Japanese Learners Research Articles

Simulation-based training of endoscopic hemostasis for Japanese pediatric endoscopy learners: a pilot program

Background and AimsEndoscopic hemostasis training, often in emergencies, can be challenging for pediatric endoscopists. This study aimed to establish hands-on seminar sessions using the novel clip hemostasis simulator, and to explore the underlying concerns about endoscopic hemostasis among pediatric endoscopists and the potential of simulator-based training (SBT). MethodsA SBT course was incorporated into seminars by the Japanese Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. Surveys with Visual Analog Scale (VAS, 0-100) completed by consenting pediatricians during four seminars from October 2021 to March 2023, were compared with the responses of adult gastrointestinal (GI) residents and junior residents. ResultsFifty-two pediatric endoscopists (median age 31, PGY 7) were enrolled. A median VAS score of 47 (IQR 23.5-65) for understanding endoscopic hemostasis, significantly lower than adult GI residents (median 76, IQR 58-82, P<0.001) and comparable to junior residents (median 54, IQR 50-65). Pediatric endoscopists' confidence in independently performing hemostasis was low, with a median score of 0 (IQR 0-16.5), below adult GI residents (median 67, IQR 49-77, P<0.001) and junior residents (median 11.5, IQR 10-39, P=0.014). Regarding skill enhancement by SBT, a median score of 94.5 showed high and no significant difference from junior residents and adult GI residents. All pediatric endoscopists expressed interest in repeated SBT sessions. Discussion and Future ProspectsPediatric endoscopists were concerned about their competence in endoscopic hemostasis. The simplified SBT programs with the simulator, may potentially improve their skills and confidence.

The Effects of Task-Based Instruction on Japanese EFL Learners' Communicative Confidence and Willingness to Communicate

The Effects of Task-Based Instruction on Japanese EFL Learners' Communicative Confidence and Willingness to Communicate

Interlanguage Pragmatic Competence of University Students: An Error Analysis of Apology Speech Act Strategies in Japanese Learners

While acquiring a second language, learners may encounter challenges and difficulties in effectively carrying out verbal communication in the second language. Mastering the apology speech act is a challenge for L2 learners. The objective of this study is to identify the apology strategies utilized by individuals learning the Japanese language, as well as the specific types and underlying causes of errors produced during the execution of apologetic speech acts. The results of this study were gathered via the Discourse Completion Test (DCT), which encompassed a sample of 150 Japanese language learners. The gathered data were further classified using eight semantic formulas based on the research conducted by Haristiani and Sopiyanti (2019), while the various types and sources of error categorization were conducted based on the theories proposed by Corder (1981) and Richards (1975). The results of this study suggest that Japanese learners utilize the same primary strategies in apology speech acts. Furthermore, the study findings indicated that learners at the intermediate level displayed a higher frequency of errors in their speech compared to learners at the beginner levels and pre-intermediate levels, particularly in the strategy of taking responsibility. The main reason for this was primarily a lack of familiarity with the conventions of sentence structures, the proper use of language, and the appropriate use of expressions. The other sources of errors in language learning are likely to be ignoring language rule restrictions, incomplete application of rules, the learner’s false hypothesis, overgeneralization, and language transfer. This study is anticipated to function as a point of reference for research in interlanguage pragmatics, second-language acquisition, and error analysis. Gaining comprehension of the various problems and difficulties encountered when performing the speech act of apology in Japanese can assist both learners and educators in reducing these errors.

Prompting learners to use target language forms: Elicitation practices in one-on-one instructional sessions

This paper explores instructor elicitation practices used in mandatory one-on-one instructional sessions to prompt learners of Japanese to incorporate specific linguistic items in their responses. Specifically, the study is based on a corpus of 15 h of video-recorded interactions in a study abroad program in Japan. Drawing on multimodal conversation analysis, the study investigates: (1) how instructors design and sequentially place elicitations to prompt learners to use a specific target language form while engaging in meaning-focused activities; and (2) how these elicitation designs and placements affect the accomplishment of the intended pedagogical goal. The findings contribute to the understanding of elicitation practices for specific pedagogical purposes and yield empirically based insights that can inform interactional decisions.

