Applying Theory and Research to Learning Japanese as a Foreign Language

Applying Theory and Research to Learning Japanese as a Foreign Language
Author: Masahiko Minami
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Total Pages: 280
Release: 2009-03-26
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1443806439

Complex issues surround second language acquisition and foreign language learning in any language. There is no doubt that individuals are capable of acquiring two or more languages at different stages of human development, particularly in childhood. Research investigating how adults acquire two languages also carries important insights into what takes place during later stages of human development. From the fact that early and late bilinguals are faced with two languages in diverse stages of cognitive development we can predict differences in language processing between these two groups. In the case of the Japanese language, unfortunately, far fewer studies — particularly those written in English — have been presented on foreign-language learners and bilingual children. Designed to address some of these gaps in the literature, the chapters included in this book discuss various issues with regard to adult learners of Japanese as an L2 and English-Japanese bilingual children. This book provides the reader with an overview of the field of Japanese linguistics and its current concerns. One of the main purposes of the book is to provide a forum in which to examine contributions in a variety of areas of Japanese linguistics to the teaching and learning of Japanese in the L2 classroom. This book has at least two interrelated areas of benefit. First, both researchers and teachers benefit from each other’s expertise and receive new insights that apply to their respective fields. Second and more important, the book serves as a forum to promote ways in which we can apply linguistic theory to the learning of Japanese as an L2. That is, what researchers have learned from both theory and practice can suggest what is important for the teaching of language; conversely, language educators have a great deal to offer linguists regarding the phenomenon of language. Thus, the goal of this book is to integrate theoretical concepts and empirical research findings in L2 development in order to apply them to educational practice.

Cognitive-Functional Approaches to the Study of Japanese as a Second Language

Cognitive-Functional Approaches to the Study of Japanese as a Second Language
Author: Kaori Kabata
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Total Pages: 382
Release: 2016-01-15
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1614515026

This innovative and original volume brings together studies that apply cognitive and functional linguistics to the study of the L2 acquisition of Japanese. With each article grounded on the usage-based model and/or conceptual notions such as foregrounding and subjectivity, the volume sheds light on how cognitive and functional linguistics can help us understand aspects of Japanese acquisition that have been neglected by traditionalists.

Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on Teaching Foreign Languages in Multilingual Settings

Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on Teaching Foreign Languages in Multilingual Settings
Author: Anna Krulatz
Publisher: Multilingual Matters Limited
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2022-01-31
Genre:
ISBN: 9781788926416

This book promotes linguistically responsive foreign language teaching practices in multilingual contexts. It advances a discussion of how best to connect the acquisition of subsequent foreign languages with previous language knowledge, and how to strengthen the connection between research and foreign language teaching practice.

Handbook of Japanese Applied Linguistics

Handbook of Japanese Applied Linguistics
Author: Masahiko Minami
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Total Pages: 615
Release: 2016-01-15
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1501500805

Applied linguistics is the best single label to represent a wide range of contemporary research at the intersection of linguistics, anthropology, psychology, and sociology, to name a few. The Handbook of Japanese Applied Linguistics reflects crosscurrents in applied linguistics, an ever-developing branch/discipline of linguistics. The book is divided into seven sections, where each chapter discusses in depth the importance of particular topics, presenting not only new findings in Japanese, but also practical implications for other languages. Section 1 examines first language acquisition/development, whereas Section 2 covers issues related to second language acquisition/development and bilingualism/multilingualism. Section 3 presents problems associated with the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Section 4 undertakes questions in corpus/computational linguistics. Section 5 deals with clinical linguistics, and Section 6 takes up concerns in the area of translation/interpretation. Finally, Section 7 discusses Japanese sign language. Covering a wide range of current issues in an in an in-depth, comprehensive manner, the book will be useful for researchers as well as graduate students who are interested in Japanese linguistics in general, and applied linguistics in particular. Chapter titles Chapter 1. Cognitive Bases and Caregivers' Speech in Early Language Development (Tamiko Ogura, Tezukayama University) Chapter 2. Literacy Acquisition in Japanese Children (Etsuko Haryu, University of Tokyo) Chapter 3. Age Factors in Language Acquisition (Yuko Goto Butler, University of Pennsylvania) Chapter 4. Cross-lingual Transfer from L1 to L2 Among School-age Children (Kazuko Nakajima, University of Toronto) Chapter 5. Errors and Learning Strategies by Learners of Japanese as an L2 (Kumiko Sakoda, Hiroshima University/NINJAL) Chapter 6. Adult JFL Learners' Acquisition of Speech Style Shift (Haruko Minegishi Cook, University of Hawai'i at Manoa) Chapter 7. Japanese Language Proficiency Assessment (Noriko Kobayashi, Tsukuba University) Chapter 8. The Role of Instruction in Acquiring Japanese as a Second Language (Kaoru Koyanagi, Sophia University) Chapter 9. The Influence of Topic Choice on Narrative Proficiency by Learners of Japanese as a Foreign Language (Masahiko Minami, San Francisco State University) Chapter 10. CHILDES for Japanese: Corpora, Programs, and Perspectives (Susanne Miyata, Aichi Shukutoku University) Chapter 11. KY Corpus (Jae-Ho Lee, Tsukuba University) Chapter 12. Corpus-based Second Language Acquisition Research (Hiromi Ozeki, Reitaku University) Chapter 13. Assessment of Language Development in Children with Hearing Impairment and Language Disorders (Kiyoshi Otomo, Tokyo Gakugei University) Chapter 14. Speech and Language Acquisition in Japanese Children with Down Syndrome (Toru Watamaki, Nagasaki University) Chapter 15. Revisiting Autistic Language: Is "literalness" a Truth or Myth? Manabu Oi (Osaka University/Kanazawa University) Chapter 16. Towards a Robust, Genre-based Translation Model and its Application (Judy Noguchi, Mukogawa Women's University; Atsuko Misaki, Kwansei Gakuin University; Shoji Miyanaga, Ritsumeikan University; Masako Terui, Kinki University) Chapter 17. Japanese Sign Language: An Introduction (Daisuke Hara, Toyota Technological Institute) Chapter 18. Japanese Sign Language Phonology and Morphology (Daisuke Hara, Toyota Technological Institute) Chapter 19. Japanese Sign Language Syntax (Noriko Imazato, Kobe City College of Technology) Chapter 20. Sign Language Development and Language Input (Takashi Torigoe, Hyogo University of Teacher Education)

