Impact of Informal language acquisition through Study Abroad Experience

1. Impact of Informal language acquisition through Study Abroad Experience Kyle Lipscombe Advisors: Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott Dr. Chikaomi Takahashi

2. Outline • Significance of Study • Research Question • Research Background • Background 1 • Background 2 • Background 3 • Research Method • Research Findings • Conclusion • Bibliography • Acknowledgements

3. Significance of the Study • I became interested in studying second language acquisition after auditing a course in second language acquisition during my studying abroad experience. • By looking at language not as tool to communicate, but in a scientific manner, I found myself becoming more and more interested in studying language. • I then became interested in looking at informal language learning through social contexts. • Because of these reasons I wanted to perform a study on language acquisition .

4. Research Questions • In what ways does studying abroad help to reduce speaking anxiety? • What social activities contribute to attaining higher language proficiency and why?

5. Background Research • Study Abroad • Numbers of Japanese students that study abroad • Numbers of foreign students in Japan. • Language Acquisition • Social Networks • Percentages of social network participation • Types of social networks • Speaking Anxiety and Language Acquisition • Speaking anxiety • Foreign Language anxiety defined • Language Acquisition • Methodologies, English teaching in Japan • Translation Method • Communication Based Instruction (CBI) • Foreign Language Teaching in America • ACTFL Proficiency guidelines • National Standards • 21st century skills map

6. Globalization of Japan • Why did Japan decide to Globalize? • Americanization: • After America’s occupation of Japan, and Japan’s Dependency on America for security, the “Americanization” of Japan can also be used for Japan’s Globalization attempts as both Countries’ economies became dependent on each other. • Growing Globalization of the Economy: • For a continuously growing economy, Japan needed to become more stability internationally. Isozaki, I. (n.d.). Globalization, education and Japan.

7. Globalization of Japan • The Center for Global Partnership(CGP ): • Developed as a part of The Japan Foundation in 1991 • “Looks to promote collaboration between Japan, United states and beyond to address issues of global concern.” • CGP Grant program • Supports non-profit organizations in order to produce dialog between the U.S. and Japan. http://www.jpf.go.jp/cgp/e/grant/index.html

8. Trends of Japanese students studying abroad http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/singi/ywforum/dai2/sankou3.pdf This graph shows the trends of Japanese students participating in study abroad before and After CGPs establishment .

9. University Globalization • Education Reforms of 2004 • MEXT Global 30 project • Ministry of Education, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT) looks to reform 30 universities to make them more appealing to foreign students. • What makes a university Global? • Teaching a college students what it means to be a global citizen. • Teaching Japanese students to live and work in other cultures. • Global universities should be about systemic reform not statistical quotas. http://fla-sir.weebly.com/uploads/2/4/7/1/2471121/sir33-mckinley_thompson.pdf

10. Globalization of Japan • Impact on Education: • Kizuna Project: • Started in 2011 this program aims to promote Japan’s reconstruction plans and global understanding • Short term Experience: 10 days • Long term Experience: 1 year This project allows high school students from 41 countries to apply to study abroad. http://sv2.jice.org/kizuna/e/what/about/ • Kakahashi Project: • Developed: May 2013 • Short term study tour • Send 2,300 Japanese high school students to America for two weeks to show the Charm of Japan. • Invite 2,300 American High school students to Japan for 10 days to travel, and experience what Japan has to offer.

11. Japanese Students that study Abroad UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (2008). Global Education Digest 2008. Montreal, Quebec: UNESCO Institute for Statistics This Graph shows the trends of Japanese students studying abroad in foreign countries from 2006 to 2010

12. International students in Japan Nation wide (2008) Outline of student exchange system: Study in Japan 2010. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2014, from MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan website: http://www.mext.go.jp/component/english/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2011/12/14/1303740_1.pdf This graph shows the amount of students recorded to be studying Nation wide in Japan during 2008

13. Foreign students in Japan International students in Japan 2010. (2010, December 22). Retrieved February 2, 2014, from Japan Student Survives Organization website: http://www.jasso.go.jp/statistics/intl_student/ data10_e.html This graph shows the trends of foreigners studying in Japan that received the Jasso scholarship between 2006 and 2011

14. English education in Japanese elementary schools • Became compulsory in 2011 • Objective: To foster foundation for students’ ability to communicate through foreign languages • Goals: • Develop understanding and being aware of interesting aspects of language • Foster a positive attitude toward communicating with others • Familiarization with sounds and basic expressions • Problems: Japanese Teachers don’t have training for teaching English Eguchi, A. (n.d.). Inside elementary fireign language classrooms: the influence of teachers pedagogical beliefs. Retrieved from http://repository.aichi-edu.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/10424/ 4219/1/claritas222747.pdf

15. Language teaching in Japan Yakudoku Method: • Word by word translation • Teacher gives grammatical explanations in Japanese • Students have few chances to Speak English • 70-80% of teachers use the Yakudoku Method to teach English. Nishino, T. (2008). Japanese secondary school teachers' beliefs and practices regarding communicative language teaching: An exploratory survey. JALT Journal, 30(1), 29-30.

