| Case Study Of A Japanese Learner
July, 2007
By
Darren Elliott (MA ELT, DELTA)
Nottingham Trent University,
United Kingdom
Introduction
In seeking to serve the learners as best they can, teachers often
set needs analysis questionnaires, analyse written work and
test scores, and use a number of techniques to gather data
on their students. This process can become automatic and unthinking;
the same questionnaires and tests rolled out at the start
of each new term. However, if most teachers now recognise
that different learners benefit from different classroom activities
and learning techniques, I would posit that the analysis of
learners needs and abilities should, as far as practically
possible, be tailored to each student. This case study outlines
an in-depth analysis of a Japanese learner studying on a post-graduate
course in the UK, and the techniques employed in the analysis.
Learner Profile
At the time of the study, N was a 37-year-old Japanese male,
living in the UK with a host family and studying a Masters
degree in English Language Teaching. He arrived in the UK
in June 2005, and returned to Tokyo in September 2006. Before
coming to the UK he spent 13 years as a junior high school
teacher at an inner city school in Tokyo, to which he returned
after his sabbatical.
N began studying English in Junior High School with Japanese
teachers, as was and is the norm in Japan, and focused mainly
on grammar. He qualified as a teacher after University and
moved on to his present school after about one year at his
initial placement.
In order to join the course N needed to achieve a TOEFL
CBT 220, an IELTS 6.5 (with 6 in writing) or satisfactorily
complete the pre-sectional English course. N took the final
option, although he has since achieved a score of 240 in the
TOEFL CBT. This would place him at the low C1 level in the
Common European Framework, with Effective Operational Proficiency,
according to ETS, creators of the TOEFL (Appendix I). As we
shall see from the data, it is possible that N is closer to
high B2 level, or 'independent user'.
Motivation
N has traveled extensively especially in Africa, and enjoyed the opportunities to travel in Central and Eastern Europe, afforded to him by proximity from the UK and availability of cheap airline tickets. He uses English to communicate successfully with other non-native speakers while traveling, and maintenance of a level of English sufficient
for these purposes has been a major motivational force. More
importantly, N needed English for daily life in the UK, especially
in communicating with his host family. In the long term, he
has been using and will continue to use English to teach in
Junior High School (pupils aged 11 – 14). The major
motivation for N at this time was to succeed in his MA studies.
Motivation is a complex issue and a great deal of the work
of motivational psychologists over the years has been about
condensing the number of variables that affect human action
into manageable categories (Dornyei, 2001: 9). One commonly
used model is that of the intrinsic – extrinsic cline,
where intrinsic motivation is that of language learning as
its own reward, and extrinsic motivation is focused on gaining
rewards (promotion, acceptance into society) or avoiding punishment
(ostracism, parental admonishment) (Arnold 1999: 14). There
is not an absolute distinction between the two; for example,
in N's case, he states:
"Studying here in the UK was one of my biggest dreams in
my life. I had been dreaming for 13 years. So I have been
happy all the time even though I had a number of difficulties."
(Appendix
D:66-68)
We can see that it was his own decision to come to the UK
to study, driven by an intrinsic enjoyment of studying. However,
extrinsic factors also motivate his language study:
"I wanted to know the theory of SLA and I was thinking this
way: If I experience the difficulty in being able to speak
English, I can manage to incorporate that into actual teaching."
(Appendix
D:48-49).
Motivation, according to Gardner and Lambert, (in Dornyei,
2001: 16) is integrative or instrumental. From the bilingual
context in Canada, attitudes towards the L1 group were shown
to be motivational. In N's case, his motivation as described
by these descriptors would be largely instrumental; pragmatic
and based on needs and goals. Although living in an English
speaking country and travelling widely indicate an interest
in foreign cultures and a certain integrative motivation,
N was clear about his cultural background and filtered his
experiences through his 'Japanese-ness'.
Learning Styles
As part of an MA module, N took a 'Multiple Intelligences'
test, to raise awareness of his personal learning style. A
copy of this, and definitions of each of the intelligence
category, is included in Appendix A.
According to the test, N's strength lies in logical/mathematical
intelligence, followed closely by naturalist, verbal and intrapersonal
intelligences. Visual intelligence is considerably weaker
than the others. In his interview, N talked about his traditional
Japanese language education, and I can see a link between
training in translation and a preference for logical/ mathematical
learning.
Learner's assessment of his level and
needs
In a needs analysis interview, the learner showed most concern
regarding his listening ability, followed by reading, speaking
and writing. However, he believed he had improved considerably
between arriving in the UK and the time of data collection
for this study (about one year). He saw his major language
needs as academic; listening for lectures, writing organisation,
extensive reading and functional speaking skills in seminar/
lecture situations were all discussed as areas which he would
like to improve.
Samples used for this assessment and testing
procedure
The focus in collecting data was to look at what N actually
did and needed to do. As he was not taking part in ESL/EFL
classes during the study, but rather using English as the
medium for Post Graduate studies, I felt that the analysis
of authentic materials would provide more apposite information
than a study of standardised test scores (TOEFL, IELTS etc).
This is an example of subjective testing, in which learners
are given a far broader scope to express themselves (Jordan,
1997: 86)
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