Effects of Reading-While-Listening and Reading Only on Reading Comprehension of Japanese High School EFL Learners

Effects of Reading-While-Listening and Reading Only on Reading Comprehension of Japanese High School EFL Learners

The Analysis of Adjunct to Refusal Expressions in a Refusal Discourse: A Contrastive Study between Japanese Native Speakers and Indonesian Japanese Learners

The study reports on the analysis of Adjunct to Refusal Expressions used by Japanese Native Speaker (JNS) and Indonesian Japanese Learners (IJL) in a refusal discourse. The aims are to see whether both use Adjunct to Refusal Expressions in a refusal interaction and to observe what type of expressions they use when refusing in the interaction, investigating the similarities and differences in their use from the first refusal stage to the stage where the intent of refusal is accepted by the refusee. The mixed method research involved 60 participants consisting of 30 pairs JNS female university students and 30 pairs of IJL female university students. The male students were not involved in this study due to the lack numbers of those learning Japanese language in the university. IJL students represented beginner and intermediate levels (N5, N4, and N3). The data were collected by situating the participants in a role play based on the setting given while being videotaped. The setting is a refusal to a close friend’s request. The data were analyzed by using a semantic formula framework, focusing on Adjunct to Refusal expressions modified from Beebe et al (1990), Yoshida (2015) and Hayati (2020, 2023). The results showed that both JNS and IJL employed Adjunct to Refusal expressions in their refusal discourse. There was no significant difference in the use of Adjunct to Refusal by JNS and IJL with χ2(1) = 1.270, p = .2597. However, JNS used higher Adjunct to Refusal expressions (46,7%) than IJL (33,3%). Further, their preferences in using certain type of Adjunct to Refusal expressions were similar in that they highly used information request type, whereas the differences could be seen from the absent use of confusion as Adjunct to refusal in JNS and that of backchannel response in IJL.

Identification of Mora in Sokuon, Tan’on, and Chouon by Japanese language learners in Indonesia

Japanese is regarded as mora-timed, while Indonesian is syllable-timed because it provides equal weight and time for all syllables. Indonesian learners are struggling in differentiating one mora and two moras, and single consonant and double consonants. This study investigated Indonesian respondents’ ability to identify double consonants (sokuon), short vowels (tan’on) dan long vowels (chouon). 62 Indonesian respondents were involved as they were asked to listen carefully to a set of sounds containing the three distinctive sounds once and to write the sentence they heard. The result showed that 18% of 62 respondents fail to identify the short vowel (tan’on) because they omit certain sounds, change the word form inaccurately and put words in the inaccurate position when they write the sentence. In identifying double consonants (sokuon), 11% of 62 respondents failed because they inaccurately changed the word form when writing the sentence. In identifying long vowels (chouon), only 6% of 62 respondents failed because they added unnecessary sounds and changed the word form inaccurately. In conclusion, although Japanese and Indonesian languages are different in their rhythm classes, Indonesian learners’ ability to identify the distinctive sounds of the Japanese language is relatively high although listening to the material more than once.

Delving into L2 Learners’ Perspective: Exploring the Role of Individual Differences in Self-Evaluation of L2 Speech Learning

Misalignment between second language (L2) self-perception and actual ability is often observed among L2 learners. In order to further understand this phenomenon, the current study investigated how the roles of individual differences (IDs; especially experiential and cognitive IDs) influence the learners’ self-assessment accuracy. To this end, L2 speech samples elicited from 97 Japanese learners of English were analyzed via self-evaluation and expert evaluations. Subsequently, learners’ IDs profiles, including working memory, phonological memory, implicit learning and auditory processing, were linked to (a) the gap between self- and expert evaluation scores and (b) the type of inaccurate self-evaluation (i.e., overconfident vs. underconfident evaluations). The study illustrates the complex relationships between L2 learners’ linguistic knowledge, cognitive abilities, experiential profiles and self-perception.

