learning
Several varieties of English have arisen owing to the global spread of English. Consequently, the traditional view of teaching the native norm of English is being challenged. Educators have failed to offer concrete advice on the use of methods that are specific to the various norms. This expands on the issues that we have seen in the previous question, where success in learning involves not only the role of a language, but also the consideration of personal factors of learners such as motivation, age, and language proficiency.
This section examines how the students see their EFL goal in face of various norms of English in its specific cultural context. Noteworthy is that the schooling may need to respond to these needs (Richards, 2001:51-55). During one interview, a student said, “Our
goal of English study has long been to communicate with native speakers.” In hindsight, I
suspected from the findings of the previous section that an EFL goal of LF might have put students at odd with SE, which is prerequisite when applying for universities. Then, I
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extended her questions to ask specifically about their preference for grammatical or communicative approaches in the lessons.
The aim of this section is to ask whether the students‟ goal is a native-norm of English in conjunction with a pedagogical preference of the communicative approach or the grammatical approach. The „native norm of English‟ in this study refers to English spoken by L1 speakers of English in the U.K. or in the U.S.A. The result showed that four students agreed with the proposition that their learning goal should be that of native speakers, while four students disagreed, four students had a neutral stand, and two students‟ answer was unclear. This section opens with the students‟ neutral or uncertain opinions.
The first student (1) said:
It depends on the individual goal whether to study for native norm English or not.
それは、各々の、目的は違っていいと思います。(Mr. Su)
This acoustic engineering student (1) attended a public school outside Tokyo. Although his opinion was neutral in respect of the proposition, his opinion and his own situation appear to be that of most English learners‟ in Japan who do not intend to go abroad to study English.
In contrast to the previous student, the next student (2) had returned to Japan from the USA one month before the interview. Although this next quote appears to disagree with the goal of the native-speaker norm, I interpreted his position as neutral:
Let me see, when I was at language school in UCLA, I spoke English with grammar errors (e.g. “I will met”), but people still understood me. Then, I gradually began to think that a language is a tool of communication and that it is more important to communicate with people than trying to use English with correct grammar. Therefore, I thought that non-native English – even called „Japanish‟
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would be acceptable for a communicative purpose.
そうですね。これもやはり UCLA の経験からすると、やはりいちいち英語でなくても、やっぱり communication がとれていて、やっぱり言葉の、最大の目的は、その Communication のツール、それが最大の目的だと思います ので、まー、お互いが分かり合えれば、多尐、わかっていなくても。実際僕も„I will met‟とかそんなめちゃくちゃ なことを言ってしまったのですけどそれでも通じましたし。あのー、そういった意味ではそこまできっちりとし た英語でなくても１００パーセント理解しなくても、最低限コミュニケーションが出来る段階まで、むちゃくち ゃでも、まー,Japanish であろうとなんであろうと、伝われば問題ないと思います。(Mr, Ot)
This economics major student (2) attended elite junior and senior schools to prepare for the university. He sat numerous achievement tests and obtained the highest mark in the TOEIC test. Before summer 2010, he had a job offer from a trading company. Naturally, he placed importance of English study (henceforth ES) on oral skills and attended an English course at UCLA in summer. There he found that, compared to Japanese students, European students were more successful in communicative skills despite their occasional use of ungrammatical English. He said that, since they have no planning time for interactive situations, speakers could rely less on linguistic knowledge learned at school. Following this answer, I asked if he wanted to break away from the grammar approach at school:
My English skills improved a lot between the first and second year at high school in the standardized preliminary examinations for university. When I was a freshman, I had only 60 points in our scale. In the following year, the score went up to 80 points. At that time, I felt that my reading skills improved a lot in preparing for university entrance exams. At UCLA, I experienced relatively higher grammatical competence of Japanese students than that of students from other countries. In fact, I thought that Japanese students‟ level of grammatical skills was the best in the class in UCLA. Paradoxically, I saw many European students communicating well in ungrammatical English. Then, I began to think that it might be acceptable to speak ungrammatical English.
やっぱり受験勉強で文法に関してすごく磨き上げられたなということをすごく感じます。伸びたというのは高校 二年生ぐらいで、あのー、伸びたと思ったとき。なぜ伸びたかというと高校に入ってからセンター試験を受けて いたのですが、高校一年生の時はあまり取れなくて、多分六割かその位だったと思いますけど、高校二年生で受 けたら、もう、八割かそのくらいになっていて、まー、その瞬間にやはり読解力という意味でははやり伸びたの
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In language learning, he showed his emancipation from the grammatical approach.
Likewise, the female student (3) who went to Australia commented.
I forgot to tell you earlier, but I had another opportunity to use English. In the summer of my junior year, I studied English in a language school in Australia for three weeks. It is commonly known that European students have strong opinions and participate in active debates in English with strong accents while most Asian students were reserved in class. I confirmed this image in the Australian language school. Then, I realized that native-norm phonic skills are not a prerequisite for English communication. From this, I felt that native-like pronunciation is not required in English communication worldwide. From this, I began to think that accurate pronunciation might not be a priority of EFL at Elementary School. In fact, it is more important to catch up with the natural conversation. Therefore, I recommend practicing speed dialogue and colloquial English exchanges at school.
