Kanji Learning by FL Students from Character and Non-character Based Language Backgrounds – Report from a Foreign Language Class

Abstract

This is classroom-based action research to develop a subject syllabus. The subject aims to improve the kanji learning of learners from both character (CB) and non-character based (NCB) language backgrounds. This paper reports the first phase of a three year long project to develop the proposed subject. It investigates the performance of CB and NCB learners at the beginning and end of a pilot course of the subject. The objectives of the study is to obtain a broad picture of the CB and NCB speaker groups’ kanji performance in order to locate possible areas of difficulty for the further examination. The findings indicate advantages of a character based language background for learning kanji. However, the two groups did not show much difference in reading kanji which had been formally introduced in class. Neither group could easily correct kanji reading or writing errors by themselves.