Extensive Reasding and reading motivation, and Extensive reading Libraries, adult education
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) refers to the use of English as a contact language between people who have different first languages, including native English speakers (Jenkins, 2014). “ELF is simultaneously the consequence and the... more
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) refers to the use of English as a contact language between people who have different first languages, including native English speakers (Jenkins, 2014). “ELF is simultaneously the consequence and the principal language medium of globalizing processes” (Jenkins, Cogo, & Dewey, 2011, p. 303). In connection with Tamagawa University’s goals to enhance education from global perspectives, the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) at Tamagawa University piloted in 2012 and officially commenced in 2014. The CELF has continually promoted initiatives in raising ELF awareness, improving teaching practices, and researching language education. The objectives of this article are to (1) share CELF’s understanding of ELF; (2) report on student classroom-related activities and teacher professional development initiatives; (3) analyze student and teacher survey results; (4) present TOEIC results; and, (5) discuss future developments in the program.
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The Internet and computer assisted learning technologies have created new opportunities for English as a foreign language (EFL) students to gain valuable experience interacting in English. In order to prepare students from five,... more
The Internet and computer assisted learning technologies have created new opportunities for English as a foreign language (EFL) students to gain valuable experience interacting in English. In order to prepare students from five, university-level EFL classes in Japan for accessing English speaking contexts online, a teacher incorporated a class blogging component into the class’ syllabus. Students were asked to write a 300 to 500-word blog post every week during the 15-week semester. This paper presents an action research study into this experience. Student perceptions of the blogging component; an analysis of how students utilized technology; and, whether class blogging influenced learner motivation were evaluated. Important findings were that in spite of major technical problems, students had a very positive perception of the blogging component and participation in the blogging component had a positive influence on students’ motivation. The author hopes that this paper will illustrate the value in incorporating a class blog and provide some useful insights into how a class blogs can be effectively implemented in an EFL class.
Research Interests: Computer Assisted Language Learning, Computer Assisted Language Learning/Teaching, Teaching EFL, CALL, Mobile Assisted Language Learning, and 13 moreEnglish as a Foreign Language (EFL), Professional development of ESL/EFL teachers, ICT in EFL teaching, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, English as a lingua franca (ELF), ESL/EFL Writing, English As a Second Language (ESL), ELF Pedgogy, ELF-aware Teaching, and Blogging In EFL
Teacher employment practices at a new Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) in Tokyo are not limited by the assumption that only native speaker forms of English are appropriate. The CELF was founded with consideration given to... more
Teacher employment practices at a new Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) in Tokyo are not limited by the assumption that only native speaker forms of English are appropriate. The CELF was founded with consideration given to pedagogical implications and awareness of the widespread use of English as a lingua franca (ELF). Such deliberation is not yet prevalent among academics and practitioners who should be most affected by ELF (Seidlhofer, 2011). Most users of ELF have different first languages, and usually interact with other users of ELF. We believe such circumstances warrant questioning of the forms of language targeted in the classroom. Teachers need to examine their teaching practices and consider students’ future uses of English. The transformation occurring in English as it is being used as a lingua franca need not be viewed as unusual, but as part of the process of language evolution (Seidlhofer, 2011). The presenters consider the implications for teaching and learning and how an ELF perspective may influence pedagogical practices. The presenters will also describe the CELF program and outline plans to integrate ELF policies and classroom practices.
Research Interests: Teaching EFL, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, ELF, methodology of teaching EFL, and 9 moreEnglish EFL TEFL learning, English as a lingua franca (ELF), ELF Pedagogy, ELF Pedgogy, English As Academic Lingua Franca, Teaching Culture In the EFL Classroom, ELF-aware Teaching, Japanese University Education, and Japanese university EFL
M-reader is a free Internet site which helps educational institutions to manage extensive reading (ER). It enables teachers to verify that students have read and understood graded reader books. This is achieved by students taking online... more
M-reader is a free Internet site which helps educational institutions to manage extensive reading (ER). It enables teachers to verify that students have read and understood graded reader books. This is achieved by students taking online quizzes designed to test their understanding of a book’s plot and characters, rather than how well they remember the book. Teachers and students can easily track the number of books and the number of words read. M-reader, established with the help of research funds from Kyoto Sangyo University in Japan and the Japanese Ministry of Education, was first made available online in March 2013 and is now used by educational institutions in 26 countries. In numerous contexts, teachers would like to conduct additive ER (extensive reading done outside of class time). Additive ER can only be widely used if effective measures are taken to ensure student accountability without overloading teachers or taking too much class time. M-reader meets these conditions. It also allows modification of several parameters to suit the needs of students. This paper outlines some principles of extensive reading, introduces the functions of M-reader, and reports students’ perceptions of M-reader during a pilot program for M- reader in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) classes at a private university in Tokyo. The authors hope that this paper can be used as a reference for English language teachers who are considering using M-reader to manage their extensive reading program.
