An investigation into implementing out-of-class English support in one Japanese University.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the potential for an out-of-class EFL programme to be established in a Japanese university in the context of the globalisation of higher educational institutions according to MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) policies. The methodology centres on a mixed methods approach with the analysis of two parts each with two steps. Part 1 was an external evaluation consisting of (1) interviews and (2) visits to five other comparable universities with established programmes. Part 2 was an internal evaluation consisting of (1) a survey of students’ perceptions of learning English and (2) the feedback from two facilitators who lead a trial out-of-class English programme over a one-year period. Results from the external evaluation indicate that without the support of the institution, faculty-led initiatives will result in small programmes with limited facilities while institution-led initiatives have the potential to create a larger impact within the institution. The internal evaluation revealed a number of hindrances to implementing an out-of-class programme including perceptions of the students’ foreign language learning and how they like to pass their time out of class. Points for the university to consider are recommended. While this investigation focuses on one university at a set time, others in similar situations may find the results of interest to themselves.