In an EFL environment such as Japan, students can carry on with their everyday routines in their mother language of Japanese. Many students only get to learn or use English in the classroom. To give those students more authentic experiences in language use, some university courses are adopting hands-on learning approaches such as project-based language learning (PBLL). One of the biggest benefits of PBLL is the role of social interaction as students work together in a situated activity to construct shared understanding through sharing, using, and debating ideas with peers. While this learning approach can enhance students' language learning through joint collaborative efforts, it can cause a variety of challenges in the process as they try to engage with their peers through their L2. In this presentation, the presenter will report on the metacognitive processes of Japanese university students of intermediate to advanced proficiency in English in their attempts to engage in collaborative dialogue with their peers during a group project about current international affairs. The interview data collected from the students after the project were analyzed using the Modified Grounded Theory Approach (M-GTA). The audience will see how students tried to engage in collaborative dialogue with their peers despite linguistic as well as psychological difficulties. The insights from the analysis can help teachers who are or will be incorporating a similar pedagogy in their teaching context.

Authors:
Yumi Chikamori Gomez, Seitoku University, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Yumi Chikamori Gomez is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Seitoku University in Japan

See this presentation on the full schedule – On Demand Schedule

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