Conflict between learners’ beliefs and actions: speaking in the classroom

Abstract

Based on sociocultural and contextual perspectives, this study examines how Japanese language learners perceive a conflict between their beliefs and actions when speaking the target language in the classroom context, and how these learners change their beliefs or actions to overcome the conflict. Data were collected during a second-year level Japanese language course at an Australian university for one semester using multiple instruments (diary writing, interviews, and classroom observation and recording). The data were analysed qualitatively using content analysis. The study found that the learners had two different beliefs, which triggered a conflict between one of their beliefs and their actions. This conflict frustrated them. The learners developed their confidence, restructured their beliefs and actions, and solved the conflict to speak Japanese more frequently in the class.

Keywords:

• anxiety
• context
• learner perceptions
• qualitative data analysis
• foreign language pedagogy

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Professor Tony Liddicoat for his valuable comments on earlier drafts of this article.