The COVID-19 pandemic has forced language educators to shift their pedagogical approach to online teaching. To address this, we designed a curriculum that seamlessly blends synchronous and asynchronous learning with a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) system, PairBear, to enhance students' Japanese speaking skills. Created to provide an online Japanese language learning environment for international students who could not travel, we adapted and further developed it to adapt it after the pandemic.

This study aimed to explore students' learning experiences and perspectives of this language curriculum with this CALL system and analyze the effectiveness of integrating synchronous and asynchronous learning in Japanese language teaching. A mixed-methods research design employing an end-of-course questionnaire with ten respondents and in-depth interviews with three selected participants was undertaken to collect qualitative comments. The study also conducted oral interview tests at the beginning and end of the course to check for improvement in their language level. The study's results revealed that the students experienced a significant increase in confidence, motivation, willingness to communicate, and frequency of communication. This positive outcome, particularly effective for beginner-intermediate learners, offers them an efficient approach to improving their Japanese language skills.

Furthermore, the study highlights PairBear's practicality as a tool for language educators. It can be incorporated into the curriculum for pre-intermediate foreign language learners between Basic Users (A1, A2) and Independent Users (B1, B2) on the CEFR's Global Scale, enriching their learning experience. This small-scale study carries significant implications, empowering language educators to leverage PairBear as a practical tool to enhance their curriculum.

Authors:
Mika Tamura, Kyushu University, Japan
Yuga Omori, Kyushu University, Japan
Daisuke Ikeda, Kyushu University, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Mika Tamura is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Kyushu University in Japan

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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