Sessions / Psychology & Language Learning

Cancelled Measuring and Developing Second Language Self-Efficacy #2113

Pre-recorded Video
Time Not Set CANCELLED

When acquiring a new skill, such as using a second language, learners who have high self-efficacy—who believe that they can complete the tasks necessary to achieve growth—are more likely to work hard to advance and overcome obstacles (Bandura, 1977). This poster presentation demonstrates how L2 self-efficacy can be measured, and promoted, in various learning contexts. To demonstrate, the presenter offers a Rasch-validated measurement of L2 English listening self-efficacy to visitors as a model.

Foreign Language Enjoyment and Anxiety in the Communicative Classroom #1987

Pre-recorded Video
Time Not Set

This poster examines the relationship between foreign language enjoyment and foreign language anxiety among Japanese English learners in a university-level oral communication course. Results from survey data and learner comments on experiences that engendered enjoyment and anxiety are discussed, as well as implications for increasing enjoyment and reducing anxiety in oral communication courses.

English Teacher Motivation in Japanese Secondary Schools #2070

Sat, Nov 13, 10:45-11:10 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 19

This study investigated English teacher motivation in Japanese secondary schools. Participants were two male Japanese teachers of English and their students. Data was collected through interviews, classroom observations, and focus-group interviews with students in one academic year. The findings showed that each teacher had unique motivation, and this was reflected in their teaching. Students also understood what teachers focused on. The study showed that teacher motivation can influence their teaching and their students.

Changes in International Posture of Japanese EFL Students From G5 to G12 #2147

Sat, Nov 13, 11:25-11:50 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 19

In Japan the Ministry of Education (MEXT) has long focused on expanding English in order to prepare students for the realities of an increasingly globalized world, embarking on an extensive program that integrates native speakers of English into the school system as teachers while offering English lessons at progressively younger ages. To examine changes in international posture, the current study utilizes an extensive data set encompassing grades 5-12 of Japanese learners of English.

A College CLIL Course to Enhance Happiness #1978

Pre-recorded Video

Sat, Nov 13, 12:05-12:30 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 19

This presentation aims to describe how a new college CLIL course combining career education and English learning influenced students’ well-being and happiness. Through the three questionnaires conducted at the beginning and the end of the semester, it was found that the students’ subjective happiness significantly increased. It was also indicated that positive feelings were enhanced. Some fun and happiness-enhancing activities based on positive psychology and cognitive neuroscience will also be presented.

Writing for Well-Being: Positive Psychology Writing and L2 Learners #2066

Sat, Nov 13, 12:45-13:10 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 19

Research in psychology has found that certain types of writing tasks can have a lasting impact on the writers’ overall sense of well-being. This is potentially of great interest to educators, as an individual’s level of happiness also correlates to other benefits that can positively impact student learning. This presentation will share the findings of an empirical study applying these techniques to an EFL classroom to see if these benefits extend to L2 writers.

Examining Trajectories and Interactions of English and LOTE Motivations #2017

Pre-recorded Video
Sat, Nov 13, 13:25-13:50 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 19

In this presentation, I will report on a three-year motivational interview study that focuses on two cases of academically-oriented Japanese learners when they were at university, graduate school, and after one of them started a professional career. The study examines the development of motivations to study English and languages other than English and the interactions between them. The results highlight the factors necessary to be multilingual in a context where multilingualism is not emphasized.

Creativity in Education: Putting Japan in a Global Context #2265

Sat, Nov 13, 14:05-15:05 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 19

This presentation puts Japanese policy on creativity in education in a global context. It examines why creativity is receiving increasing attention in education policies around the world, and how far such policies reflect research on creativity. It assesses Japan’s more implicit strategy for creativity, and in particular, its promotion of foreign language education as part of that strategy. It should be of interest to all in Japanese education seeking to encourage creativity in their students.

Researching Students’ “Emotion Labour” and Participation in Online Classes #2214

Sat, Nov 13, 15:25-15:50 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 19

When planning a class it is sometimes difficult to predict which activities will work, particularly in online classes. This presentation draws together threads from student interviews and existing literature on student engagement and willingness to communicate, in order to re-interpret learner actions in terms of emotion labor (Hochschild, 1979). It suggests that by taking account of students’ potential emotion labour, teachers can develop trust and increase the chances of successful classroom participation online or face-to-face.

A Contextual Approach to Exploring Learners’ Beliefs About Error Logs #2240

Sat, Nov 13, 16:05-16:30 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 19

This presentation investigates language learners’ beliefs about error logs which combine uncoded, focused corrective feedback. Participants were enrolled in writing classes at a Japanese university which were conducted both on campus and online using Zoom and Google Classroom. Students were required to complete an error log in which they identified and corrected targeted errors and mistakes. This study gathered data from language learner diaries, interviews, and metaphors to gain an in-depth understanding of learners’ beliefs.