16. Language Teaching in Japan Cont. • Communication Based Instruction: Aims to develop Communicative competency. Nishino, T. (2008) This graph shows the reasons why Japanese teachers don’t use CBI in their classrooms

17. Foreign Language teaching In America • ACTFL Guidelines • American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages • Developed in 1986 • Teaches: Speaking, Writing, Reading and listening in real world, spontaneous situations • National Standards • Developed 1996 • 21 century skills map

18. ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines • Levels of proficiency: • Distinguished • Superior • Advanced • Intermediate • Novice • Teaches: Speaking, Writing, Reading and listening in real world, spontaneous situations

19. National Standards • Communication- Communicate in Language other than English. • Cultures- Gain Knowledge and Understanding of other Cultures. • Connections-Connect with other Disciplines and Acquire Information • Comparisons – Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture • Communities – Participate in Multilingual communities at Home and Around the World. Standards for foreign language learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.actfl.org/sites/default/ files/pdfs/public/StandardsforFLLexecsumm_rev.pdf

20. 21st century skills map • Communication • Collaboration • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving • Creative and Innovation • Information Literacy • Media Literacy • Technology Literacy • Flexibility and Adaptability • Initiative and Self-Direction • Social And Cross-cultural Skills • Productivity and Accountability • Leadership and responsibility

21. Ways to improve language competency. • Formal ( inside the classroom) language learning • Informal (outside of a classroom) language learning • Study abroad

22. Foreign Language Anxiety • Foreign Language Anxiety: • “A distinct complex of self-perception, beliefs, and behaviors related to classroom learning arising from the uniqueness of the language learning arising process”

23. Formal Language learning Anxiety • The more anxious student tends to avoid attempting difficult or personal messages in the target language.) • Test anxiety: Test-anxiety refers to a type of performance anxiety stemming from a fear of failure. Grades(Elaine K. Horwitz, Michael B. Horwitz, Joann Cope 1986 pg. 12 • Because of higher levels of anxiety, Students that expected high grades usually received lower marks(Horwitz 2001)

24. Types of Social Activities • Joining Clubs • Public places • Language Café’s • Hiking • Sporting events • School events or classes • All you can eat buffet • Public Baths • Language Forums

25. Social Network formation Participants of the study: 254 College students Ring, S. A, Gardner, D. & Dewey D. P. 2013. Social network development during study abroad in Japan. In K. Kondo-Brown. Y. Saito-Abbott, S. Satsutani, M. Tsutsui, & A. Wehmeyer (Eds), New perspectives on Japanese language learning, linguistics, and culture (pp. 95-121) Honolulu: University of Hawai’i, National Foreign Language Resource Center

26. The study • In what ways does studying abroad help to reduce speaking anxiety? • What social activities contribute to attaining higher language proficiency and why?

27. Research Method • Participants • 60 University Students • 26 Japanese • 10 male and 16 female • 20 Americans • 22 Male and 13 Female • Other • 15 • Research Instrument • Survey • English: • Japanese:

28. Ｄｅｍｏｇｒａｐｈｉｃｓ • 60 University Students • 26 Japanese- Language of study: English • 10 male and 16 female • 18 Americans- Language of study: Japanese • 12 Male and 6 Female • Other- Language of study: Japanese • 2 • 1 Canadian • 1 British

29. Research question 1: • In what ways does studying abroad help to reduce speaking anxiety?

30. I feel more anxious when my teacher has me speak in my target language during class American students show a more than 75% anxiety reduction after studying abroad. Japanese students nearly 50% reduction

31. Being unprepared for a conversation with a native speaker in my target language makes me feel anxious Americans show no real little change in anxiety. Japanese show a 13% decrease in Anxiety

32. I am nervous when I know I have to speak in public American and Japanese students constant public speaking anxiety.

33. Negative evaluations from my peers makes me unwilling to participate in speaking activities during class American students show over 50% decrease in speaking anxiety Japanese students remain constant.