Probing Socio-Pragmatic Skills of L2 Learners of Indonesian on Japanese Politeness

This study explores how learners of Japanese as a foreign language in Indonesia comprehend and use Japanese politeness. Many linguists mentioned that socio-pragmatic skills can be developed in a classroom. This skill is essential for L2 learners to master communication in L2, such as how to build and express turn-taking, eye contact and give attention to the interlocutors. Therefore, this study aims to prove whether Indonesian learners of Japanese could use appropriate socio-pragmatic skills, focusing on Japanese politeness in a conversation setting. The subjects are 120 students from two universities whose level of Japanese skills is on the A2-B1 CERF level. We use the role-play method and set a one-on-one conversation/interview setting. Our findings demonstrate that most Indonesian students had difficulty comprehending the concept of ‘Tachiba’, meaning the place where one stands in a Japanese conversation. Most student participants could not yet grasp the social and interaction level. However, in some cases, Japanese politeness in context meaning is found.

Factors Causing Overpassivisation of Unaccusative Verbs by Japanese Learners of English

It has been reported that second language (L2) learners of English including Japanese learners of English (JLEs) overpassivise unaccusative verbs although it is a kind of intransitive verbs. In order to account for the phenomenon, several assumptions have been proposed. However, so far, it is unclear which assumption is the most effective for explaining the overpassivisation of unaccusatives. Thus, this study tries to examine which of the three factors, animacy of subjects, existence of conceptualizable agents, or telicity of verbs, the most strongly affects overpassivisation of unaccusative verbs by JLEs. In this study, we conducted two experiments to examine this question. Study 1 was conducted with 100 university JLEs to compare the effect of animacy of subjects with that of the existence of conceptualizable agents. As a result, it was found that the animacy of subjects more strongly affected the overpassivisation of unaccusatives than the existence of conceptualizable agents. We conducted Study 2 with 101 university JLEs to examine which of the two factors, the existence of conceptualizable agents or the degree of telicity, is more influential. The results showed that the former was influential, but the latter was less so on the overpassivisation of unaccusatives. From the results of the two experiments, we concluded that the animacy of subject is the strongest influential factor among the three. On the other hand, the telicity of verbs hardly influences any errors.

Language Education, Gender, and Inclusivity: Focusing on Japanese Language Education in Sri Lanka

The female population in Japanese language education in Sri Lanka is remarkably high compared to male population. Not only learners, but the number of female teachers also outsmart the male teachers. However, this kind of gender distribution is not something specific to Japanese language education. Research has highlighted that in many parts of the world male has less interest in learning languages than female. Some studies prove that boys think that learning foreign languages would not lead them to lucrative careers and some believe that language learning is not something 'real boys' do or are good at. Nonetheless, when considering the number of Sri Lankans who apply for visa to enter Japan, male population is significantly higher than females. In recent years specialists in Information Technology have more tendency to get job placements in Japan. Further, in 2019 Japan has opened its doors to Sri Lanka for a visa category called Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) which offers 4 employment fields from Sri Lanka. To apply for SSW visa, one should clear a language competency test and skill test of the relevant field. Does the increase in employment opportunities in Japan has any impact on the attitudes of language learning among male population? Thus, this paper explores current situation of the Japanese Language education in Sri Lanka focusing on gender distribution. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods are used in gathering and analysing data. The findings show that though there is a growth of male population among learners the attitudes towards learning Japanese are not changing as fast as the rapidly growing enthusiasm to work in Japan. Though there are new opportunities in Japan, if language competency is not recognized as a soft skill that goes beyond gender stereotype, we will fail to gain the best from the available paths. Further, changes towards inclusiveness in the curriculum as well as inclusiveness in the recruiters are given as recommendations to improve the current situation.

