Papers by Aaron C . Sponseller
Frontiers in Psychology
IntroductionResearch on self–efficacy in intercultural communication (SEIC) provided validity evi... more IntroductionResearch on self–efficacy in intercultural communication (SEIC) provided validity evidence for second language (L2) self-efficacy domains. However, it lacked (1) an analysis of individual differences in personality as antecedents, (2) divergent validity from anxiety variables (i.e., foreign language classroom anxiety; FLCA), and (3) disambiguation from speaking (S-SE) and listening (L-SE) skill-specific self-efficacy types.MethodsWe conducted structural equation modeling of L2 self-efficacy and anxiety as response variables predicted by the Big Five model of personality in the context of Japanese undergraduate students at three university sites (n = 373), and a geographically diverse online survey of emerging adults (n = 1,326) throughout Japan.ResultsThe final model for the nationally representative sample showed that SEIC was predicted by all identified personality factors. Differentially supported paths were observed linking L-SE with Conscientiousness (β = 0.24) and ...
Vocabulary Learning and Instruction, 2021
For many teachers and administrators, the degree to which attrition over summer vacation represen... more For many teachers and administrators, the degree to which attrition over summer vacation represents a threat to instructed language acquisition remains unclear. In a previous study, Kramer et al. (2019) looked at receptive vocabulary knowledge attrition over summer vacation, found no evidence of attrition using these measures, and called for future research to instead use tests of productive vocabulary knowledge which is more likely to be forgotten. Therefore, in this study we investigate the amount of summer attrition among Japanese university students (N = 81) and any mediation in that attrition attributable to digital paired-associate vocabulary studying, extensive reading, or experience travelling abroad. The results indicate that although there was no significant group difference in pre- and post-test productive vocabulary scores, a small but significant relationship was found between digital paired-associate vocabulary studying and vocabulary test score gains.
Hiroshima journal of school education, 2015
This paper explores the letter-writing component on the English portion of Myanmar’s University E... more This paper explores the letter-writing component on the English portion of Myanmar’s University Entrance Examination, also referred to as the Matriculation Examination. Very little has been published to date regarding this examination in general, and this paper appears to be the first to address the letter-writing portion of this exam in detail. 165 letter-writing prompts used on the actual exams from 2009 to 2013, as well as six marking schemes used from that same period to assess examinee responses were analyzed. Inconsistencies in the difficulty level of the prompts as well as potential issues with the reliability of the current marking scheme(s) are discussed. The researchers ultimately advocate that the Ministry of Education and Myanmar’s Board of Education revise their current approaches to creating letter-writing prompts and consider developing a more contextually-specific and dynamic assessment instrument capable of serving in a formative capacity in classroom-based instruct...
Hiroshima studies in language and language education, 2017
文部科学省が創設した「スーパー・グローバル大学創生支援事業」のもと，各大学はこれまで行ってきた大学のグローバル化のための方策や取り組みを，より高い目標へと転換する必要に迫られている。これまで，各... more 文部科学省が創設した「スーパー・グローバル大学創生支援事業」のもと，各大学はこれまで行ってきた大学のグローバル化のための方策や取り組みを，より高い目標へと転換する必要に迫られている。これまで，各大学において実施されてきたグローバル化を目指すための主要な取り組みは，留学生や外国人教員の増員，英語による授業の開講，教員や大学院生による国際学会発表や海外の学会誌への投稿の奨励などであった。本研究では，日本のある主要大学の一学部において，大学のグローバル化を図る手段として実施された，学部構成員の学術英語に対する自己効力感の調査について述べる。調査では，ラッシュ（Rasch, G.）の方法論を用いて学部構成員の学術英語能力に関する喫緊の課題を特定し，学部は，その結果に基づいて一連のワークショップの企画に着手した。本研究で提示した調査結果は，何をもって学部構成員が学術英語を使える／使えないと判断したかという点を含め，調査の過程と方法の両面において限界性を持つ。また，大学全体を対象として同じ調査を展開する場合にも，改良する余地を残すと思われる。
This paper presents the results of a pilot survey conducted in a Faculty of Education at a major ... more This paper presents the results of a pilot survey conducted in a Faculty of Education at a major research university in Western Japan. The purpose of the survey was twofold: Assessing faculty members’ perceived self-efficacy in key academic English (EAP) skills, and gauging faculty interest in further developing certain EAP skills. Faculty (n = 67) responded to twelve EAP self-efficacy items and nine EAP developmental interest items. Faculty responses indicate high self-efficacy with generally simple tasks like self-introductions and emails, and lower efficacy for tasks like writing publishable manuscripts. Efficacy with skills in between these two ends of the spectrum revealed little pattern, indicating faculty feel they possess a diverse range of EAP skills. There was a clear pattern of preference for developing EAP skills directly related to engaging in international conferences or writing manuscripts in English. Limitations of and future directions for this line of research are ...
