Akita JALT:

Fostering Positive Changes in Students' Beliefs about Learning English

Date: Saturday, December 9th, 2006 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Speaker: Terri Lee Nagahashi

Description:
Becoming proficient in English as a foreign language (EFL) is a challenging task for many students in Japanese universities. Plagued by negative appraisals, low motivation and an inability to direct and sustain learning efforts, students' progress is often slow. Previous research in this area has found that the university entrance examination system and the role of higher education are two critical factors that impact students' appraisals, motivation and progress. Several key characteristics of this system, and potential strategies for improvement, will be addressed in this presentation. First, an explanation of the Japanese education system will be provided, as well as demonstrating how this system creates negative appraisals and restricts students
f opportunities for self-directed learning. Second, the traditional role of higher education and its impact on students
f motivation and progress will be examined. Third, the results and implications of a novel interventional study of learning English in a Japanese university will be presented.

Terri Lee Nagahashi has been teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) for over twenty-five years in the United States, Mexico, Sweden, and Japan. She is currently a full-time faculty member of the International Communication Studies Department of Akita University.

Organization: Akita Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (Akita JALT)

Cost: JALT Members: free
Non-members: 1,000 yen for non-members, 500 yen for students

Venue: Room B103 at AIU (Akita International University)

Location: Akita City, Akita Prefecture, Japan

Contact Akita JALT

Website: akitajalt.wordpress.com