This study investigated the changes in attitudes of Japanese first and second grade children who were exposed to microcomputers in school. Eight hundred and three first-and second-grade children were selected from six Japanese public schools. Approximately half of the subjects were selected from urban, suburban, and rural schools using computers, while the remaining subjects were from schools not using computers. The Young Children's Computer Inventory was the instrument used for this study. It was derived from a questionnaire originally developed at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and contained four subscales: Attitudes Toward Computers, Motivation to Study, Empathy, and Creativity. A Japanese language version of the questionnaire was mailed to the principal of each school, where teachers distributed the questionnaires.for the subjects to complete with their parents at home. Ninety-one percent of the students returned completed questionnaires. Demographic information was also collected for each classroom.

This research examined the relationships between the Big Five human personality traits, favorable social conditions, and foreign language classroom speaking confidence. Four research questions were investigated concerning the validity of the Big Five for a Japanese university sample, the composition of Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence, the degree to which the Big Five influenced Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence, and the degree to which perceptions of classroom climate affect Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence. The first stage of the research involved three pilot studies that led to the revision of the Big Five Factor Marker questionnaire and the creation of a new instrument for measuring foreign language classroom speaking confidence that included both cognitive and social factors as theorized in mainstream social anxiety research. The second stage of the research involved the collection and analysis of data from 1,081 participants studying English in 12 universities throughout Japan. Data were analyzed using a triangulation of Rasch analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in order to verify the construct validity of the eleven hypothesized constructs. Following validation of the measurement model, the latent variables were placed into a structural regression model, which was tested by using half of the data set as a calibration sample and confirmed by using the second half of the data set as a validation sample. The results of the study indicated the following: (a) four of the five hypothesized Big Five personality traits were valid for the Japanese sample; (b) Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence comprised three measurement variables, Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Anxiety, Perceived Foreign Language Speaking Self-Competence, and Desire to Speak English; (c) Emotional Stability and Imagination directly influenced Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence, and; (d) Current English Classroom Perception and Perceived Social Value of Speaking English directly influenced Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Confidence. The findings thus demonstrated a link between personality, positive classroom atmosphere, and foreign language classroom speaking confidence. The implications of the findings included the possibility that foreign language anxiety is not situation-specific as theorized, and that improved social relations within the foreign language classroom might help reduce speaking anxiety. / CITE/Language Arts

O presente trabalho é um estudo exploratório de cunho transversal que trata dos usos, funções e representações da Língua Portuguesa (LP) por 110 alunos do 3º ano do Ensino Fundamental I (EFI) de 15 escolas brasileiras no Japão, que foram homologadas pelo MEC/Brasil (EBHJ) e se localizam em áreas de grande concentração de brasileiros no país. A importância da especificidade do perfil dos estudantes se mostrou necessária imprescindível para encontrarmos um parâmetro mais consistente no que concerne à sustentabilidade da LP no grupo, mormente sob uma perspectiva linguisticamente basilar, justificando a delimitação do perfil. O Pacto Nacional de Alfabetização na Idade Certa (PNE/MEC-Brasil) prevê que as crianças devam estar alfabetizadas até o final do 3º ano do EFI (8/9 anos de idade). Essa meta, em qualquer contexto escolar, terá de levar em consideração as oportunidades de letramento emergente significativo a partir da oralidade, que cada criança teve na família e na