Japanese Students’ English and Chinese Translanguaging in Taiwan #1971

Pre-recorded Video
Sat, Nov 13, 18:00-18:25 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 19

Most studies on motivation and translanguaging have focused on learning L2 English due to its role as a dominant international language of power. In this presentation, we report on two intrinsic case studies (Stake, 1995) of Japanese majors of English who studied in Taiwan for 11 months. Following a survey of their translanguaging practices in Japanese, English, and Chinese, we interviewed them to explore the motivations underlying their language choices.

Students Who Learn Differently: Towards a Discrimination-Free Classroom #2277

Sun, Nov 14, 10:45-11:45 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 09

In this workshop, we will talk about the students who may read, write, organize, and use their time very differently because of learning differences. You will learn about dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, dyspraxia, autism, and vision. It will also give you some ideas on what tools and strategies you can use to help all students achieve. Learning differences affect about 10% or more of the population, so there are probably some in your class. Bring questions.

Mobility Biomechanical Exercises for Seniors Adapted From Martial Science #2421

Sun, Nov 14, 12:05-12:30 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 16

Having trouble getting up from couches or the floor? Is your balance shaky? Brain hemisphere synchronization not optimized? Then this practical, fun, and low impact online workshop is for you. These exercises, based on the biomechanics of martial science, will help you in your daily life and increase the longevity of your body. You do not have to identify as a senior, so the earlier the start the more benefit you will get.

EFL Teachers’ Feelings of Self Efficacy Towards Inclusive Practice #1956

Sun, Nov 14, 12:05-12:30 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 09

This narrative research study explored EFL teachers’ experiences with neurodiverse students (those with dyslexia, ADHD, and autism) at the tertiary level in Japan and their self-efficacy for inclusive practice. Bandura’s (1977) theory of self-efficacy was used as a framework for interpreting teachers’ interview data. Findings indicate that EFL teachers at the tertiary level in Japan lack training and institutional support necessary to create inclusive environments. Solutions and tips for inclusion will be discussed with participants.

Methods for Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety Through Exposure Training #1979

Sun, Nov 14, 12:45-13:10 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 09

Public speaking phobia can have a negative impact on students’ ability to function in the classroom and effectively acquire a second language. This talk will discuss an investigation into the best methods for reducing this anxiety in students, including virtual reality and imagination-based exposure training, mindfulness practice, presentation methods instruction, and more. Participants’ comments from program interviews and surveys will also be presented to explore best practices for classroom presentation activities and assessments by instructors.

Why Do Certain Brain Functions Lead to Learning? #2313

Sun, Nov 14, 12:45-14:15 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 23

The brain’s natural tendencies to seek patterns, form emotions, make stories, predict, and obsess on the social world are closely connected to learning. The presenters will invite you to share ideas for using these powerful learning tools. Then, our panel of experts will reveal the reason why our brains have these tendencies—a highly active network in the brain that used to be thought of as just daydreaming! Join the panel in learning collaboratively.

Transformative Language Learning: Disruption, Emergence, and Growth #2145

Sun, Nov 14, 13:25-14:25 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 09

This workshop explores the transformative language learning (TLL) perspective and its implications for foreign language pedagogy. TLL focuses on learner growth and development and contrasts with the mentalist view of learning common in SLA. The workshop will cover theory and practice. There will be a review of key concepts: engagement, resistance, and emergence; an introduction of the linguaculture learning profiler; and a discussion of pedagogical practice that can lead to transformative learning experiences.

The Online Smile: Nurturing Positive Emotions Online and On-Demand #2166

Pre-recorded Video
Sun, Nov 14, 14:45-15:10 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 09

When students’ emotional needs are met in the classroom through such strategies as smiling and eye contact, they may be more likely to succeed academically. But how can we nurture positive emotions when teaching online? This workshop will explore the online equivalent of several classroom-based strategies for meeting students’ emotional needs for learning. Attendees will be invited to offer suggestions and the results of the presenter’s own action research in this area will be shared.

A Structural Model of Global Citizenship and Intercultural Communication #2202

Sun, Nov 14, 15:25-15:50 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 09

The primary purpose of this presentation is to explore the structural relationships among intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and two related concepts that affect global citizenship: namely, rational compassion (Bloom, 2017) and meta-personal self (DeCicco et al., 2007). The questionnaire, prepared based on previous studies, was administered among 200 Japanese university students. The results indicated that meta-personal self predicted rational compassion, and rational compassion predicted global citizenship through ICC. Pedagogical implications will be discussed.

Acquisition of Difficult English Prepositions: A Usage-Based Approach #2028

Sun, Nov 14, 16:05-16:30 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 09

This presentation examines learners' understanding and development of difficult spatial prepositional usages of “at,” “from,” “in,” “on,” and “to.” Results indicate semantic complexity and metacognitive understanding of these prepositions are some of the main obstacles for learners to overcome in order to enhance their learning. This ongoing investigation illustrates that a usage-based approach to the development of learning tasks provides an effective strategy to support learners' language development, confidence, and self-efficacy.