34. When I meet a native speaker for the first time I feel anxious when I have to speak in my target language Over 75% of American’s show a decrease Japanese students show constant speaking Anxiety

35. A fear of making mistakes when talking in my target language forces me to talk slower Americans show over 50% decline in their anxiety Japanese show a 13% decline

36. I believe that my peers speak better than me when speaking in my target language Americans show less than 50% decline Japanese students over a 75% decline

37.  The thought that I need to speak perfectly in my target language makes me feel anxious. 50% of Japanese students show decrease Americans show almost 50% decrease

38.  Being unprepared for a conversation with a native speaker in my target language makes me feel anxious  American students show more than a 50% decrease in Anxiety Japanese students show only a 13% decrease

39. Findings: Research Ｑuestion 1 • American’s Show higher speaking anxiety when meeting native speakers for the first time. Speaking anxiety drops after studying abroad. • Both Japanese and American show a constant levels of high Anxiety for public speaking, However, both show low levels of anxiety caused by negative evaluations • Japanese Students show constant levels of anxiety in all fields • Public speaking, and speaking with native speakers are the highest producers of Speaking anxiety

40. Findings: Research Questions(2) • While Japanese students become anxious when they think peers are evaluating them negatively, American students show little anxiety. • Before studying abroad, American students said they felt anxious when meeting a native speaker, after studying abroad, the students that felt anxious was less than half. Most Japanese speakers said they still felt anxious when meeting native speakers after studying abroad. • A fear of making mistakes after studying abroad is the lowest cause of anxiety between both nations.

41. Research Question 2 • What social activities contribute to attaining higher language proficiency and why?

42. What social activities contribute to attaining higher language proficiency American students said that attending classes together and group traveling are the best ways to improve language

43. What social activities contribute to attaining higher language proficiency For Japanese students: living in an international dorm, language café’s and school clubs are among the best ways to gain higher proficiency

44. Summary: Research Question 2 • American and Japanese students agree that, Attending classes together, Group traveling, Group Parties and living in an International Dorm are the best ways to improve language proficiency • Over half of the participants thought group traveling helped their proficiency. • Over half also said attending classes with native speakers was the best way to improve. • Nearlyall Japanese participants said living in an international dorm was effective • Under half of Americans said it was effective

45. Conclusion and Discussion • American students have higher language anxiety before studying abroad, their language anxiety becomes lower after studying abroad • Due to Americans Language teaching system, American students are better equipped to solve language anxiety. • Japanese students’ language anxiety levels remain constant even after studying abroad. • Living in international dorms, and going to class with native speakers are the best social activities to help language improvement.

46. Conclusion and Discussion 2 • The social activities that are the most effective have common characteristics: Their out of class, thus they have an informal situations, and they’re group oriented. • Due to America’s education setup, American students would thrive, and improve easier in informal settings. • Japanese students show to value group activities, so improving in Social activities rather than class room, or individual activities would by why Japanese students value social over individuality.

47. Limitations of the study and further research • A lack of survey Japanese survey participants planning to study abroad, showed to effect the data a lot. • By only randomly sending to students, a good amount of participants from both sides was difficult to reach. • For a future study, I would like to perform more of a long term study where I survey students, prior, during, and after to see how the numbers change. • Also, I’d like to study how language anxiety is effected by diet; whether it be abroad or in the students own country.

48. Bibliography 1. Second-Language Awareness and Development during Study Abroad: A Case Study Gillian Lord Hispania , Vol. 92, No. 1 (March 2009), pp. 127-141 Published by: American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese 2. Foreign Language Reading and Study Abroad: Cross-Cultural and Cross-Linguistic Questions Gail F. Taillefer The Modern Language Journal , Vol. 89, No. 4 (Winter, 2005), pp. 503-52 3. Language Learning during Study Abroad: What We Know and What We Have Yet to Learn Dan P. Dewey Japanese Language and Literature , Vol. 41, No. 2, Study Abroad for Advanced Skills (Oct., 2007), pp. 245-269 4. Study Abroad for Advanced Skills in Japanese: Improving Students' Communicative Competence Using Self-Instructional Strategies Christopher S. Thompson Japanese Language and Literature , Vol. 41, No. 2, Study Abroad for Advanced Skills (Oct., 2007), pp. 315-332 5. Ellis, R. (n.d.). Second language acquisiton. In Oxford introductions to language study. (Reprinted from Second language acquisition, pp. 20-21, 2012, Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press)

49. Bibliography Cont. 6. Pellegrino Aveni, V. A. (2005). Study broad and language use. Cabridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. 7. McKinley, J., & Thompson, M. (n.d.). The Globalization of Japanese Higher Education and the FLA Core. Retrieved from http://fla-sir.weebly.com/uploads/2/4/7/1/2471121/ sir33-mckinley_thompson.pdf 8. Eguchi, A. (n.d.). Inside elementary fireign language classrooms: the influence of teachers pedagogical beliefs. Retrieved from http://repository.aichi-edu.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/10424/ 4219/1/claritas222747.pdf

50. Media Resources