escola, para constituição/ampliação da memória discursiva, o que facilitará a aprendizagem da leitura e possibilitará uma alfabetização instigante e sem traumas. (TERZI, 1995; ROJO, 1998; MATA, 2006; SEMEGHINI-SIQUEIRA, 2013). Há uma ampla variabilidade de proficiência linguística tanto na língua japonesa como na LP entre os alunos brasileiros no Japão, principalmente para os casos em que a LP já se configura como língua de herança (PEYTON, 2008; FLORES, MELO-PFEIFER, 2014): característica prevalente entre alunos que frequenta(ra)m instituições japonesas, a função social da LP passa a ser limitada por uma série de condições e circunstâncias, resultando em histórias de vida e competências linguísticas singulares, que podem apresentar barreiras, quando da transferência para instituições brasileiras no Japão ou no Brasil. Assim, para esta pesquisa, investigamos um contexto linguisticamente mais estável no que diz respeito à sobrevida da LP em ambiente escolar. Para sua realização, a pesquisa foi dividida em duas etapas: a quantitativa (CONOVER, 1999; AGRESTI, 2002; NUNAN, 2006; CRESWELL, 2007), com a aplicação de um Questionário e de um Simulado da Avaliação Nacional de Alfabetização (ANA), contando com o respaldo do Centro de Estatística Aplicada IME/USP; e da etapa qualitativa (NUNAN, 2006; CRESWELL, 2007), com a análise da produção textual de alguns alunos, utilizando o paradigma indiciário de investigação (GINZBURG, 1989; ABAURRE, FIAD, MAYRINK-SABINSON, 1997). Os resultados apontam para uma relativa estabilidade dos alunos participantes em instituições brasileiras no Japão, particularmente nas instituições em que se encontravam. Esse dado pode ser decorrente da maior conscientização dos pais sobre a problemática das transferências recorrentes, bem como da relativa estabilidade financeira das famílias, em sua maioria composta por pai e mãe como contribuintes para a renda familiar. Em função do predomínio da LP como língua dominante também em casa, na vasta maioria dos casos, não se observou barreiras linguísticas na interação entre pais e filhos. A base sócio-afetiva, construída nas interações sociais em casa e nas EBHJ, parece ter favorecido um ambiente propício para atividades letradas significativas em LP dentro e fora de sala de aula. Foram registradas marcas híbridas, características da oralidade do português brasileiro na produção textual dos alunos que, por sua vez, revelaram-se extremamente ricas do ponto de vista linguístico-discursivo. Tais dados, somados aos obtidos na etapa quantitativa, sinalizam que não haveria obstáculos linguísticos expressivos para a continuidade dos estudos em LP no Brasil ou para a realização de avaliações em larga escala nacionais. / This is an exploratory transverse study of Portuguese use, function and representation by 110 students in the 3rd grade of Elementary School, from 15 community-based schools situated in areas of high concentration of Brazilians in Japan, all of which have been accredited by the Brazilian Government (MEC-Brazil). The thorough specifications concerning the profile of the participants have proved to be essential to gather more consistent parameters concerning the sustainability of Portuguese from a foundational perspective. According to a Brazilian education policy Literacy at the Right Age National Pact (Pacto Nacional de Alfabetização na Idade Certa PNE/MEC-Brazil), children of 8/9 years old are expected to be literate until the end of the 3rd grade of Elementary School. In order to achieve such goal, in any educational context, meaningful emergent literacy based on oral skills is necessary as it will build/broaden childrens discourse memory, facilitating the process of learning reading and writing skills in a more significant way and without traumas (TERZI, 1995; ROJO, 1998; MATA, 2006; SEMEGHINI-SIQUEIRA, 2013). Portuguese or Japanese language proficiency of Brazilian students in Japan differs a lot from one learner to another, especially for those to whom Portuguese can be considered a heritage language (PEYTON, 2008; FLORES, MELOPFEIFER, 2014). Mostly common among those who have studied in Japanese schools, in these cases, the social function of Portuguese is limited by various conditions and circumstances, resulting in diverse idiosyncrasies both in the learners life stories and Portuguese competence levels, which may impose barriers when transferred to Brazilian schools in Japan or in Brazil. For this reason, we have investigated a more linguistically stable context concerning the use of Portuguese in a school environment. For the purposes of this research, we have integrated the quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative data (CONOVER, 1999; AGRESTI, 2002; NUNAN, 2006; CRESWELL, 2007) was obtained by using questionnaires and the National Literacy Evaluation (Avaliação Nacional de Alfabetização ANA/MEC Brazil) Mock Exam. As for processing the data, we had the support of the Department of Applied Statistics from the Institute of Mathematics and Statistics of University of São Paulo. As for the qualitative data, which consisted of textual analysis of the learners, the methodology used was the evidential paradigm (GINZBURG, 1989; ABAURRE, FIAD, MAYRINK-SABINSON, 1997). The results obtained indicate that within the group there had not been many pupils transferred from Brazilian to Japanese schools or the other way round, as the majority had been studying in the same institution for a significant period. It might be due to the fact that the parents are more aware of the well-known problematics surrounding the recurrent transferences. It may also be related to the financial stability of these families, mostly with both mother and father contributing to home income. In the vast majority of the families, Portuguese was the mother tongue, therefore, there were no linguistic barriers. The social and affective foundations constructed in social interactions at home and/or in the accredited Brazilian schools seem to have created an optimal condition for development of meaningful literacy practices in Portuguese inside and outside the classroom. In the analyzed texts, it has been registered hybrid structures which are typically found in oral discourses by students in Brazil, which turned out to be quite revealing from the linguistic and discursive perspectives. The data and the analysis indicate that there would not be linguistic hindrances for these students neither to continue their studies in Brazil nor to take Brazilian national examinations.

The study examined three Japanese junior high-school English teachers’ initial years of full-time employment. It investigated the type of pedagogical puzzles these teachers experienced, how their practice developed over 18 months, and my role as a Teacher of Teachers (TOT). Drawing on linguistic ethnography, this study took an ethnographic approach to understanding the teachers’ social context and used techniques from discourse analysis to consider how they interpreted their puzzles and constructed their practice. These techniques were also used to analyze my working relationship with the teachers. The purpose of this endeavor was to contribute to the understanding of novice teacher development in an ‘expanding circle’ country. Over the course of the study, I observed the teachers’ classes and interviewed them once or twice a month. Using the coding of interview transcripts and class fieldnotes, I identified Critical Incidents that represented the teachers’ pedagogical puzzles and typical practice, as well as my role as a TOT. Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory(CHAT), I analyzed how elements of the social context brought about the teachers’ pedagogical puzzles and affected their capacity to address them. Coding of the interviews and a microanalysis of the interactions showed my role as a TOT. Overall, the CIs gave an emic portrait of each teacher’s experience and my efforts to support them. The pedagogical puzzles the teachers faced were a result of their personal histories and school conditions. These puzzles did not change, which indicates that teachers will face complex issues that cannot be resolved. Understanding them, however, can promote teacher development. Applying CHAT, I could identify the conditions that helped determine the types of pedagogy in which teachers engaged. I tried to fulfill my role as a TOT by conducting a form of reflective practice (RP). An examination of the RP I conducted with the teachers challenged the notion that it involves the sequential steps of identifying issues, attempting to resolve them, and reflecting on one’s efforts. This dissertation concludes with a discussion about the contributions it has made toward the field of English teacher development: using CHAT to understand the English teaching experiences, the development of an understanding of RP as it can be carried out in the field, an understanding of novice teachers in expanding circle countries, and the value of linguistic ethnography for researching novice teachers.

The goal of this project is to design an effective way for Japanese high school students to improve their English communication skills through internationalized, computer-mediated instruction.