Brain-Friendly Study Skills for Teachers and Students: Memory and Language #2075

Sun, Nov 14, 18:00-19:00 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 09

Supported by findings from psychology and neuroscience, the workshop proposes a bottom-up, holistic approach to learning for you and your students. This session focuses on verbal short-term memory (vSTM). Smaller vSTM capacities make word acquisition harder. Natural language is learnt implicitly and ‘stochastically’, supporting fluency-based activities to compensate for such a memory bottleneck. This fun, interactive, and hands-on style workshop aims to help you confidently start applying brain-friendly solutions to your and your students’ learning.

Socio-Emotional Competencies for Language Learning and Teaching #2414

Sun, Nov 14, 18:40-19:40 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 01

This workshop will focus on reviewing theories of emotional intelligence and social intelligence, how these have been applied in language education (Gkonou & Mercer, 2017, 2018; Mercer & Gkonou, 2017) and how socio-emotional competencies can be used in contemporary classrooms.

Strategies to Enhance and Protect WTC: A Peer-to-Peer Investigation #1947

Sun, Nov 14, 19:20-19:45 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 09

Willingness to communicate (WTC) accounts for learners pursuing communication opportunities and encountering affordances for L2 development. While many WTC factors are known, few studies focus on how learners control their own WTC levels or manipulate WTC antecedents. In response, students in this study used idiodynamic methodology to elicit their peers’ WTC-focused strategy use. Acting as researchers, learners elicited six kinds of strategies which they intended to use for future self-improvement, peer rapprochement, or personal reassurance.

Using L1 Culture to Motivate L2 Language Learners #2256

Mon, Nov 15, 10:45-11:10 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 13

The senpai/kohai (mentor/junior) relationship is one of the core sociological features of Japanese culture, particularly in the context of education. This presentation reports on the positive effects of having three upperclassmen (senpai) volunteer as teaching assistants in a freshman online English class at a private university in Japan. Surveys and interviews indicate that having this important senpai/kohai interaction within the classroom increased learner motivation to study English, and learners’ overall performance improved.

Using Japanese Psychology to Promote Self-Reflection and Cultural Awareness #2197

Pre-recorded Video
Mon, Nov 15, 11:25-11:50 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 13

Participants will learn three classroom activities that are based on Japanese Psychologies, along with ideas on how they can be incorporated into face-to-face classes, online (Zoom) classes, and on-demand (pre-recorded) classes. Taken from a pre-study abroad program that contains aspects of both Western and Eastern psychological modalities and that supports students’ mental health while studying abroad, these activities promote self-reflection, cultural awareness, and language skills while also teaching students about the foundations of Japanese Psychology.

Self-Efficacy and Attribution for Speaking in Japanese Universities #1968

Mon, Nov 15, 12:05-12:30 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 13

This presentation analyzes potential correlations between self-efficacy and causal attributions for a standard speaking test in a public Japanese university. The study was conducted with first- and second-year students that sought to analyze their capability beliefs going into the speaking test and attributions for perceived success or failure upon receiving the result. The presentation will outline the relationships between self-efficacy, attribution, and achievement. Issues of gender and years of study are also considered.

First-Year University Students’ Strategies During Speaking Performances #2011

Pre-recorded Video
Mon, Nov 15, 12:45-13:10 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 13

This study examined L2 speakers’ strategies of how to complete an opinion monologue task successfully. The participants were 48 Japanese university students, and they answered a retrospective questionnaire after a task. Among them, four participants also had follow-up interviews. The findings show that the participants prioritized what to talk about rather than grammatical accuracy. Discussion will center on Levelt’s speech model, and how speaking tasks can be implemented will also be discussed.

Impact of Online Teamwork on Anxiety and Group Cohesion #2123

Pre-recorded Video
Mon, Nov 15, 13:25-13:50 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 13

In this presentation, we will share the results of an end-of-term survey, which explores the impact that our use of teams had on students in online Debate and Presentation classes. This research will consider theoretical frameworks from psychological and pedagogical perspectives to investigate possible relationships between online teamwork, students’ self-reported anxiety, team cohesion, and motivation. At the end of the presentation, there will be suggestions for future research and teaching practice, followed by discussion time.

The Generation Effect in Long-Term Vocabulary Retention #2099

Pre-recorded Video
Mon, Nov 15, 14:05-14:30 Asia/Tokyo | LOCATION: Room 13

This presentation will discuss findings from a research project on the generation effect in the L2 university classroom. The study looked at the effects of generating original meaning in isolation from other learning strategies to see if the generation effect alone is effective in long-term vocabulary retention. The study’s findings, using linear mixed effects analyses, did not show efficacy of generation when used in isolation when compared to the control groups.