Oriented to English: Motivations and Attitudes of Advanced Students in the University Classroom

Abstract

The orientation to English among university students in Japan is a complex and shifting amalgam of attitudes and experiences that shape engagement in the classroom. Although research on learner motivation has highlighted the instrumental value of EFL in terms of imagined identity and investment, motivation is also affected by social factors such as Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) policy and teaching practice encountered prior to university entrance. In this paper, I report on a qualitative analysis of orientations among high proficiency advanced students in a 1st-year EFL class at a large university in Tokyo. Findings suggest that paths of study and admission routes varied widely, that a strong commitment to English was coupled with low levels of confidence, and that orientation seemed to shift noticeably after entering university, as students sensed the possibility of attrition and a reduced scope of English study. At the same time, students welcomed the chance to engage with content and build ideas in English as the role of the EFL classroom took on increased importance. 日本の大学生の英語への指向は一様ではなくその態度やこれまでの経験も様々であり、英語の授業に対する意欲も日々変化している。学習者の動機づけに関する研究は、自己効力感や自己投資に関するEFLの手段的価値を強調しているが、動機づけは同時に文部科学省の方針や高校における入試に対する指導法のような社会的要因にも影響される。本論文では、質的分析の方法を用い、東京の大規模なある大学の上級レベル１年生の英語授業における、学生の英語に対する姿勢を分析した。その結果、大学に入るまでの学習経験や入学形態は様々であること、英語に対する学習意欲は高い反面自信があまりないこと、燃え尽きの可能性や学習範囲の狭窄を感じ始め、大学入学後は英語に対する姿勢が著しく変わること等が分かった。しかし同時に英語で意見を構築する機会を好意的に受け入れ、EFLの授業の役割がより重要になる傾向が示された。

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“…Radiographically, FAO can be characterized by demineralization of the cochlear capsule, known as retrofenestral otosclerosis. This remodeling can cause evolution of SNHL to pure-tone averages (PTAs) in excess of 85 decibels hearing loss (dB HL) (2,3).…”

English-Medium Instruction and the Expanding Role of Language Educators

“…Moreover, the need for learning academic content in English while developing the target language skills seems to be on the rise. For example, English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in Japan seem to be shifting from learning the language per se to acquiring academic content in the language (Anthony, 2016;Koike, 2018;Shea, 2017).…”