Investigating Pragmatics in Foreign Language Learning, Teaching and Testing

Investigating Pragmatics in Foreign Language Learning, Teaching and Testing
Author: Eva Alcón Soler
Publisher: Multilingual Matters
Total Pages: 279
Release: 2008
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 184769084X

The book focuses on investigating pragmatic learning, teaching and testing in foreign language contexts. The volume brings together research that investigates these three areas in different formal language learning settings and focuses on different foreign languages. The book should be of interest to graduate students and researchers working in the area of second language acquisition.

Foreign Language Learning Anxiety in China

Foreign Language Learning Anxiety in China
Author: Deyuan He
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2018-01-18
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9811076626

Already the focus of much interest for 50 years, the study of foreign language learning anxiety (FLLA) still remains a popular research topic among scholars in Western countries. FLLA is believed to be an important cause of students’ “dumb English”. Considering the paucity of monographs on FLLA in China, this book represents an important step towards filling this gap. The author uses his PhD dissertation as a foundation for reviewing and discussing previous literature, as well as the current status of and major issues concerning FLLA worldwide. The book explores FLLA in China by using innovative triangulated research methodology, combining both quantitative and qualitative methods, namely surveys, focused interviews, and classroom observations. It also highlights the significance and implications of the research results and predicts the future of global FLLA research with a particular focus on China. Readers will discover the latest developments and issues concerning FLLA, causes of FLLA, and verified, effective strategies for alleviating such anxiety.

The Routledge Encyclopedia of Second Language Acquisition

The Routledge Encyclopedia of Second Language Acquisition
Author: Peter Robinson
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 782
Release: 2012-08-21
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1136485570

The Routledge Encyclopedia of Second Language Acquisition offers a user-friendly, authoritative survey of terms and constructs that are important to understanding research in second language acquisition (SLA) and its applications. The Encyclopedia is designed for use as a reference tool by students, researchers, teachers and professionals with an interest in SLA. The Encyclopedia has the following features: • 252 alphabetized entries written in an accessible style, including cross references to other related entries in the Encyclopedia and suggestions for further reading • Among these, 9 survey entries that cover the foundational areas of SLA in detail: Development in SLA, Discourse and Pragmatics in SLA, Individual Differences in SLA, Instructed SLA, Language and the Lexicon in SLA, Measuring and Researching SLA, Psycholingustics of SLA, Social and Sociocultural Approaches to SLA, Theoretical Constructs in SLA. • The rest of the entries cover all the major subdisciplines, methodologies and concepts of SLA, from “Accommodation” to the “ZISA project.” Written by an international team of specialists, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Second Language Acquisition is an invaluable resource for students and researchers with an academic interest in SLA.

Second Language Research

Second Language Research
Author: Alison Mackey
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 422
Release: 2015-07-24
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1317612647

In this second edition of the best-selling Second Language Research, Alison Mackey and Sue Gass continue to guide students step-by-step through conducting the second language research process with a clear and comprehensive overview of the core issues in second language research. Supported by a wealth of data examples from actual studies, the book examines questions of what is meant by research and what defines good research questions, covering such topics as basic research principles and data collection methods, designing a quantitative research study, and concluding and reporting research findings. The second edition includes a new chapter on mixed-methods, new "time to think" and "time to do" text boxes throughout, and updates to reflect the latest research and literature. Supplementary materials, including an extensive glossary and appendices of forms and documents that students can use in conducting their own studies, serve as useful reference tools, with suggestions on how to get research published reemphasizing the book’s practical how-to approach. Second Language Research, Second Edition is the ideal resource for understanding the second language research process for graduate students in Second Language Acquisition and Applied Linguistics.