Research Interests:
Smartphones, and their potential applications for mobile assisted language learning (MALL), signal a shift in classroom paradigms. Given the ubiquity of smartphones and the increasing availability of digitized text, the reading experience... more
Smartphones, and their potential applications for mobile assisted language learning (MALL), signal a shift in classroom paradigms. Given the ubiquity of smartphones and the increasing availability of digitized text, the reading experience for second language learners is one domain susceptible to change and new opportunities. Research into extensive reading (ER) through the medium of mobile devices is only an emerging area of study in the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) classroom. This paper will report on the initial stages of an ongoing pilot test of X- Reading® (<www.xreading.com>), a new learning management system (LMS) devoted specifically to extensive reading at a private university in Tokyo, Japan. Participants in this study have access to a virtual library of graded readers and are being explicitly asked to read on their mobile devices. This paper reports on pre-pilot questionnaire data and it compares students’ word-per-minute and reading comprehension tests scores for reading on their personal mobile devices and a paperback book. Readers can learn about the implementation of X- Reading® in a university ELF program, reflect on student attitudes towards reading digitally and consider the challenges in implementing a digital extensive reading component whereby students are asked to read on their personal electronic devices.
Research Interests: Extensive Reading, English as a Lingua Franca, Online Reading Comprehension, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), ONLINE READING AND WRITING, and 10 moreExtensive reading and SLA, MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning), ELF, Extensive Reading, Second Language Acquisition, English as a lingua franca (ELF), Extensive Reading Program, Extensive Reading and Motivation, Intensive and Extensive Reading Strategy, Graded Readers, and Extensive Reading Online
Research Interests:
As a language teacher who loves to incorporate mobile technology into my lessons, I often find myself wondering how cool it would be to be able to teach a class where all students have the same mobile device. Such a situation would enable... more
As a language teacher who loves to incorporate mobile technology into my lessons, I often find myself wondering how cool it would be to be able to teach a class where all students have the same mobile device. Such a situation would enable me to forget about compatibility issues between different platforms and manufacturers, and more importantly, if all students were experienced using the same device, students would be able to support and collaborate with each other more effectively.
At the Paperless learning conference last month, I met a teacher who was living my dream.
At the Paperless learning conference last month, I met a teacher who was living my dream.
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Yokohama chapter staged their annual My Share event, where chapter members were invited to share practical classroom ideas for local language teachers. This issue of Accents Asia is a selection of papers written by seven of the... more
Yokohama chapter staged their annual My Share event, where chapter members were invited to share practical classroom ideas for local language teachers. This issue of Accents Asia is a selection of papers written by seven of the presenters. Samuel Bruce offers some very practical advice on how to design an effective academic poster. Keith Hoy examined the effectiveness of two visual prompts: timelines and visual metaphors, used to introduce an English-based content course focusing on contemporary cultural issues. Jon Shepard traces one language learner's path to becoming a more successful student. Lucinda and Yusuke Okuyama consider the learning app, Edmodo® (edmodo.com) as a pervasive learning platform. Brooks Slaybaugh introduces peer-assessment as a way to improve in-class discussions. A series of performance-based activities targeting the enhancement of EFL students' self-concept and sense of agency are described by Rashad DuPaty. And, in the final article, Lucinda and Yusuke Okuyama utilize a youth participatory evaluation approach to establish which strategies EFL students at the university level in Japan exercise to succeed in the classroom. The authors then worked with focus groups to co-create a reflective practice tool for maintaining learners' focus on the effective learning strategies. I sincerely thank all authors for their wonderful contributions and their hard work behind the scenes as reviewers and proof readers. Each article presents very practical suggestions for the EFL classroom and I believe this issue will most certainly challenge teachers to try something different in their next teaching assignment. For readers who are interested in participating in future JALT Yokohama events, please visit yojalt.org. 1 Brett Milliner is an associate professor in the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) at Tamagawa University. Brett's research interests include computer-assisted language learning (CALL), ELT and extensive listening. Correspondence should be sent to Brett Milliner, 6-1-1 Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, Japan 194-8610.
Research Interests: Teaching EFL, Teaching EFL to Young Learners, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), teaching academic writing to ESL or L2 students, Professional development of ESL/EFL teachers, and 7 moreTeaching EFL and Teacher Training, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, English As a Second Language (ESL), EFL/ESL/TESOL, Teaching ESL/EFL, and ESL Curriculum Design
On January 22, 2017, the JALT Yokohama chapter staged a “Tech@Tamagawa” event at the Center for ELF, Tamagawa University. Using the familiar "My Share" model, it was an occasion for teachers to share practical ideas concerning the... more
On January 22, 2017, the JALT Yokohama chapter staged a “Tech@Tamagawa” event at the Center for ELF, Tamagawa University. Using the familiar "My Share" model, it was an occasion for teachers to share practical ideas concerning the application of technology for language learning purposes. Since its inception, Tamagawa University’s Center for English as a Lingua Franca has strived to showcase and support its English language instructors with various events, forums and workshops. This particular event featured ten, 10-20 minute presentations with a focus on technology and paperless options for the language classroom.