さっき言い忘れてしまったのですけど、大学に入ってから英語にふれる機会がもうひとつあって、大学の二年の 夏に、オーストラリアの語学学校に三週間行っているですね。一般的に言われていることだと思うのですけど、 ヨーロッパとかの人は主張が強くて、Debate して、発音が悪くてもよく主張するんですけど、アジア人の人はあ まり主張をしないという一般的イメージがあって、実際そうだと思いました。 そこで、発音がちょっとなまっ ていても通じればいいのかと、それが世の中、世界全体をとられた時の英語なのかなと、私は思いました。発音 絶対というのは小学校英語教育の最上課題でもないのかなと。結局、speed Dialogue だったり、フレーズのやり取 りだったりするのがいいのかなーと思います。(Ms.Hi)
This student (3) studied pharmacology and agreed with the preceding student (2) that the goal of native-like norm of English by the grammar approach does not produce communicative skills. She put the emphasis on pronunciation as the main element in the idea of native-speaker norm, even though there are other aspects of this norm (e.g. use of idioms) and recommended increasing dialogical practices instead of practicing isolated
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words. As in the previous section (b, c), she appears to always worry about pronunciation. Her story after her visit to Australia continued as follows.
Then, I took an optional debate course at the university. After five lessons, I withdrew from the course because I lacked opinions to participate in discussions. Furthermore, the course was not compulsory, and I became busier with my science study.
Option で受けられる授業で、大学二年の後半に、えーと、Discussion か、Debate とかの授業を NE の先生で、それ は結局まー、それは必修科目ではなかったので、最後まで出ないで、5 回ぐらい出て Drop Out してしまいました。 科目が多かった事もありますし、自分の中で足りないスキルが Discussion skill だと思っていっていたのですけど、 でも実際受けて持て、そのー。英語自体のスキルより Discussion 自体のスキルの方が大切だと思って、結局意見が ないと Discussion 出来ないということもあって、それでまー、行けなくなってしまったということもあります。 (Ms. Hi)
This student (3) dropped out of a course, which would have allowed her to join discussions, showing that in addition to language skills, the ability for communication is embedded in wider competencies, which are not a matter of what is learnt in class. Her experience agreed with the previous speaker (2) that lack of oral skills (i.e. the ability to express opinions) among Japanese students might be a cultural matter. The corollary is that successful communicative skills require not only knowledge of language but also life experience for intercultural communication.
The next student (4) talked about the whole language learning:
It is difficult to choose one out of two. There are two reasons for that. The priority depends on the learners‟ goals. Firstly, students in engineering and in humanity studies need different English curricula. Secondly, in online communication, we simultaneously use listening and writing skills. Thus, grammatical skills and communicative skills are linked and it is difficult to have only receptive skills.
それはひとつに絞るのは難しいです。理由はふたつあります。目的によって違います。例えば工学の勉強してい る人とそうでない人が同じプログラムではいいわけではありません。あと、お互いに関係しやっているので、例 えば Chat をしている時に、聞きながら書くわけですが、お互いが関係しているわけでどれかひとつの能力を伸ば すのは難しいと思います。(Ms. Ku)
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Secondly, she pointed out that all skills are needed in communicative situations.
The aforementioned students were neutral, uncertain or gave only generalized answers. Hereafter, we will analyze the data from the students who supported learning native-norm of English. A student (5) describes a debate course at Juku:
Yes, the native speakers‟ English has been my goal in ES for a long time. Recounting my experience in senior high school days, I attended debate courses by a NET at Juku. The students discussed a variety of topics e.g. the jury system or the death penalty. Afterwards, we had a writing assignment of 200 words and we received NETs‟ feedback. I enjoyed the lessons a lot because the students freely expressed their opinions. After matriculation to University, I do not have any similar debate experience, speaking is rarely demanded, and the barrier for speaking has risen.
そうですね。ずっとそれを想定して勉強してきた様に思います。高一、高二、高校三年生ぐらいまでですか、毎 週、NET の先生と三時間、塾でなんですけど、例えば、えとー、死刑は廃止されるべきかどうかと、Jury System についてどう思うかとか、そういう多岐にわたるテーマについてみんな Discussion すろとか、あと自分でも、確 か２００文字ぐらいの Writing Report を書いて、チェックしてもらって、また書き直すと言うことをやっていた時 は、やはりみんなで考えましたし、しゃべりたかったから、そのころは抵抗なくしゃべっていましたし、良かっ たですね。ただそういうことがなくなって、大学に入ってしまってからは、ハードルが高くなってしまいました ね、話すことに。(Ms.Ho)
This student (5) pointed out that Japanese students have to create opportunities to use English outside classroom. Notwithstanding, she is different from other students (2, 3) in that she enjoyed expressing her opinions freely in English at Juku. It suggests that the feasibility of ES activities depend on learners‟ personality. It would also mean that it is easier to speak English in a small class without assessments at school. Lastly and noteworthy, this student said that peers‟ feedback and teachers‟ guidance are beneficial.
The bilingual student (6) spoke about the definition of native-ness.
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native speakers is always correct. I always feel that native speakers understand my English even though it is not perfect. On the other hand, in the case of verbal interaction between non-native speakers, it is often difficult to understand each other. Let me see, from the beginning of this interview, I wanted to say that I hope to speak English, which is different from the English we learned at school. For example, I want to express my opinions persuasively and convey my feelings in