The Gap in Beliefs about Japanese Conversation CourseBetween a Japanese Teacher and Students of Japanese

• Main Authors: Yu-Ching Liao, 廖育卿
• Other Authors: 作者未提供
• Format: Others
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/zj72pn

碩士 === 銘傳大學 === 應用日語學系碩士班 === 97 === Belief in this thesis means language learners’ learning attitudes and thoughts regarding language learning methods or effects. Most prior studies about belief used BALLI as questionnaires to survey the kinds of beliefs learners have when being taught. However, they didn’t probe the interaction between teachers and students. Therefore, this study considers three elements to research beliefs of teachers and students, including the beliefs about conversation classes, the differences of belief, and the changes of belief. The results of this study are as follows: First is the class activity. Although teachers used communicative teaching as the method for class activities and sentence practices, students thought they preferred doing drills again and again. Moreover, teachers didn’t change the belief for the whole curriculum, but only in the class management. In addition, learners gradually formed their habits in the class activities which take conversation class as the core. Without exception, students evaluated the class activities highly, showing their beliefs have changed. Second is taking attendance. During the questions and answers, teachers selected students to answer questions according to the dialogue. Obviously students’ belief didn’t change. However, teachers who responded to students’ request to draw out students to answer questions changed their belief. Third is to correct. Teachers thought indirect correction was important, but students preferred direct correction. However, learners are afraid of more direct correction. This may involve a process of training thinking; our research found a change of belief occurred. The fourth is to write words on the board. Learners would like teachers to write new vocabulary but teachers tried to decrease the time of writing on the board. The reason is teachers want students to have the initiative to start their learning. In this case, learners’ belief didn’t change and they felt the frequency of teachers writing words on the board increased in the 2nd semester. Conversely, teachers didn’t feel the frequency had increased. So, it is hard to judge whether the beliefs changed or not. In summary, this study via survey elicited information about the difference of beliefs and the gap between teachers and students. Teachers are recommended to use two-way interaction and communication to decrease the gap and the difference of beliefs.