Research Interests: Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Sociolinguistics, Teaching EFL, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and 9 moreProfessional development of ESL/EFL teachers, ICT in EFL teaching, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, Efl and Esol Teaching, ESL/EFL Writing, EFL Classrooms, and Teaching ESL/EFL
Managed by the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program at Tamagawa University is a campus-wide English program designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over... more
Managed by the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program at Tamagawa University is a campus-wide English program designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over the world using English as a lingua franca. In 2015, approximately 2,500 students were taught by 40 instructors with different language and cultural backgrounds. CELF is about giving due recognition to the diverse contexts and situations in which English is now used as a lingua franca. The ELF paradigm is versatile and reflexive and captures the reality in which English is used for the creation and negotiation of a plurality of fresh meanings. The collection of articles in this journal represents the research and work from a handful of those ELF teachers. It is the teachers, their personal beliefs and principles, who determine the success of any language program. If teachers are going to hone their teaching skills, deepen their knowledge and develop professionally, they must receive proper support. To that end, the editors of this current issue were involved in creating the Center for English as a Lingua Franca Journal. All teachers in the ELF Program were invited to submit an academic article or research paper for consideration of publication in this Journal. For teachers, publication in this Journal represents a chance to add to their professional resume, but more importantly this is a platform for ELF teachers to share ideas and add value to our new Center for English as a Lingua Franca.
In this issue, Thomas Saunders and Kensaku Ishimaki explore student perceptions of extensive watching of films with English subtitles. Corazon Kato reports on her experiences promoting ELF awareness in her university World Englishes class. Blagoja Dimoski introduces an ELF-aware approach to listening comprehension tasks. And lastly, two excellent ELF teachers introduce some practical activities for the ELF classroom. Arup Pandey introduces Podcasts and Michel Seko describes some communicative applications for student business cards. In closing, I would like to thank Tamagawa University for their continued financial support, the authors for their valuable contributions, the reviewers who dedicated their time and knowledge to the blind review process, and the editors for their direction and management.
In this issue, Thomas Saunders and Kensaku Ishimaki explore student perceptions of extensive watching of films with English subtitles. Corazon Kato reports on her experiences promoting ELF awareness in her university World Englishes class. Blagoja Dimoski introduces an ELF-aware approach to listening comprehension tasks. And lastly, two excellent ELF teachers introduce some practical activities for the ELF classroom. Arup Pandey introduces Podcasts and Michel Seko describes some communicative applications for student business cards. In closing, I would like to thank Tamagawa University for their continued financial support, the authors for their valuable contributions, the reviewers who dedicated their time and knowledge to the blind review process, and the editors for their direction and management.
Research Interests: Educational Technology, Teaching English as a Second Language, English language, Podcasting, Extensive Reading, and 13 moreEnglish as a Lingua Franca, World Englishes, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, Teaching Listening, English language teaching, English Education, Extensive listening, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Communicative Language Teaching, Listening Comprehension, Educational Podcasting, ICT in teaching and learning English language, and English As a Second Language (ESL)
Managed by the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program at Tamagawa University is a campus-wide English program designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over... more
Managed by the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program at Tamagawa University is a campus-wide English program designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over the world using English as a lingua franca. In 2015, approximately 2,500 students were taught by 40 instructors with different language and cultural backgrounds. CELF is about giving due recognition to the diverse contexts and situations in which English is now used as a lingua franca. The ELF paradigm is versatile and reflexive and captures the reality in which English is used for the creation and negotiation of a plurality of fresh meanings. The collection of articles in this journal represents the research and work from a handful of those ELF teachers. It is the teachers, their personal beliefs and principles, who determine the success of any language program. If teachers are going to hone their teaching skills, deepen their knowledge and develop professionally, they must receive proper support. To that end, the editors of this current issue were involved in creating the Center for English as a Lingua Franca Journal. All teachers in the ELF Program were invited to submit an academic article or research paper for consideration of publication in this Journal. For teachers, publication in this Journal represents a chance to add to their professional resume, but more importantly this is a platform for ELF teachers to share ideas and add value to our new Center for English as a Lingua Franca.
In this second issue, Yuri Jody Yujobo, Ethel Ogane, Tricia Okada, Brett Milliner, Takanori Sato, Blagoja Dimoski and report on using project-based learning (PBL) activities to promote awareness in ELF communicative strategies. Michelangelo Magasic shares his expert advice on how teachers can more effectively use webclips in their classroom. Daniel Worden introduces circumlocution activities as a way to promote fluency. Blair Barr investigates the effectiveness of the digital flashcard app, Quizlet® for vocabulary learning. This second issue concludes with a report on faculty development activities and the research achievements for the CELF in 2015. In closing, I would like to thank Tamagawa University for their continued financial support, the authors for making such valuable contributions to the center, and the reviewers who dedicated their time and specialist knowledge to the blind review process.
