Benefits for L2 reading through offering learners extensive reading with listening have been found in empirical studies, but those findings may be under-utilized in academic English preparation settings, due to prioritized test practice in response to high-stakes testing for university matriculation. Self-paced extensive reading with listening…

This present study closely examines a particular type of institutionalized interactions for second language (L2) learning, namely one-on-one instructional sessions between instructors and learners of Japanese at an intensive summer study abroad program in Japan. During these sessions, both instructors and learners employ various form-focused…

Reading approaches in Japan and other EFL settings have typically focused on accuracy at the expense of fluency. However, reading rate and fluency are important components of reading that are currently being neglected. A review of the literature reveals growing interest in investigating the effectiveness of reading rate and fluency enhancement…

In this response to Sakurai, Meredith Stephens agrees that Sakurai (2015) raises an important issue of which native English speaking teachers may be unaware; Japanese learners of English typically translate into Japanese while reading English. Sakurai explained, "It is speculated that Japanese students naturally translate English into…

The paper "The influence of translation on reading amount, proficiency, and speed in extensive reading" (Sakurai, 2015) outlined the first six years of the official English education system and policy in Japan. It then discussed the efficacy of extensive reading (ER) followed by a distinction between reading and translation. Previous…

Formulaic sequences comprise a large body of language and their mastery is supposed to be a key determiner of language proficiency. However, despite their significance in language learning, they are seldom taught in any principled manner in language classrooms and their correct and appropriate use remains a particular challenge to language…

The purpose of this study is to explore how students' anxiety about learning English and their perception of their English communicative competence change through participating in a five-day English camp. Eighteen first-year university students majoring in English language and cultures participated in the camp. The participants were randomly…

Teachers often use peer evaluation as a way to increase opportunities for constructive feedback. However, few studies have investigated student attitudes toward such evaluation. This study examined preferences among Japanese university students (N = 86) in an intensive English-language program (intermediate proficiency) toward peer evaluation for…

"Open Doors" is a comprehensive information resource on the 723,277 international students in the United States in 2010/11 and on the 270,604 U.S. students who studied abroad for academic credit in 2009/10. The Institute of International Education (IIE), one of the largest and most experienced higher education exchange agencies in the…

This paper gives a detailed description of the needs analysis (NA) stage in the development of a set of English language intensive courses at a large Japanese industrial firm. The case study highlights the NA practices of using multiple sources and multiple methods in the data gathering stage and uses triangulation in order to validate results.…

Curriculum innovations succeed or fail according to the extent to which teachers, and to some extent students, feel that they are meaningfully involved in the process of change. For change to be effective, it cannot be simply imposed from above; rather it depends absolutely on the people who implement it. The innovations described in this book…

A detailed description of an intensive training course for teachers of English in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. (PMP)

The 1981 summer intensive American culture course at Ohio Dominican College for students from its Japanese sister college is described. Short profiles of the two colleges are given and the general goals of the exchange program and the course are stated. Overviews including reading lists and notes about field trips, are given of the three specific…

This paper describes the development and implementation of an intensive summer course in English as a Second Language (ESL) designed for children aged 4-5. Planning included development of a curriculum and instructional materials based on theory and practice in the teaching of young children, English language learning and instruction, and…

THE 1958 ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION COUNCIL SEMINAR FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS IN JAPANESE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE, IN A VERY LIMITED TIME, BOTH INTENSIVE TRAINING IN AUDIO-LINGUAL CLASSROOM METHODS, AND A MINIMUM DEGREE OF LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE TEACHER'S ROLE AS MODEL, JUDGE, AND DIRECTOR OF PRACTICE. THE…