influence of living location on english test scores of...

Influence of Living Location on English Test Scores of Japanese University Students

Tetsuya Fukuda (tfukuda@icu.ac.jp)Keita Yagi (ykeita@icu.ac.jp)

International Christian University

CILC4August 1, 201810:30 – 11:00

Overview

II. Methods

I. Case-Study Context

III. Results

I. Case-Study Context

IV. Conclusion

I. Case-Study Context

Japanese and English → its official languages

A. Students @ a bilingual university in Tokyo

I. Case-Study Context

B. Many returnees from ENG and non-ENG

English Language Program Japanese Language Program

I. Case-Study Context

C. Students in the English program

Stream 1 (Advanced)

TOEFL 623 - 667

(mean = 650 ) 20 Ss

Stream 2 (High Intermediate)

TOEFL 553-643

(mean = 597 ) 100 Ss

Stream 3 (Intermediate)

TOEFL 447-570

(mean = 517) 360 Ss

Stream 4 (Low Intermediate)

TOEFL 390-477

(mean = 450) 120 Ss

Intake

(600 students)

Streaming (TOEFL ITP, Interview,

Writing sample)

4 Streams

3 %

16 %

60 %

20 %

I. Case-Study Context

D. The English program’s objectives

(English for Liberal Arts Program, 2018, p. 7)

(1) To acquire academic English skills

(2) To acquire critical thinking and study skills

(3) To appreciate cultural differences

(4) To understand educational expectations

within the Liberal Arts tradition

Semi-intensive program

English for Academic Purposes

Freshman Sophomore

Spring Autumn Winter Spring Autumn Winter

Stream 1

(Advanced)

ARW Research

Writing

5 classes 4 classes

Stream 2

(High

Intermediate)

ARW and AS Research

Writing

6 classes 6 classes 4 classes

Stream 3

(Intermediate)

ARW (Academic Reading &

Writing), RCA (Reading and

Content Analysis), and AS

(Academic Skills)

11 classes 11 classes 10 classes

Research

Writing

(Spring or Autumn or Winter)

4 classes

Stream 4

(Low

Intermediate)

ARW, RCA, and AS

13 classes 11 classes 11 classes

FRW

3 classes

Research Writing

(Autumn or Winter)

4 classes

E. Students’ learning in the English program

I. Case-Study Context

Placement Test

2 terms

3 terms

4 ter s

5 terms

Freshman Sophomore

Spring Autumn Winter Spring Autumn Winter

Stream 1

(Advanced)

ARW Research

Writing

5 classes 4 classes

Stream 2

(High

Intermediate)

ARW and AS Research

Writing

6 classes 6 classes 4 classes

Stream 3

(Intermediate)

ARW (Academic Reading &

Writing), RCA (Reading and

Content Analysis), and AS

(Academic Skills)

11 classes 11 classes 10 classes

Research

Writing

(Spring or Autumn or Winter)

4 classes

Stream 4

(Low

Intermediate)

ARW, RCA, and AS

13 classes 11 classes 11 classes

FRW

3 classes

Research Writing

(Autumn or Winter)

4 classes

F. Placement and Exit Tests

I. Case-Study Context

Placement Test

2 terms

3 terms

4 terms

5 termsTOEFL ITP in April (2016)

IELTS in November (2016)

IELTS in March (2017)

IELTS in June (2017)

I. Case-Study ContextF. Placement and Exit Tests

mandatory Not mandatory

Overview

II. Methods

I. Case-Study Context

III. Results

II. Methods

IV. Conclusion

Research Questions

Q1: Do those who lived in an English-speaking country

(ENG) generally get a higher score than those who lived in

a non-English-speaking country (Non-ENG) or those who did not live overseas (Non-OVER)?

Analysis of Placement Test & Exit Test

Analysis of Placement Test & Exit Test

Independent t-tests & ANOVAs

Means of CEFR level improvement

Q2 : Do those who lived in an English-speaking country

(ENG) improve their English as much as those who lived in

a non-English-speaking country (Non-ENG) or those who did not live overseas (Non-OVER)?

Research Questions

Q2

Do ENG students improve their English as much as Non-ENG or Non-OVER?

Analysis of Placement Test & Exit Test

Means of CEFR level improvement

(Eiken Foundation of Japan, 2017)

(Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)

(IELTS, 2017)(Educational Testing Service, 2017)

Our Comparison Table

CEFR TOEFL ITP IELTS

C2→6 8.5-9

C1→5 627-677 7-8

B2→4 543-626 5.5-6.5

B1→3 460-542 4-5

A2→2 337-459 -3.5

A1→1

Participants

2015 Cohort 2016 Cohort

Total 575 619

PRE (TOEFL ITP) 569 617

POST (IELTS) 344 (60%) 381 (61%)

Both 342 380

After deletion

(TOEFL ITP 640～)

333 (-9) 356 (-24)

Participants

2015 Cohort 2016 Cohort

After

deletion

333 356

ENG(more than 9 months in

English speaking country)

59 69

Non-ENG(more than 9 months in

non-English speaking

country)

33 43

Non-OVER(No overseas experience

or less than 9 months

235 244

Overview

II. Methods

I. Case-Study Context

III. ResultsIII. Results

IV. Conclusion

Results 1

RQ1

Do those who lived in an English-speaking country (ENG)

generally get a higher score than those who lived in a non-

English-speaking country (Non-ENG) or those who did not

live overseas (Non-OVER)?

Result

In both PRE and POST, ENG got a higher average score

than Non-ENG and Non-OVER.

Results 1 PRE

Non-OVER

503

Non-ENG

541

ENG

555

Results 1 POST

Non-OVER

5.75

Non-ENG

6.26

ENG

6.54

Results 2

RQ2

Do ENG students improve their English as much as Non-ENG or Non-OVER?

Result

Yes, they do. ENG students improved their English, too.

Results 2

Growth in CEFR level

n. Average Growth in CEFR

3 ENG 69 0.78

2 Non-ENG 43 0.65

1 Non-OVER 244 0.87

Overview

II. Methods

I. Case-Study Context

III. Results

IV. Conclusion IV. Conclusion

Interpretations

1. Living in an English-speaking country influences the English level, and the influence is kept till the end of the English program.

2. Even if they lived in an English-speaking country, they can still improve their English even more in the English program.

Future Orientations

1. The data from multiple cohorts can be combined.

2. Models with other factors can be examined.

3. Structural Equation Modeling will be employed.

Mahalo!

Tetsuya Fukuda

tfukuda@icu.ac.jp

Keita Yagi

ykeita@icu.ac.jp

References

Educational Testing Service. (2017). TOEFL ITP® overall performance

descriptors. Retrieved from

https://www.ets.org/toefl_itp/research/performance-descriptors/

Eiken Foundation of Japan. (2017). Comparison table. Retrieved from

http://stepeiken.org/comparison-table

English for Liberal Arts Program. (2018). ELA staff handbook. Tokyo:

International Christian University.

IELTS. (2017). Common European framework. Retrieved from

https://www.ielts.org/ielts-for-organisations/common-european-framework