In this second issue, Yuri Jody Yujobo, Ethel Ogane, Tricia Okada, Brett Milliner, Takanori Sato, Blagoja Dimoski and report on using project-based learning (PBL) activities to promote awareness in ELF communicative strategies. Michelangelo Magasic shares his expert advice on how teachers can more effectively use webclips in their classroom. Daniel Worden introduces circumlocution activities as a way to promote fluency. Blair Barr investigates the effectiveness of the digital flashcard app, Quizlet® for vocabulary learning. This second issue concludes with a report on faculty development activities and the research achievements for the CELF in 2015. In closing, I would like to thank Tamagawa University for their continued financial support, the authors for making such valuable contributions to the center, and the reviewers who dedicated their time and specialist knowledge to the blind review process.
Research Interests: Teaching English as a Second Language, Vocabulary, English as a Lingua Franca, World Englishes, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, and 7 moreVocabulary Acquisition, Vocabulary Learning Strategies, Project-Based Learning, Vocabulary Learning, Second language vocabulary acquisition, English language teaching, and English as a lingua franca (ELF)
Managed by the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program at Tamagawa University is a campus-wide English program designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over... more
Managed by the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program at Tamagawa University is a campus-wide English program designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over the world using English as a lingua franca. In 2015, approximately 2,500 students were taught by 40 instructors with different language and cultural backgrounds. CELF is about giving due recognition to the diverse contexts and situations in which English is now used as a lingua franca. The ELF paradigm is versatile and reflexive and captures the reality in which English is used for the creation and negotiation of a plurality of fresh meanings. The collection of articles in this journal represents the research and work from a handful of those ELF teachers. It is the teachers, their personal beliefs and principles, who determine the success of any language program. If teachers are going to hone their teaching skills, deepen their knowledge and develop professionally, they must receive proper support. To that end, the editors of this current issue were involved in creating the Center for English as a Lingua Franca Journal. All teachers in the ELF Program were invited to submit an academic article or research paper for consideration of publication in this Journal. For teachers, publication in this Journal represents a chance to add to their professional resume, but more importantly this is a platform for ELF teachers to share ideas and add value to our new Center for English as a Lingua Franca.
In this issue, Thomas Saunders and Kensaku Ishimaki explore student perceptions of extensive watching of films with English subtitles. Corazon Kato reports on her experiences promoting ELF awareness in her university World Englishes class. Blagoja Dimoski introduces an ELF-aware approach to listening comprehension tasks. And lastly, two excellent ELF teachers introduce some practical activities for the ELF classroom. Arup Pandey introduces Podcasts and Michel Seko describes some communicative applications for student business cards. In closing, I would like to thank Tamagawa University for their continued financial support, the authors for their valuable contributions, the reviewers who dedicated their time and knowledge to the blind review process, and the editors for their direction and management.
March 2016
Masaki Oda, Ph.D. Director, CELF
In this issue, Thomas Saunders and Kensaku Ishimaki explore student perceptions of extensive watching of films with English subtitles. Corazon Kato reports on her experiences promoting ELF awareness in her university World Englishes class. Blagoja Dimoski introduces an ELF-aware approach to listening comprehension tasks. And lastly, two excellent ELF teachers introduce some practical activities for the ELF classroom. Arup Pandey introduces Podcasts and Michel Seko describes some communicative applications for student business cards. In closing, I would like to thank Tamagawa University for their continued financial support, the authors for their valuable contributions, the reviewers who dedicated their time and knowledge to the blind review process, and the editors for their direction and management.
March 2016
Masaki Oda, Ph.D. Director, CELF
Research Interests:
Managed by the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program at Tamagawa University is a campus-wide English program designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over... more
Managed by the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF), the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program at Tamagawa University is a campus-wide English program designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over the world using English as a lingua franca. In 2015, approximately 2,500 students were taught by 40 instructors with different language and cultural backgrounds. CELF is about giving due recognition to the diverse contexts and situations in which English is now used as a lingua franca. The ELF paradigm is versatile and reflexive and captures the reality in which English is used for the creation and negotiation of a plurality of fresh meanings. The collection of articles in this journal represents the research and work from a handful of those ELF teachers. It is the teachers, their personal beliefs and principles, who determine the success of any language program. If teachers are going to hone their teaching skills, deepen their knowledge and develop professionally, they must receive proper support. To that end, the editors of this current issue were involved in creating the Center for English as a Lingua Franca Journal. All teachers in the ELF Program were invited to submit an academic article or research paper for consideration of publication in this Journal. For teachers, publication in this Journal represents a chance to add to their professional resume, but more importantly this is a platform for ELF teachers to share ideas and add value to our new Center for English as a Lingua Franca.
