The Pedagogical Significance of - D-VECS2016/11/27 · 1 JALT 2016: 42nd Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning Nagoya 2016/11/27 The Pedagogical Significance

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JALT 2016: 42nd Annual International Conference on

Language Teaching and Learning

Nagoya 2016/11/27

The Pedagogical Significance of

Japanese University Students’ Short-

Term Overseas English Programs

Slides NOW available at

http://www.d-vecs.jp/Nishikawa/files/20161127_JALT2016_presentation.pdf/

Masako Nishikawa-Van Eester

Nishogakusha University

Masako Nishikawa – Van Eester

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Japanese Students Studying Abroad

(MEXT 2016)


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Japanese Attending Summer (Short-

Term) Overseas Programs 2016 Ryugaku Journal Inc.

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Nishogakusha University

A Three-Week Program in Australia


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Intensive English training course as

one of the major projects in the

university’s“SpecialEnglishProgram”

launched in the AY 2013

– targeted non-Eng. majored Sts

Where: Brisbane, Australia

When: August

How much: 530,000JPY - (2015)


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In Tokyo

o Before going

• Orientation x 3 (self-introduction-essay writing,

interviews, etc)

• Seminar and Guidance by a guest lecturer

regarding the security and risk management

abroad

http://www.nishogakusha-u.ac.jp/news/h27kikikanri_seminar2.htm

o After coming back

• Presentation

• Submission of the assignments


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Seminar at our university (Tokyo)


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Closed class system (vs. Open class)

- at the official attached language

school (TESOL department) of one of

the largest universities in Australia

(world ranking: #46

http://www.topuniversities.com/)

Home stay (the accommodation

office)


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Class size: max 19

Home stay (the accommodation

office)

A.M.: class meetings (lessons)

P.M.: class meeting (lesson) plus

activities after school

Lunch at Food Court (AUS$10 - )


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“OutsideClassroom”activitiessuch

as city walk (and reporting back in the

class) and school excursions (a day

trip to the rainforest, zoo, etc.)

Lecture by one of the university

teaching staff researching the

historical background of the relation

between Japan and Australia

(90 min x 2)


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Tokyo Staff in Brisbane

2 instructors from Tokyo & 1

administrator univ. office staff

(International Center)

o 1st half: 1st instructor & 1 administrator

o 2nd half: 2nd instructor (1 day overlap)

oCoordination (going in-between)

o Assistance

o Evaluation (both the language school

and our students)

2 credits x 2 courses back in Tokyo


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Students’dailywork


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Students’Comments

and Self-Evaluation English proficiency

o Pre-test (placement test) & Post-test

(evaluation): only a tiny difference (slightly

improved)

o 4 skills (improved or not)

Reading – not really

Writing – no

Speaking – yes !

Listening – possibly


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Students’Comments

and Self-Evaluation

• “Inthebeginning,IwastooshyandIgot

oftenfrozenwhenIhadtosay…,BUT,

afterthefirstweek,…..”

• “Iwassonervousandalmostgoingtocry

when I met my host family for the first

time,BUT,…“

• “WhenIrealizedthatIhadnochoice,I

startedspeakingEnglish.”


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Students’Comments

and Self-Evaluation • “TheAustralianteacherswereingeneral

so easy to understand (of course some

spokefasteranditwasdifficultthen…”

• “OurAustralianteachersweresuper

friendly, which made us feel at ease

immediatelyafterthefirstlesson.”

• “Bytheendoftheprogram,mostofus

could understand almost everything of

what our teachers (2 female instructors)

said. Masako Nishikawa – Van Eester

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Students’Comments

and Self-Evaluation

• “Myhostfamilyhadanotherforeign

student from China, and she helped me a

lotduringmystayoverthere…”

• “Thelocalpeoplewereabitdifficultto

understand, but in general, they were very

friendly and looked like to be used to

foreigners’Englishes…”


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Students’Comments

and Self-Evaluation

• “Thereisalmostnotimedifference(1

hour) and it was easy (physically) and I

could contact my family without worrying

aboutthetiminginTokyo.”


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Students’Comments

and Self-Evaluation

• “Becausewewerefromasmalluniversity,

I found the host school (univ.) over-

whelming. On campus, they have bus

stations, lakes and hills, shopping streets

and restaurants, supermarkets, a bank, a

post office, a barber, etc. I often got lost in

the univ., but someone helped me –

always. Of course I needed English for

that,whichwasalsoverygood.”


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Students’Comments

and Self-Evaluation

• “Knowingisonethingandrealizingis

another. I had to really understand English

in this context in Brisbane and then I

realized the meaning of living in the

English-speakingenvironment.”

• “WhenIhadaproblemwithmyhost

family, the univ. staff, both Tokyo and

Brisbane,helpedmealotwhileIdidn’t

knowhowtoexplainthesituation.” Masako Nishikawa – Van Eester

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One of the Incidents • One early evening, a student got bitten by

a (stray?) cat.

• It was after all not so serious, but he called

the Tokyo instructor (at a hotel in

Brisbane) in panic.

• As directed, he managed to call an

ambulance(now,thisisAMAZING…)


Rabies!?

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Last Two Years

• Everyone: It was a wonderful experience.

No regret at all I joined the program

• Most: I want to go back to the univ. in

Brisbane

• Some: I want to go back to Australia.

• A few: I want to go abroad (English

speaking areas) to study

• Most: I want to continue to study English.


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http://www.d-vecs.jp/Nishikawa/ [email protected]

Thank you very much !


Documents

The Pedagogical Significance of - D-VECS2016/11/27 · 1 JALT 2016: 42nd Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning Nagoya 2016/11/27 The Pedagogical Significance