Behind the Veil: Investigating the Academic Experiences of Study Abroad Students (original) (raw)
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Localizing EAP in Light of the Rise of English-Medium Instruction at Japanese Universities
OnCue, 6(3), pp. 5-20, 2012, 2014
"""English-medium content classes are becoming more common on Japanese university campuses. When taught by Japanese faculty, the language of instruction may be English but the classroom culture remains grounded in local academic norms. This has implications for EAP practice at such universities. This study looks at data collected from Japanese faculty working in an English-medium program in the social sciences. The study examines their goals, expectations for student performance and descriptions of classroom practice. Data analysis shows important implications for change in four areas. EAP teachers preparing students for work in a local English-medium program in Japan, rather than for study abroad, may need to reconsider their practice including longer-term focus on a single topic, more one-on-one interaction with students, the addition of translanguaging and a greater focus on academic skills rather than language. Although findings are limited to our local context, some resonance may be found in similar Japanese universities offering English-medium content instruction and EAP courses preparing students for that purpose."
Preparing Students for Study-Abroad Programs: Tasks, Skill-Building and Self-Reflection
2015
In recent years, the Japanese government has been aiming to improve the level of English among Japanese students. One of the methods targeted to reach higher skill levels is to encourage students to study abroad in English speaking countries. This paper aims to introduce issues related to study abroad programs at the preparation stage. Research, as well as observations and empirical evidence, reveal the necessity of structured curriculum for university students planning to study abroad. This paper reviews relevant research as it related to trends, problems and solutions this researcher has observed while instructing preprogram courses, or via observations while attending as faculty on study-abroad programs. Particular focus is given to how Japanese female EFL students at the university level can best be prepared for study abroad programs. Hofstede's cultural assessments of Japanese culture among other research, is used in assessment. Recommendations are made for pre-program study including group-work activities, individual presentations, self-reflection activities, and safety precautions. All of these reccommendations work well in coordination with targets surrounding English skill development.
Learning from Short-Term Study Abroad to Innovate Intensive English Programs on U.S. Campuses
Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 2020
A major focus of Intensive English Programs (IEPs) in most universities in the United States (U.S.) is English for Academic Purposes (EAP), which prepares English language learners for undergraduate and graduate study, delivered or facilitated in English across scholarly and professional settings. The same EAP approach may also be successfully implemented for short-term, inbound study abroad programs for international students and professionals hosted in the U.S. This qualitative review of current best practices aims to (1) to explore and document measurable trends on the efficacy of outbound study abroad programs from U.S. universities that may, ultimately, help develop short-term, inbound EAP programs, (2) provide a framework that could help IEP directors and coordinators in running short-term EAP courses, and (3) discuss innovations and future directions in hosting short-term EAP programs in an IEP setting in the U.S. Data sources include an extensive review of literature in the ...
Study Abroad and the Japanese University: Challenges and Opportunities for the Coming Decade
JACET Kansai Journal, 2009
Due to law enrollment from the domestic market, many Japanese universities are facing serious financial hardships that are forecasted to worsen in the coming decade. One potential solUtion to this problem is to offset the declming number of Japanese students with an inerease in international students, and to reinvent the image of Japanese universities as international centers for learning, The creatien ofthe Abraharn Lincoin Commission for Study Abroad in the United States with its goal to quadmple the number of Americans studying abroad arinually by 2017 provides Japan with new opportunities to attract U.S. students. With these opportunities come new challenges, notably finding sufficient means fbr dealing with the many American students that wish to study in Japan but lack sufficient Japanese language skills. [EThis paper outlines enrollrnent issues currently plaguing Japanese uriiversities and introduces the Lincoln Commission and its goals fbr U.S. higher edncation. It then shows how the creation of new Japan-U.S. study abroad partnerships can be of mutual benefit to both nations, Finally) using a case study from the University of Tbkyo, the paper argues fbr the creation of short-term study abroad programs taught in English, and fbr universities to hire more English-speaking faculties, international education specialists, and suppert staffs.
Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education, 2019
This paper aims to understand the mechanisms of how study abroad program design assists and hinders integration into the local student community and host society during the study abroad experience, focusing on a select US study abroad program in Japan over 50 years. The findings, based on 25 semi-structured in-depth interviews, suggest curricular as well as non-curricular experiences provide opportunities for integration into the host society. Furthermore, historical organizational changes in the study abroad program and internationalization aspirations of the host institution provide additional opportunities for integration. However, the findings also suggest difficulties in the process, particularly in relation to curricular elements and socio-cultural barriers. Finally, while on-site administrative staff can provide guidance, the presented results underline the importance of creating an atmosphere that promotes students’ independence.
Re-envisioning English for Academic Purposes: The view from Kiso Semi
This case study re-envisions the objectives of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program as taught by expatriate staff in a Japanese university. EAP courses in Japan often assume students will study in English speaking countries and prepare them for a western academic experience. However, increasingly English medium content courses are offered in Japanese schools. These courses, while conducted in English are nevertheless grounded in a Japanese academic context and its customs. This qualitative study examines the values and opinions of Japanese Kiso Semi (a fundamental academic skills preparation seminar) teachers through questionnaires and interviews to better inform EAP decision-making. Findings reveal insights into both Japanese academic norms and Japanese faculty expectations for student behavior and performance. Understanding these norms and expectations has lead to a questioning of current EAP curriculum design and a proposed localization of that design. This has implications for specific EAP course objectives, particularly in terms of the importance of intertextuality, multimodality, the role of critical thinking, and the possible transferability of skills between content and language classes.
Language, Culture and Curriculum, 2021
This project addressed the role of foreign language (FL) classes in a successful first-year student experience at one Japanese university. I assessed six dimensions of this experience: Match between high school FL classes and university FL classes, role of first-year FL course grades for academic progress, role of first-year FL classes in later studies, students’ attitudes toward the classes, promotion of language learning, and the success of these classes in fostering international peer interactions. Employing a mixed methods approach with one year of on-site fieldwork, I observed 78 FL classes, interviewed 40 students, five university and nine high school FL teachers, and analyzed teaching materials, homework, and student grades from 58 FL classes. Results indicated that, although these classes did not detract from students’ overall academic goals mainly due to the classes’ modest aims and lack of connections to later academic work, they largely failed to promote robust language learning, positive affect, and international peer interaction. This study especially indicates the need for improved connections between high school English and college-level EMI courses. Also, students with previous costly English learning opportunities fared better in English classes which suggests the importance of greater attention to equity in language education.