In this second issue, Yuri Jody Yujobo, Ethel Ogane, Tricia Okada, Brett Milliner, Takanori Sato, Blagoja Dimoski and report on using project-based learning (PBL) activities to promote awareness in ELF communicative strategies. Michelangelo Magasic shares his expert advice on how teachers can more effectively use webclips in their classroom. Daniel Worden introduces circumlocution activities as a way to promote fluency. Blair Barr investigates the effectiveness of the digital flashcard app, Quizlet® for vocabulary learning. This second issue concludes with a report on faculty development activities and the research achievements for the CELF in 2015. In closing, I would like to thank Tamagawa University for their continued financial support, the authors for making such valuable contributions to the center, and the reviewers who dedicated their time and specialist knowledge to the blind review process.
March 2016
Masaki Oda, Ph.D. Director, CELF
In this second issue, Yuri Jody Yujobo, Ethel Ogane, Tricia Okada, Brett Milliner, Takanori Sato, Blagoja Dimoski and report on using project-based learning (PBL) activities to promote awareness in ELF communicative strategies. Michelangelo Magasic shares his expert advice on how teachers can more effectively use webclips in their classroom. Daniel Worden introduces circumlocution activities as a way to promote fluency. Blair Barr investigates the effectiveness of the digital flashcard app, Quizlet® for vocabulary learning. This second issue concludes with a report on faculty development activities and the research achievements for the CELF in 2015. In closing, I would like to thank Tamagawa University for their continued financial support, the authors for making such valuable contributions to the center, and the reviewers who dedicated their time and specialist knowledge to the blind review process.
March 2016
Masaki Oda, Ph.D. Director, CELF
Research Interests:
In 2014, the Centre for English as Lingua Franca (CELF) was established to house Tamagawa University’s new English program and tutor service. In 2015 the English teaching program expanded to serve students campus- wide, with approximately... more
In 2014, the Centre for English as Lingua Franca (CELF) was established to house Tamagawa University’s new English program and tutor service. In 2015 the English teaching program expanded to serve students campus- wide, with approximately 2,500 students being taught by over 40 instructors from around the globe. Aware of the deep-rooted, native English speaker bias and norms common not only in Japan, a conscious decision was made by Tamagawa University to seek quali ed, professional English language teachers from outside the inner circle (Kachru,
1985) countries. Since the early piloting of the ELF program in 2012, CELF faculty have been working hard to promote initiatives in raising ELF awareness, improving teaching practices and research in language education. The collection of articles in this journal represents the research and work from
a handful of those ELF teachers,
each of whom come from a different English speaking background (L1 and L2).
1985) countries. Since the early piloting of the ELF program in 2012, CELF faculty have been working hard to promote initiatives in raising ELF awareness, improving teaching practices and research in language education. The collection of articles in this journal represents the research and work from
a handful of those ELF teachers,
each of whom come from a different English speaking background (L1 and L2).
Research Interests:
In 2014, the Centre for English as Lingua Franca (CELF) was established to house Tamagawa University’s new English program and tutor service. In 2015 the English teaching program expanded to serve students campuswide, with approximately... more
In 2014, the Centre for English as
Lingua Franca (CELF) was established
to house Tamagawa University’s new
English program and tutor service. In
2015 the English teaching program
expanded to serve students campuswide,
with approximately 2,500 students
being taught by over 40 instructors
from around the globe. Aware of the
deep-rooted, native English speaker
bias and norms common not only in
Japan, a conscious decision was made by
Tamagawa University to seek qualified,
professional English language teachers
from outside the inner circle (Kachru,
1985) countries. Since the early piloting
of the ELF program in 2012, CELF faculty
have been working hard to promote
initiatives in raising ELF awareness,
improving teaching practices and
research in language education. The
collection of articles in this journal
represents the research and work from
a handful of those ELF teachers,
each of whom come from a different
English speaking background (L1 and L2).
It is the teachers, their personal beliefs
and principles, who determine the
success of any language program. To
that end members of the CELF leadership
group have been working hard to
provide opportunities for the teaching
faculty (full-time and part-time) to
hone their teaching skills, deepen
their knowledge about ELF and develop
professionally. Since 2014, the editors
have staged two teacher’s research
forums, an ELF symposium as well as a
number of other events in collaboration
with JALT and JACET. These events have
created a context to promote good
scholarship, and more importantly,
they provided a place for teachers to
share teaching ideas and professional
research. In conjunction with these
events, CELF faculty edited and published
two journal issues in collaboration with
the Journal of Saitama City Educators
(JSCE) in 2014. In April, 2015 we
published the inaugural issue of The
Center for ELF Journal. This, our third
collaborative issue with JSCE represents
another chance for our teachers to add
to their professional resume, but more
importantly, this journal issue is an
opportunity for ELF teachers to share
practical teaching ideas for the ELF
classroom and add value to our Center.