This study investigates the application of the world Englishes (WE) paradigm to English language teaching (ELT) in the higher education context of Japan, as well as the possible application of competing paradigms that also work within a pluricentric view of English: English as an International Language (EIL) and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). The Chukyo University Department of World Englishes (DWE), within the College of World Englishes, serves as the primary site of inquiry. A main focus of the study is to explore the development of a broader concept of World Englishes for educational contexts. A literature review of work in the three fields of WE, EIL, and ELF was conducted, as well as a literature review of leading work in the field of English language curriculum design. The literature reviews establish a baseline of what is currently known in these fields. To provide additional answers to the research questions for this study, three sets of qualitative data were obtained and analyzed: a survey of graduates of the DWE since 2006, a survey of teachers in the DWE, and a series of observations of actual classes within the DWE. A coding scheme was designed for each of the two survey instruments to facilitate their analysis, which was used to report on and analyze the survey data, as well as incorporating actual excerpts from the raw data, to better illustrate and support particular trends or commonalities expressed in the data. The classroom observations were written up in the form of ‘vignettes’ from which further analysis could be made and triangulated with the data from the two surveys. These results were then interpreted to report the findings of the study, and a series of themes were identified that showed potential areas to focus on for curriculum enhancements. These include: the overcoming of shyness in Japanese students, the insufficiency of communicative language teaching (CLT) within a 4-skills curriculum, the applicability of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in Japanese higher education, the need for more academic and business/professional education, the concept of world mindedness, the overall relevance of the WE/EIL/ELF paradigms, and the concept of ‘Educated English’ (Kachru 2003, Bamgbose 1982), as an objective for the Expanding Circle. The concept of Educated English in particular, has heretofore been underexplored in Expanding Circle WE research. The study concludes that based on the needs of students in the DWE, and more widely in Japan and across other Expanding Circle contexts, a broader concept of WE is necessary to better inform ELT curricular and pedagogical practices. The goal of working towards educated Japanese English as an outcome is more realistic for higher proficiency, highly motivated students, and the study concludes that ELT pedagogy to realize this goal is better suited to creation of an honors track, and general track, in the DWE and other institutions. Ultimately, the thesis contributes new insights into creating a broader concept of WE, drawing on research from competing paradigms, and posits a more suitable model of English pedagogy for Expanding Circle users of English.

This study investigates the application of the world Englishes (WE) paradigm to English language teaching (ELT) in the higher education context of Japan, as well as the possible application of competing paradigms that also work within a pluricentric view of English: English as an International Language (EIL) and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). The Chukyo University Department of World Englishes (DWE), within the College of World Englishes, serves as the primary site of inquiry. A main focus of the study is to explore the development of a broader concept of World Englishes for educational contexts. A literature review of work in the three fields of WE, EIL, and ELF was conducted, as well as a literature review of leading work in the field of English language curriculum design. The literature reviews establish a baseline of what is currently known in these fields. To provide additional answers to the research questions for this study, three sets of qualitative data were obtained and analyzed: a survey of graduates of the DWE since 2006, a survey of teachers in the DWE, and a series of observations of actual classes within the DWE. A coding scheme was designed for each of the two survey instruments to facilitate their analysis, which was used to report on and analyze the survey data, as well as incorporating actual excerpts from the raw data, to better illustrate and support particular trends or commonalities expressed in the data. The classroom observations were written up in the form of ‘vignettes’ from which further analysis could be made and triangulated with the data from the two surveys. These results were then interpreted to report the findings of the study, and a series of themes were identified that showed potential areas to focus on for curriculum enhancements. These include: the overcoming of shyness in Japanese students, the insufficiency of communicative language teaching (CLT) within a 4-skills curriculum, the applicability of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in Japanese higher education, the need for more academic and business/professional education, the concept of world mindedness, the overall relevance of the WE/EIL/ELF paradigms, and the concept of ‘Educated English’ (Kachru 2003, Bamgbose 1982), as an objective for the Expanding Circle. The concept of Educated English in particular, has heretofore been underexplored in Expanding Circle WE research. The study concludes that based on the needs of students in the DWE, and more widely in Japan and across other Expanding Circle contexts, a broader concept of WE is necessary to better inform ELT curricular and pedagogical practices. The goal of working towards educated Japanese English as an outcome is more realistic for higher proficiency, highly motivated students, and the study concludes that ELT pedagogy to realize this goal is better suited to creation of an honors track, and general track, in the DWE and other institutions. Ultimately, the thesis contributes new insights into creating a broader concept of WE, drawing on research from competing paradigms, and posits a more suitable model of English pedagogy for Expanding Circle users of English.