Impact of Informal language acquisition
through Study Abroad Experience
Kyle Lipscombe
Advisors:
Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott
Dr. Chikaomi Takahashi
Outline
 Significance of Study
 Research Question
 Research Background
 Background 1
 Background 2
 Background 3
 Research Method
 Research Findings
 Conclusion
 Bibliography
 Acknowledgements
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 .
Research Questions
 In what ways does studying abroad help to reduce
speaking anxiety?
 What social activities contribute to attaining higher
language proficiency and why?
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
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
.
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
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 .
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
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.
Japanese Students that study
Abroad
Japanese Students Studying Abroad
45,000
Number of students
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
US
40,086
36,062
34,010
28,783
24,622
UK
6,200
5,706
4,465
3,871
3,354
Canada
1,551
933
1,908
1,847
1,815
Germany
2,000
2,039
1,858
1,778
1,784
Austalia
3,976
3,249
2,974
2,701
2,413
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
International students in Japan
Nation wide (2008)
450,000
400,000
350,000
300,000
250,000
Series1
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
United States
Germany
France
Australia
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
Foreign students in Japan
Exchange students in Japan
Axis Title
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Middle east
667
797
842
923
981
1,112
Africa
935
989
1,084
1,159
1,203
1,106
1,008
1,050
1,035
926
Latin America
1,088
1,024
Europe
3,307
3,547
3,819
4,033
4,390
4,435
US
2,076
3,547
2,343
2,576
2,706
2,435
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
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
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.
Language Teaching in Japan
Cont.
 Communication Based Instruction: Aims to
develop Communicative competency.
This graph shows the reasons why Japanese teachers don’t
use CBI in their classrooms
Nishino, T. (2008)
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
ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines
 Levels of proficiency:
 Distinguished
 Superior
 Advanced
 Intermediate
 Novice
 Teaches: Speaking, Writing, Reading and listening in
real world, spontaneous situations
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
st
21
century skills map
 Communication
 Flexibility and Adaptability
 Collaboration
 Initiative and Self-Direction
 Critical Thinking and
 Social And Cross-cultural




Problem Solving
Creative and Innovation
Information Literacy
Media Literacy
Technology Literacy
Skills
 Productivity and
Accountability
 Leadership and
responsibility
Ways to improve language
competency.
 Formal ( inside the classroom) language learning
 Informal (outside of a classroom) language learning
 Study abroad
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”
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)
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
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
The study
 In what ways does studying abroad help to reduce
speaking anxiety?
 What social activities contribute to attaining higher
language proficiency and why?
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:

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
Research question 1:
 In what ways does studying abroad help to reduce
speaking anxiety?
I feel more anxious when my teacher has me speak in
my target language during class
Japanese students
33%
27%
0%
Strongly
Disagree
0%
Disagree
20%
20%
33%
33%
33%
Somewhat
agree
agree
Strongly
agree
After studying abroad
Before studying abroad
American students show a more than 75% anxiety reduction after studying
abroad.
Japanese students nearly 50% reduction
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
I am nervous when I know I have to speak in
public
American and Japanese students constant public speaking
anxiety.
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.
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
A fear of making mistakes when talking in
my target language forces me to talk slower
American Students
Japanese students
27%
17%
20%
21%
60%
67%
29%
47%
17%
17%
0%
strongly
disagree
33%
20%
10%
disagree
10%
somewhat
agree
After studying abroad
agree
Strongly
agree
Before studying abroad
0%
Strongly
disagree
0%
Disagree
Somewhat
agree
Before studying abroad
Americans show over 50% decline in their anxiety
Japanese show a 13% decline
Agree
7%
0%
Strongly agree
After studying abroad
I believe that my peers speak better than
me when speaking in my target language
Japanese students
American students
13%
17%
17%
21%
27%
29%
67%
17%
30%
30%
47%
33%
20%
10%
Strongly
disagree
10%
Disagree
Somewhat
agree
After studying abroad
Agree
Strongly
agree
Before Study abroad
Americans show less than 50% decline
Japanese students over a 75% decline
7%
0%
Strongly
disagree
7%
0%
Disagree
0%
Somewhat
agree
Before studying abroad
Agree
Storngly agree
After studying abroad
The thought that I need to speak perfectly
in my target language makes me feel
anxious.
Japanese students
53%
20%
33%
0%
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
13%
33%
33%
Somewwhat
agree
After studying abroad
13%
0%
agree
Strongly
agree
Before studying abroad
50% of Japanese students show decrease
Americans show almost 50% decrease
Being unprepared for a conversation with a
native speaker in my target language makes
me feel anxious
American students
Japanese Students
13%
40%
33%
27%
50%
25%
21%
20%
8%
Disagree
33%
20%
10%
0%
Strongly
disagree
Somewhat
agree
After studying abroad
Agree
20%
Strongly
agree
Before studying abroad
7%
0%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
33%
Somewhat
agree
Before studying abraod
American students show more than a 50% decrease in Anxiety
Japanese students show only a 13% decrease
33%
7%
0%
Agree
Strongly agree
After studying abroad
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
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.
Research Question 2
 What social activities contribute to attaining higher
language proficiency and why?
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
What social activities contribute to attaining
higher language proficiency
Japanese students
87%
62%
50.00%
50.00%
87%
50%
100%
50%
12%
12%
0%
25%
38%
37.50%
25%
24%
0%
school
club:Japan
parttime job
group party
Not effective
37.50%
50%
attended
classes
together
0%
internatiol
dorm
37.50%
0%
12%
language
café
12%
group
traveling
Somewhat effective
24%
0%
hiking
social forum
effective
For Japanese students: living in an international dorm, language
café’s and school clubs are among the best ways to gain higher
proficiency
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.
 Nearly all Japanese participants said living in an
international dorm was effective
 Under half of Americans said it was effective
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.
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.
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.
Bibliography
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Gillian Lord
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Gail F. Taillefer
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Dan P. Dewey
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Christopher S. Thompson
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Media Resources
Acknowledgements