In this issue, michelangelo Magasic
reviews the application Movieclips.com
whilst highlighting the way in which
online streaming video has overcome
many of the challenges traditionally
associated with film use in the classroom.
Jody Yuri Yujobo looks at formative
assessments in project based learning
and shares some practical methods
in measuring 21st century skills and
global competency. Sharon Ishizaki
introduces NeuroELT and demonstrates
how NeuroELT can inform a language
teacher’s practice in the classroom.
Arup Pandey offers a solution to
students experiencing cognitive
overload during vocabulary instruction
in the ELF classroom. And lastly, Kaori
Aono reviews three English learner
dictionaries.
Once again, we have learned a lot in
putting this third issue together. We
hope that some of these creative ideas
will embolden you to try something new
in your classroom this year.
http://www.saitamacityeducators.org/journal-of-saitama-city-educators/
Lingua Franca (CELF) was established
to house Tamagawa University’s new
English program and tutor service. In
2015 the English teaching program
expanded to serve students campuswide,
with approximately 2,500 students
being taught by over 40 instructors
from around the globe. Aware of the
deep-rooted, native English speaker
bias and norms common not only in
Japan, a conscious decision was made by
Tamagawa University to seek qualified,
professional English language teachers
from outside the inner circle (Kachru,
1985) countries. Since the early piloting
of the ELF program in 2012, CELF faculty
have been working hard to promote
initiatives in raising ELF awareness,
improving teaching practices and
research in language education. The
collection of articles in this journal
represents the research and work from
a handful of those ELF teachers,
each of whom come from a different
English speaking background (L1 and L2).
It is the teachers, their personal beliefs
and principles, who determine the
success of any language program. To
that end members of the CELF leadership
group have been working hard to
provide opportunities for the teaching
faculty (full-time and part-time) to
hone their teaching skills, deepen
their knowledge about ELF and develop
professionally. Since 2014, the editors
have staged two teacher’s research
forums, an ELF symposium as well as a
number of other events in collaboration
with JALT and JACET. These events have
created a context to promote good
scholarship, and more importantly,
they provided a place for teachers to
share teaching ideas and professional
research. In conjunction with these
events, CELF faculty edited and published
two journal issues in collaboration with
the Journal of Saitama City Educators
(JSCE) in 2014. In April, 2015 we
published the inaugural issue of The
Center for ELF Journal. This, our third
collaborative issue with JSCE represents
another chance for our teachers to add
to their professional resume, but more
importantly, this journal issue is an
opportunity for ELF teachers to share
practical teaching ideas for the ELF
classroom and add value to our Center.
In this issue, michelangelo Magasic
reviews the application Movieclips.com
whilst highlighting the way in which
online streaming video has overcome
many of the challenges traditionally
associated with film use in the classroom.
Jody Yuri Yujobo looks at formative
assessments in project based learning
and shares some practical methods
in measuring 21st century skills and
global competency. Sharon Ishizaki
introduces NeuroELT and demonstrates
how NeuroELT can inform a language
teacher’s practice in the classroom.
Arup Pandey offers a solution to
students experiencing cognitive
overload during vocabulary instruction
in the ELF classroom. And lastly, Kaori
Aono reviews three English learner
dictionaries.
Once again, we have learned a lot in
putting this third issue together. We
hope that some of these creative ideas
will embolden you to try something new
in your classroom this year.
http://www.saitamacityeducators.org/journal-of-saitama-city-educators/
Research Interests: ESP, EFL. CALL, Teaching EFL, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), ICT in EFL teaching, Teaching EFL and Teacher Training, and 8 moreELF, methodology of teaching EFL, English EFL TEFL learning, English as a lingua franca (ELF), Efl and Esol Teaching, EFL Classrooms, ELF Pedagogy, and Teaching ESL/EFL
In 2013, Tamagawa University launched a new, campus-wide English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program, the first of its kind in Japan. The ELF program is designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over the world... more
In 2013, Tamagawa University launched a new, campus-wide English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Program, the first of its kind in Japan. The ELF program is designed to enable students to effectively communicate with people all over the world using
English as a lingua franca. Beginning in 2014, the Center for English as Lingua Franca (CELF) was established to accommodate the English program and a tutor service. The Center currently serves approximately 2,500 students, all of whom will be taught by approximately 40 instructors from around the globe. Aware of the deep-rooted, native English speaker bias and norms common not only in Japan, a conscious decision was made by Tamagawa University to seek qualified, professional English language teachers from outside the inner circle (Kachru, 1985) countries. The collection of articles in this inaugural journal represents the research and work from a handful of those ELF teachers.