Basic study of kanji recognition patterns in non-kanji-background Japanese learners based on eye-movement analysis

Learning kanji is one of the greatest challenges that non-kanji-background Japanese learners face. Kanji have a complicated structure and are fundamentally different from the characters of the Latin alphabet. Recognising them can thus be difficult for learners from places whose writing systems do not include kanji. Studies on the fixation and eye movements observed in kanji recognition by such learners are therefore important to clarify the kanji-recognition and -learning process. The present study attempts to shed light on this subject by using an eye-tracker to study such eye movements.&#x0D; The analysis of the data obtained from the fixation and eye-movement experiments shows that students exhibit different kanji recognition patterns depending on how long they have been studying kanji: while students who have been studying kanji for a short time tend to look repeatedly at different parts of the kanji to grasp its shape and structure, those with more experience exhibit a pattern more similar to that of native Japanese speakers.

Investigating Motivations of Learning Languages Other Than English: A Case of Learners of Japanese in Thailand

Current theories about learning a second language might not fully explain why people want to learn languages other than English (LOTE) in the context of globalization and multilingualism. This study adopted and adjusted Huang’s (2021) motivational dimensions for LOTE learners, specifically focusing on those who learn LOTE as a third language (L3), as is common in Thailand. It aimed to explore the motivations of 167 Thai students in higher education when choosing to study Japanese, using a questionnaire and a focus group. The findings indicate that Culture/Community Interest and Instrumentality-Promotion significantly influence motivation. On the other hand, Instrumentality-Prevention and Intended Learning Effort are closely related and exhibit the least influence. The findings also showed that students’ motivations change depending on their year of study. Third- and fourth-year students valued practical benefits the most, while second-year students were more interested in the culture and community of the target language. In addition, the research also examined students’ perceptions of multilingual learning. This research helps educators, linguists, and policymakers understand why students want to study Japanese and to create effective teaching strategies tailored to students’ interests.

드라마를 활용한 한⋅일 피동표현 연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to contrast passive expressions in Korean and Japanese utilizing drama. Since human language use serves as a tool for communication, passive expressions, frequently used in real-life situations, carry significant meaning. Although Korean and Japanese share similarities in vocabulary and syntactic structures, differences arise based on the concept and conditions of passivity. Moreover, Korean passive expressions exhibit a greater variety and lower productivity compared to Japanese, necessitating a systematic comparative study.&#x0D; Methods First, analyzing the drama ‘Misaeng,’ consisting of 20 episodes aired on tvN, transcripts of Korean dialogue and Japanese subtitles were compiled. The expressions and frequencies of suffix passive, syntactic passive, and lexical passive were extracted from the Korean dialogue. Second, the expressions and frequencies of passivity were extracted from the Japanese subtitles. Third, corresponding patterns and frequencies of passivity in both languages were determined, compared, and analyzed. Fourth, examples of passive expressions in Korean and Japanese were presented.&#x0D; Results Upon analyzing Korean and Japanese passive expressions, results revealed a total of 121 instances of suffix passive, with the ‘-이’ suffix being the most frequently used (56 instances), followed by ‘-리,’ ‘-히-,’ and ‘-기-’ in descending order. Syntactic passive amounted to 25 instances, with ‘-어지다’ occurring 19 times and ‘-게되다’ appearing 6 times. Lexical passive totaled 123 instances, with ‘-되다’ accounting for 83 occurrences, ‘-받다’ for 27, and ‘-당하다’ for 13. When Korean was in the passive form, and Japanese was not, a total of 176 instances were identified. This included 67 cases of suffix passive, 13 of syntactic passive, and 96 of lexical passive. Conversely, when Japanese was in the passive form, and Korean was not, a total of 226 instances were observed. This encompassed 27 instances of suffix passive, 57 of syntactic passive, and 76 of lexical passive. Additionally, there were 66 instances of Japanese passive that did not correspond to Korean passive expressions.&#x0D; Conclusions This study systematically examined and compared passive expressions in Korean and Japanese by analyzing subtitles in dramas, specifically focusing on the patterns of corresponding and non-corresponding passivity. The analysis revealed distinct differences rather than commonalities in passive expressions between the two languages, and through various examples, linguistic and cultural disparities were highlighted. The practical investigation of passive expressions in Korean and Japanese serves as foundational material for Japanese learners studying Korean, offering valuable insights into language and cultural differences.&#x0D;

