Affective Dimensions of the Japanese Foreign Language Learner: Implications for Psychological Learner Development in Japan

Abstract

As learner-centred approaches are gaining popularity in many language classrooms, the affective dimensions of learners and the interaction effects of learners and teachers have become an important theme for research and assessment. This paper explores how Japanese learners of English as a foreign language evolve in two geographically distinct regions in Japan, one urban and one rural, with different exposure toWestern cultures. Demographic and personal factors under consideration include: geographical location of the university, gender, English study outside of school, native speaker teacher experience and overseas experience. These personal factors were further explored to determine how they interact with the five experimental themes: language attributes, Japanese identity, learner style, tolerance of ambiguity and motivation. Significant interactions were found between overseas experience and Japanese identity, native speaker teacher experience and learner style, overseas experience and learner style, gender and motivation, native speaker teacher experience and motivation, and overseas experience and motivation. Implications for learner and educator collaboration are explored.

Keywords:

• foreign language learner style
• affect
• identity
• tolerance of ambiguity
• motivation
• curriculum development