English as a lingua franca. Beginning in 2014, the Center for English as Lingua Franca (CELF) was established to accommodate the English program and a tutor service. The Center currently serves approximately 2,500 students, all of whom will be taught by approximately 40 instructors from around the globe. Aware of the deep-rooted, native English speaker bias and norms common not only in Japan, a conscious decision was made by Tamagawa University to seek qualified, professional English language teachers from outside the inner circle (Kachru, 1985) countries. The collection of articles in this inaugural journal represents the research and work from a handful of those ELF teachers.
Research Interests: Language Education, Teaching English as a Second Language, World Englishes, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, English as an International Language, and 4 moreTeacher Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Second/Foreign Languages (TESOL), Language Acquisition; Research In Applied Linguistics; Teaching English As A Second Language, Task Based Langauge, English as a lingua franca (ELF), and English Language Education in Japan
In 2013, Tamagawa University launched a new, campus-wide English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) program, the first of its kind in Japan. The ELF program is designed to enable students to effectively communi- cate with people all over the world... more
In 2013, Tamagawa University launched a new, campus-wide English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) program, the first of its kind in Japan. The ELF program is designed to enable students to effectively communi- cate with people all over the world using English as a lingua franca. Beginning in 2014, the Centre for English as lingua franca (CELF) was established to house the English program and a tutor ser- vice. The Centre will serve approximately 1,800 students, all of whom will be taught by approximately 50 instructors from around the globe. Aware of the deep- rooted, native English speaker bias and norms common not only in Japan, a con- scious decision was made by Tamagawa University to seek qualified, professional English language teachers from outside the inner circle (Kachru, 1985) countries. The collection of articles in this journal represents the research and work from a handful of those ELF teachers, each of whom comes from a different English speaking background (L1 and L2).
It is the teachers, their personal beliefs and principles, who determine the suc- cess of any language program. If teachers are going to hone their teaching skills, deepen their knowledge and develop professionally, they must receive proper support. To that end, the editors of this current issue were involved in creating the ELF Teacher Research Forum on January 11, 2014. The forum served as a place for teachers to share teaching ideas, and secondly, it provided a platform to present their professional research. In conjunction with this event, all teachers in the ELF program were invited to share their teaching experience and knowledge in the form of a short article or research paper. Publication in this journal rep- resents a chance for part-time teachers to add to their professional resume, but more importantly, this journal issue is an opportunity for ELF teachers to share ideas and add value to our new Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF).
In this issue, Jason Pipe introduces a cre- ative way to take advantage of students’ smartphones to increase accuracy in ELF speaking tasks. Arup Pandey shares his project-based solutions for overcoming freshman anxiety in his ELF tourism classes. Anamaria Sakanoue talks about two tasks she employs to encourage auton- omy in her ELF classroom. Paul McBride and Brett Milliner reflect on a trial of M-reader, an online system of quiz- zes based on an extensive reading com- ponent in their ELF course. And lastly, Tricia Okada describes the expanding opportunities for Filipino English teach- ers in Japan.
It has been a challenging, yet wonder- ful learning experience for us in put- ting this second issue together. We hope that some of these creative ideas will embolden you to try something new in your classroom this year.
It is the teachers, their personal beliefs and principles, who determine the suc- cess of any language program. If teachers are going to hone their teaching skills, deepen their knowledge and develop professionally, they must receive proper support. To that end, the editors of this current issue were involved in creating the ELF Teacher Research Forum on January 11, 2014. The forum served as a place for teachers to share teaching ideas, and secondly, it provided a platform to present their professional research. In conjunction with this event, all teachers in the ELF program were invited to share their teaching experience and knowledge in the form of a short article or research paper. Publication in this journal rep- resents a chance for part-time teachers to add to their professional resume, but more importantly, this journal issue is an opportunity for ELF teachers to share ideas and add value to our new Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF).
In this issue, Jason Pipe introduces a cre- ative way to take advantage of students’ smartphones to increase accuracy in ELF speaking tasks. Arup Pandey shares his project-based solutions for overcoming freshman anxiety in his ELF tourism classes. Anamaria Sakanoue talks about two tasks she employs to encourage auton- omy in her ELF classroom. Paul McBride and Brett Milliner reflect on a trial of M-reader, an online system of quiz- zes based on an extensive reading com- ponent in their ELF course. And lastly, Tricia Okada describes the expanding opportunities for Filipino English teach- ers in Japan.
It has been a challenging, yet wonder- ful learning experience for us in put- ting this second issue together. We hope that some of these creative ideas will embolden you to try something new in your classroom this year.