A CASE STUDY OF ARGUMENT PATTERNS IN JAPAN AND KOREAN EFL LEARNERS’ ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Argumentation is crucial in education in activating students’ critical thinking and increasing their ability in thinking reflectively. TAP model as an integrated assessment framework could be used to measure their critical thinking. Thus, the aims of the study are (1) to identify the elements of the argument structures in the Japanese and Korean EFL learners’ argumentative essays, based on the (adapted) Toulmin model, (2) to evaluate the quality of the Japanese and Korean EFL learners’ argumentative writing based on the uses of the Toulmin Argument Pattern (TAP), and (3) to determine whether female and male learners have the same or different quality of argument pattern. A qualitative descriptive research design and a library research approach were carried out on this study to answer the research questions. Library research was used to collect sources and evaluate the sources taken from the ICNALE and sophisticated contrastive interlanguage analysis of Asian learners of English. The data sources were the Japanese and Korean EFL learners’ argumentative writing. Based on the quality of arguments, all students covered 1–4 levels. The highest was level 2, and the lowest was level 4. It tends to be the majority of students who are still in level 2. It needs practice to write argumentatively in order to shape the writing ability to organize a good surface structure and acceptable arguments.

The Effects of Orthography on the Pronunciation of Nasal Vowels by L1 Japanese Learners of L3 French: Evidence from a Longitudinal Study of Speech in Interaction

In recent decades, a vast literature has documented crosslinguistic influences on the acquisition of L2 phonology and in particular the effects of spelling on pronunciation. However, articulating these research findings in terms of taking into account the effects of L1 phonology and spelling on L2 pronunciation in language teaching remains to be examined. These studies are based on experimental cross-sectional methods and mainly focus on L2 English learning by speakers of languages with an alphabetic system. In French, there are few studies on crosslinguistic influences on the acquisition of the nasal vowels (/ɑ~/, /ↄ~/ and /ε~/) and few experimental studies that point to a possible effect of orthography on the pronunciation of these phonemes. The results of experimental studies are difficult to transpose to the language classroom because they are based on word or sentence reading and writing activities, which are quite far-removed from the conversational activities practised in the classroom in interaction with peers and the teacher. Hence, we opted here for a case study of the effect of spelling on the production of nasal vowels in interaction tasks. We conducted a longitudinal study during the first year of extensive learning of French (4 hrs 30 per week). The results of a perceptive analysis by expert listeners show that (i) learners spell nasal vowels with an &lt;n&gt; or &lt;m&gt; in 98% of the obligatory contexts; (ii) most nasal vowels are perceived as nasal vowels in speech (72%), the others being perceived as vowels followed by a nasal consonant (19, 5%) or as oral vowels (8.5%); (iii) consonantisation is stronger when the learner spontaneously produces a word than when (s)he repeats it, (iv) which decreases with time (learning effect) and varies (v) according to the consonant, /ε~/ being less consonantised than /ↄ~/ and /ɑ~/. Finaly, we propose a didactic discussion in the light of intelligibility and influence of orthography.

