T. Nakayama A. was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. Nakayama earned a bachelor degree in English Literature and Linguistics from Obirin University in 1991, and MA in TESOL at Teachers’ College Columbia University in 2001 and Ph.D. at Hiroshima University in 2013. He is specialized in learning science. His current research interests are English as an International Language (EIL) and development of new learning methods to promote proficiency of EIL learners. He developed VA shadowing method to improve Japanese EIL learners’ listening skills and the book on its mechanism will be released this year. Now he and his colleagues are developing the new method called Instant Translation method to promote proficiency of Japanese EIL learners. He is currently an associate professor at Jissen Women’s University in Tokyo and teaches English and English teacher training courses.
Topic: Is the VA Shadowing Method Effective on Pronunciation Learning of Kanji?
Abstract: This speech discusses whether the visual-auditory shadowing method (VA shadowing method) can better facilitate vocabulary learning of JSL (Japanese as a Second Language) learners than the visual-visual shadowing method (VV shadowing method), sharing the three studies conducted by the speaker in the past. The analysis suggests that VA shadowing method might be more effective in learning kanji pronunciation for advanced learners who have more exposure to auditory input of Japanese, compared to the other groups. In other words, novice and intermediate learners need to depend more on hiragana (phonetic character of Japanese) since the quality of input is more stable in hiragana, compared to auditory input since it varies depending on the speaker. As for future research, it is necessary to investigate whether the combination of VA and VV methods gives a better impact on novice and intermediate learners.
Budsaba Kanoksilapatham is currently a professor of English with the Faculty of Management Science, Silpakorn University.She completed the bachelor’s degree in English(Hons.)at the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University.She received the master’s degree in linguistics and EFL from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and the Ph.D.degree in linguistics with a concentration in applied linguistics from Georgetown University, USA.Her research interests include discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, phonetics, and language teaching.Her most recent books are Pronunciation in Action and English Sociolinguistics at Work.Her research articles were published in international journals including English for Specific Purposes and The IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication.
Topic: Psychological Factor of Self-regulated Learning under the Spotlight: A distant learning mode
Abstract: Language learners’ achievement is influenced by a range of psychological factors including intelligence, personality, attention, curiosity, self-confidence, and motivation. In addition to the list, self-regulating learning or SRL is important in any learning mode, whether online, hybrid or blended, or face-to-face, as evidenced by a large body of research on learning and performance. Meanwhile, rapid changes of current conditions induced by COVID-19 has driven a shift away from traditional face-to-face learning to other alternatives like distant or remote learning. Because learners are physically separated from their instructors, their ability to manage the learning process needs to be considerably enhanced and has become a necessity for learning achievement. To better understand the current scenario, this study scrutinizes SRL in Thai university students engaging in a distant learning environment. Based on the administration of the OSLQ of 24 items at the end of the semester, data analysis revealed that Thai students utilized a comparatively low level of task strategies and time management, as opposed to other subprocesses. For instance, time management, as identified in this report, resonates a previous study of Thai university students in an online mode who admittedly struggled with time management. Overall, the findings culminate in the highlighted role of SRL to be instilled in learners, and the implication that SRL can vary according to academic contexts. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the association between learning environments and SRL and informed practical pedagogical implications to enhance students’ success.
Dr. Wang Lixun is Associate Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Modern Language Studies at the Education University of Hong Kong. He has published widely in areas such as corpus linguistics, computer-assisted language learning, multilingual education, and English-Chinese translation studies, in reputable journals such as System, Language Learning and Technology, Computer-Assisted Language Learning, and International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. He is the author of Introduction to Language Studies (2011) and co-author of Academic Writing in Language and Education Programmes (2011), Trilingual Education in Hong Kong Primary Schools (2019), and Identity, Motivation, and Multilingual Education in Asian Contexts (2020). In 2019, he and his colleagues won Silver Medal at the 47th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Project title: Educational Linguistics 2.0 – The use of Corpora in Language Teaching). In 2020, he and his colleagues won 2020 Esperanto "Access to Language Education” Award organized by CALICO, the Esperantic Studies Foundation, and Lernu.net in the USA.
Topic: TBA