Research Interests: English as a Lingua Franca, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, Teaching EFL, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Teaching English as an International Language, and 5 moreTeaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), English as a lingua franca (ELF), English Language Teaching, English As a Second Language (ESL), and ELF JAPAN
In 2013, Tamagawa University launched a new, campus-wide English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) program, the first of its kind in Japan. The ELF program is designed to enable students to effectively communi- cate with people all over the world... more
In 2013, Tamagawa University launched a new, campus-wide English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) program, the first of its kind in Japan. The ELF program is designed to enable students to effectively communi- cate with people all over the world using English as a lingua franca. Beginning in 2014, the Centre for English as Lingua Franca (CELF) was established to house the English program and a tutor service. The Centre will serve approximately 1,800 students, all of whom will be taught by ap- proximately 50 instructors from around the globe. Aware of the deep-rooted, na- tive English speaker bias and norms com- mon not only in Japan, a conscious deci- sion was made by Tamagawa University to seek qualified, professional English lan- guage teachers from outside the inner cir- cle (Kachru, 1985) countries. The collec- tion of articles in this journal represents the research and work from a handful of those ELF teachers. It is the teachers, their personal beliefs and principles, who determine the suc- cess of any language program. If teach- ers are going to hone their teaching skills, deepen their knowledge and develop pro- fessionally, they must receive proper sup- port. To that end, the editors of this cur- rent issue were involved in creating the ELF Teacher Research Forum on January 11, 2014. The forum served as a place for teachers to share teaching ideas, and sec- ondly, it provided a platform to present their professional research. In conjunc- tion with this event, all teachers in the ELF program were invited to share their teaching experience and knowledge in the form of a short article or research pa- per. Publication in this journal represents a chance for part-time teachers to add to their professional resume, but more im- portantly, this journal issue is an oppor- tunity for ELF teachers to share ideas and add value to our new Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF). In this issue, Dawn Lukovich introduces repeated reading as a technique for in- creasing students’ reading speeds and flu- ency. Simeon Flowers begins a discussion about how ELF teachers can effectively incorporate role-play to expand upon textbook material. Andy Leichsenring considers how teachers can more ef- fectively teach oral presentation skills. Mika Nelson describes Speed-Pairing, a fast-paced activity for developing speaking fluency. And finally, Jody Yujobo intro- duces her approach to integrating the 4Cs of 21st Century Skills into project-based activities in her ELF classroom. We hope you will enjoy reading this issue as much as we did in putting it together. The Issue Editors
Research Interests:
On Saturday, October 11th, 2014, the first Micro-conference on Tourism English Education was hosted at Tamagawa University in Tokyo, Japan. This milestone event was co-sponsored by the Japan Association of College English Teachers... more
On Saturday, October 11th, 2014, the first Micro-conference on Tourism English Education was hosted at Tamagawa University in Tokyo, Japan. This milestone event was co-sponsored by the Japan Association of College English Teachers (JACET) English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Kanto Chapter and the Japan Association of Language Teachers (JALT) West Tokyo Chapter. Mr. Charlie Robertson, chair of the JACET ESP Special Interest Group (SIG) and associate professor at Aoyama Gakuin University, gave the commencement address and emceed the event. Mr. Timothy Gutierrez, publicity chair for the JALT West Tokyo Chapter, also spoke during the opening address.
Research Interests:
The Internet and computer assisted learning technologies have created new opportunities for English as a foreign language (EFL) students to gain valuable experience interacting in English. In order to prepare students from five,... more
The Internet and computer assisted learning technologies have created new opportunities for English as a foreign language (EFL) students to gain valuable experience interacting in English. In order to prepare students from five, university-level EFL classes in Japan for accessing English speaking contexts online, a teacher incorporated a class blogging component into the class’ syllabus. Students were asked to write a 300 to 500-word blog post every week during the 15-week semester. This paper presents an action research study into this experience. Student perceptions of the blogging component; an analysis of how students utilized technology; and, whether class blogging influenced learner motivation were evaluated. Important findings were that in spite of major technical problems, students had a very positive perception of the blogging component and participation in the blogging component had a positive influence on students’ motivation. The author hopes that this paper will illustrate the value in incorporating a class blog and provide some useful insights into how a class blogs can be effectively implemented in an EFL class.
Research Interests:
This chapter reports on a survey of 304 Japanese university students who completed a range of formative computer-assisted tests while studying in an English as a foreign language (EFL) class. We consider students’ attitudes toward the use... more
This chapter reports on a survey of 304 Japanese university students who completed a range of formative computer-assisted tests while studying in an English as a foreign language (EFL) class. We consider students’ attitudes toward the use of computer-assisted language testing (CALT) for formative assessment tasks and, more importantly, whether automated feedback influenced their behavior and learning. In short, we discovered that students overwhelmingly (77.7%) prefer CALT (opposed to paper-based testing or homework), and if available, students generally retake the tests for revision purposes. The authors hope that this chapter can promote a more effective implementation of CALT for formative assessment, as well as provide practical insights into how language learners are interpreting and acting upon automated feedback.