한글 자형에 대한 일본인 입문 학습자의 시각적 인식 양상 연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the visual recognition of Hangul consonants among Japanese beginner learners using data from a visual recognition survey. It aims to identify the consonants that learners find visually challenging to distinguish and to provide educational implications for the instruction of Hangul characters at the introductory level.&#x0D; Methods An online survey using Google Forms was conducted among 129 Japanese beginner learners studying Korean as an elective liberal arts course at universities in Japan. This survey involved two rounds of visual recog-nition tests on 19 consonant characters. The tests were employing a form constancy testing method where partic-ipants were required to identify Hangul characters that matched the form of the given examples.&#x0D; Results In comparison to the first survey, the average score of the second survey increased by 0.39 points, but the difference between the average scores of the first and second surveys was not statistically significant. It was also confirmed that the order of learning Hangul characters and their frequency of appearance did not have a sig-nificant effect on the visual recognition of character forms. In the error analysis of Japanese beginner learners, er-rors due to native language, target language, and curriculum were found, and some errors due to native language and target language were interpreted as errors due to the influence of font styles.&#x0D; Conclusions Japanese beginner learners encounter difficulties in the visual recognition of Hangul characters dur-ing the Korean language learning process. Exposure to these characters in textbooks is insufficient for accurate recognition of their forms, necessitating continuous character form education. It is particularly noted that the de-tailed features of Hangul characters and variations in font styles are significant factors for Japanese learners. This approach is anticipated to serve as foundational data for enhancing understanding of Hangul character learning and for developing effective teaching methods.

Effects of social interactions on the neural representation of emotional words in late bilinguals

ABSTRACT This fMRI study explored the relationship between social interactions and neural representations of emotionality in a foreign language (LX). Forty-five late learners of Japanese performed an auditory Japanese lexical decision task involving positive and negative words. The intensity of their social interactions with native Japanese speakers was measured using the Study Abroad Social Interaction Questionnaire. Activity in the left ventral striatum significantly correlated with social interaction intensity for positive words, while the right amygdala showed a significant correlation for negative words. These results indicate neural representations of LX emotional words link with the intensity of social interactions. Furthermore, LX negative words activated the left inferior frontal gyrus more than positive and neutral words, suggesting greater cognitive effort for processing negative words, aligning with a bias in adult social interactions towards more positively-valenced language. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of social interaction experiences in the processing of LX emotional words.

Exploring the Impact of Octalysis Gamification in Japanese M-learning Using the Technology Acceptance Model

Indonesia is a country with the second highest number of Japanese language learners in the world. However, with the main language of Indonesia being derived from the roman alphabets, it makes Indonesian students hard to get used to learning Japanese alphabets, especially Kanji. This study aims to develop a gamified mobile learning application following the Octalysis gamification framework, and assess its impact in garnering student’s acceptance to enhance their Japanese Kanji learning experience. This study was conducted quantitatively using the Technology Acceptance Model, and analyzed through the Structural Equation Model. The data were collected via questionnaires from 194 members of the local Japanese learning community. The variables analyzed in this research are Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Attitude Towards Using, and Behavioral Intention. All variables are tested for validity and reliability using SPSS Statistics, and structural equation model analysis using SPSS AMOS. The results showed positive significant correlations between Perceived Usefulness and Attitude Towards Using, Perceived Ease of Use and Attitude Towards Using, and Attitude Towards Using and Behavioral Intention. The result also noted a negative correlation between Perceived Usefulness and Behavioral Intention. Each variable contributes to the acceptance of the gamified mobile learning application with a strong emphasis on Perceived Ease of Use, and a mild emphasis on Perceived Usefulness.

The Impact of ASR-based Interactive Video Activities on Speaking Skills: Japanese EFL Learners’ Perceptions

This study looked at how video-based interactive assignments with automatic speech recognition (ASR) can be practically integrated into EFL classrooms for additional out-of-class speaking practice and what effects it will have on students. We created an ASR-based interactive video assignment using Google Scripts and gave it to students as a homework assignment between lessons in which students were learning to give opinions and respond to interrogatives. We used pre- and post-treatment surveys to examine shifts in students’ attitudes and gather their responses pertaining to the interactive video assignment. In general, students thought the assignment was good practice, and the majority of students showed positive shifts in confidence and feelings of liking English (p &lt; .001 for both, rs =.28 and rs =.48, respectively). However, we found that students over-focused on pronunciation, especially when they were more proficient learners (p =.035, r =.015). Therefore, we believe that while the activity was somewhat successful, the feedback likely needs to be changed for ASR-based systems when the focus should not be pronunciation. Future possibilities are also discussed.