Transcript Examining the Bi-Directional Benefits of

Examining the Bi-Directional
Benefits of Langauge Exchange
Mariko Henstock
Dept. of Modern Languages & Comparative Literature
Boston University
Instructional Innovation Conference
March 8, 2013
Boston University
Japanese Program and
CELOP
• Japanese Language Program
– ~234 Japanese Language Students (2013 S)
– 8 full & part time Japanese teachers
• Over 60 CELOP Students
– 56 CELOP Japanese students (from Waseda,
Hosei, and other universities) for 2012 Fall
Semester
Successful Events
1) Lunch Hour Language Exchange
• CELOP students
• Japanese language students
• 40-70 total students attended each time
2) Language Exchange Classes
• CELOP students visit Japanese
language class on a voluntary basis
3) Porter Sq. Exchange field trip (63 attended)
Benefits for Japanese Language
Students
• Opportunity to converse naturally with
native speakers
• Does it work?
– Conducted survey with 63 students
– Questions included:
•
•
•
•
interest in Japan
increased motivation
confidence to speak Japanese
improved conversation ability
The exchange motivated me
to study more Japanese
Strongly disagree
Strongly agree
It helped my Japanese
conversation ability
Strongly disagree
Strongly agree
This is good part of BU
Japanese language program
Strongly disagree
Strongly agree
Beneficial for CELOP
Students?
• Expect language exchange lunch to be
beneficial
• Why would visiting a Japanese language
class benefit the CELOP students?
• Why do they voluntarily attend?
CELOP students are even
happier than language students!
CELOP students than language
students feels significantly more
• Made friends (p-value=0.03)
• Helped my confidence speaking
English(p-value=0.04)
• Helped my conversation ability in
English (p-value=0.04)
The exchange motivated me to
study more Japanese/English
60
0
20
40
Percentage
CELOP
BU J students
80
100
Q2
1
Strongly disagree
2
3
Student Report
4
5
Strongly
agree
It helped my Japanese/English
conversation ability
60
CELOP
BU J students
0
20
40
Percentage
80
100
Q10
Strongly disagree
1
2
3
Student Report
4
Strongly
agree
5
Now I want to come back to BU
even more because of this
[exchanges with BU language students]
Strongly disagree
Strongly agree
2013 Follow-up Study of CELOP
Lunch vs. Visiting Class
• 49 Ritsumeikan college students from Kyoto
visiting for about 4 weeks
• Exchange Lunch 3 times
• Required visits to Japanese classes
– 12-18 Japanese Language students
– 12-15 CELOP students/class
• Voluntary visits to Japanese classes
(2nd - 3rd year)
Results for CELOP Students
Lunch Exchange vs. Class Visits
No Significant differences for
-Japanese language use 45~46%
-Made BU friends 4.32 vs. 4.64 (1-5 scale)
-Helped my English 4.32 vs. 4.36 (1-5 scale)
If had 10 hours to spend on lunch or class, how
would you spend it?
– Lunch 3.5 hours vs. Class visits 6.07 hours
– Test p-value = 0.03 significant
CELOP Students’ Comments
• A lot easier to talk during class visits.
• What is surprising is that my (Japanese)
common sense isn’t common sense in the US.
• Opportunity to learn about culture of “apology”
in Japan. I learned a lot.
• Not just learning Japanese and English
language, but also learning partners’ thinking
and character, etc. will help me in my life.
Short History of Language
Education Approaches
Grammar Translation
Natural Method (Berlitz Method)
Direct Method
Audiolingual Method
Total Physical Response
Communicative Language Teaching
Intercultural Communication (ICC)
 21st century approach focused on interaction
 Draws on Garfinkel’s Ethnomethodology
Intercultural Communication
– Shift from student-focused & mind-based
– Teachers facilitate student’s process in constructing
own understanding of world through communication
(Stenlev 2003)
21st century standards for Foreign Language learning:
1) Communication
2) Culture
3) Community
Facilitated exchanges enable authentic
communication and sociocultural challenges
Theory into Practice
Ideal ICC requires reciprocal benefits & respect
Teacher: facilitates intercultural communication
An example class: Class focusing on apology
1) Brainstorming
2) Role-play in a defined situation
3) Discussion regarding the differences
4) Using media to expose additional
intercultural differences for discussion
Acknowledgements
• Felix Poon: Boston University CELOP
Academic Programs Coordinator
• Carol Pineiro: CELOP Senior Lecturer
• Jennifer Watson: Japanese House RA
• CELOP faculty:
– Michael Feldman, Suzanne Pirlo, Mark Stepner
• Boston University Dept. of MLCL:
– Anna Elliott, Hiromi Miyagi-Lusthaus,
Emi Yamanaka