Reflections on translanguaging as a pedagogical framework in Japanese higher education

Abstract

This study employed a mixed-methods approach to explore the attitudes of second language (L2) learners and L2 teachers toward the use of learners’ first language (L1) in L2 classrooms. Interview data were collected from Japanese college students (n = 91) and their English teachers (n = 9) to identify salient themes related to the reasons for supporting or opposing teachers’ use of L1. Additionally, data on the students’ English proficiency and experiences with English as a lingua franca (ELF) communication were collected to determine whether these factors influence their views. The results revealed that all the teacher participants support and/or actually use L1 out of necessity. In contrast, approximately 60% of the student participants expressed negative views regarding L2 teachers’ recourse to L1. Logistic regression analysis showed that these attitudes are influenced by both students’ past experiences with ELF communication and L2 proficiency. Although both groups recognized the benefits of L1 use, the students’ compelling arguments against L1 use in L2 classrooms underscore the need for further scholarly attention to the extent and function of L1 use as a pedagogical tool and resource.

抄錄

本論文は、外国語教師が学習者の母国語を授業中に使用することについての、学習者と教師それぞれの意見に関する研究である。本研究の目的を達成するために、外国語として英語を学んでいる91人の日本人大学生と9人の英語教師にインタビューした。学生の場合、「英語の実力」と「英語を使った国際的なコミュニケーション経験の有無」に関する資料を追加で収集し、このような要因が彼らの意見に影響を及ぼすかを確認した。分析の結果、インタビューに参加したすべての英語教師は授業中に学生生徒たちの母国語、すなわち日本語の使用の必要性を主張し、実際によく使っていることが分かった。その一方で、研究に参加した学生の約六割は授業中に教師が日本語を使用することに対して多様な理由で否定的な見解を持っていることが分かった。ロジスティック回帰分析の結果、このような傾向は学生たちの英語を使った国際的なコミュニケーション経験の有無と英語の実力両方と密接な関連があることが分かった。学生たちが英語教師の日本語の使用に反対する主な理由には、英語と日本語を混ぜて使用することは実際の国際的なコミュニケーションでは起こらない状況であり、教師の日本語の使用は学生の日本語への依存度を高めて学習効果を阻害する要因として作用するため、などがあった。このような結果は、外国語を教えるのに学生たちの母国語を使うことが適切な教育学的手法なのか、また授業中の母国語の使用がもたらす利点と欠点は何なのかについてのさらなる研究が必要であることを示唆する。

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

This study explores the attitudes of second language (L2) learners and L2 teachers toward the use of learners’ first language (L1) in L2 classrooms. Interview data were collected from 91 Japanese college students and nine English teachers to identify main reasons for supporting or opposing teachers’ use of L1. Additionally, data on the students’ English proficiency and experiences with English as a lingua franca (ELF) communication were collected to determine whether these factors influenced their views. The results revealed that all the teacher participants support and/or actually use learners’ L1—Japanese—out of necessity. In contrast, approximately 60% of the student participants expressed negative views regarding their teachers’ recourse to L1. Statistical analysis confirmed that these attitudes are closely related to both students’ past experiences with ELF communication and English proficiency. The major reasons for opposing this practice included the rare occurrence of switching between the two languages in authentic ELF communication and the fact that teachers’ use of Japanese leads students to depend on its use. The findings highlight the need for further scholarly attention to the extent and function of L1 use as a pedagogical tool and resource in L2 classrooms.

Keywords:

• Teaching English through English (TETE)
• L1 use
• translanguaging
• student and teacher perceptions
• Japanese higher education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (22K00747) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Notes on contributors

Sugene Kim

Sugene Kim is an associate professor of English at Nagoya University of Commerce & Business in Japan. Her research focuses on academic writing, second language (L2) acquisition, and morphosyntax within the framework of pedagogical grammar. She is particularly interested in examining the cognitive and linguistic strategies utilized by adult L2 learners to address writing difficulties in different rhetorical contexts. Her related research interests include sociolinguistic variation and World Englishes.