ERIC Number: ED554583
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Aug-31
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1863-0668
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Using Still Images for Written English Communication, Part 2. "Voices from the EFL Classroom"
Wood, David John
Online Submission, The Humanities Research Institute of Chikushijogakuen University v25 p91-108 Aug 2014
This study aims to establish if the same strong motivational power that using students' own photos as a stimulus for Japanese college students learning to write English indicated in the preceding study of the same title will be sustained in their follow-up course. The same thirty Japanese college freshmen English majors of similar ability studying writing received monthly assignments over the same length of study as previously. Instead of text books, they used their own photographs to stimulate their English expression and interact with each other, using a Dogme approach as one form of Active Learning. Their impressions of the course were re-examined both by in-class and external data in the form of the same two types of evaluation instruments. Their responses are compared both against each other, and against the previous investigation to identify which points stay the same and which and in what way any new points arising change. In addition, those areas that have been developed on the basis of the reactions to the initial research will be re-examined to see if and how they may be successful. The approach is also assessed in terms of linguistic development by ascertaining if there is any discernible difference in the accuracy, complexity and fluency of students' written English over the course of their classes. Finally the results will be put into the overall context of the students' curriculum to assess if the photo approach can be better served by modifying the current English teaching structure in one university and, by implication, in Japanese universities in general. It remains for any findings of linguistic proficiency development that become evident in this present consideration to be further investigated in a future study. An appendix provides a list of texts used by other EFL writing teachers.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, College Freshmen, English (Second Language), Second Language Instruction, Visual Aids, Photography, Writing Instruction, Active Learning, Student Attitudes, Student Motivation, Course Evaluation, Second Language Learning, Accuracy, Language Fluency, Difficulty Level, Instructional Effectiveness
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Japan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A