本研究は，L2ドイツ語ライティングの流暢さを調査したJoshua Bonzo（2008）の部分的な追従研究である。Bonzoと本研究は，学習者がより多く書くのはトピックを指導者が与えた場合である... more 本研究は，L2ドイツ語ライティングの流暢さを調査したJoshua Bonzo（2008）の部分的な追従研究である。Bonzoと本研究は，学習者がより多く書くのはトピックを指導者が与えた場合であるか，学習者自身が選んだ場合であるかを調査したという点で共通している。調査では日本人大学生75名を4つのクラスに分け，10分間の自由英作文への取り組みを全6回実施した。さらに，学習者は，トピック選択の好みに関する事後調査に回答した。全体的な結果は，学習者自身がトピックを選択した場合により多く書く傾向にあるというBonzoの結果を支持するものであった。
JALT Postconference Publication, 2020
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program has, for more than 30 years, brought the concept of team ... more The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program has, for more than 30 years, brought the concept of team teaching to Japanese schools. However, research concerning precisely how these teachers perceive the roles of themselves and their teaching counterparts remains inconclusive and is focused primarily on what teaching methods are employed. In a team-teaching context, arriving at a mutual understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of both teachers is vital for establishing and maintaining positive teacher efficacy. The current study analyzed perceptions held by ALTs and JTEs to see if there existed an alignment between the two that might benefit this collective efficacy. Data was taken from a national survey of Japanese teachers of English (n = 207) and assistant language teachers (n = 199) in which respondents focused upon their perceived roles in and expectations of team teaching. 「語学指導等を行う外国青年招致事業」（ＪＥＴプログラム）は、30年以上にわたり日本の学校にティームティーチング（以下、ＴＴ）を提供してきた。しかし研究では授業で運用する教授法に焦点が当た...
JALT2018—Diversity and Inclusion, 2019
Although freewriting is a popular fluency-focused writing activity, students often differ in thei... more Although freewriting is a popular fluency-focused writing activity, students often differ in their capacity, speed, and preference for self-selecting freewriting topics. This paper introduces a list of freewriting topics generated through empirical analysis of 631 self-selected freewriting samples produced by Japanese university students (N = 213). This list facilitates inclusive freewriting pedagogy by providing prompts to students who need such support without confining more autonomous students who prefer self-selecting their freewriting topics. フリーライティングは、流暢さを重視した人気のライティングアクティビティである。しかし、フリーライティングのトピックを素早く決める力や好みが学生によって違いがしばしばある。本論文では、日本の大学生（N = 213）が自身で決めたトピックで書いた631件のフリーライティングサンプルを実証的に分析して集めたトピック一覧を紹介する。このリストは、自分でタイトルが決められない学生にとって有効で、やる気を引き出しながらフリーライティングが行える。それと同時に自分でトピックが決められる学生は、リストを使用せずに自由に書き進めることができる｡
I Background & Research Purpose 1.International Background on Shared Reading Most Japanese couple... more I Background & Research Purpose 1.International Background on Shared Reading Most Japanese couples who are raising children in Japan today were exposed to at least six years of English during their junior high school and high school years. Results vary as to the success or failure of these six years of English language education in terms of developing communicative competence among today's young to middle-aged Japanese citizens. While most Japanese may not be able to maintain a conversation in English, it seems likely that they may be able to handle reading English language children's books aloud. Thus far the research focused on the impact of use of storybooks at home comes almost invariably from a Western point of view and typically with English as the L1 under investigation (Bus, Ijzendoorn, & Pellegrini, 1995; Dickinson & De Temple, 1998; Sénéchal & LeFevre, 2002). Some studies are conducted within family literacy programs or at least sample an at-risk population for who...
A popular component of family literacy programs consists of encouraging parents to read stories t... more A popular component of family literacy programs consists of encouraging parents to read stories to/with their children. Reading together has been linked with considerable improvements in literacy in L1 contexts, however reading together in an L2 remains underexplored. In Japan this area is practically unexplored altogether. Given most Japanese parents of elementary-age children today have been through six years of compulsory English in JHS and HS, as well as the fact that the storybooks used in such programs are typically comprised of low-level vocabulary and accompanied by pictures that support the story, it is reasonable to wonder if a storybook reading intervention for Japanese parents presents a feasible option for augmenting young Japanese English learners’ English language development. Specifi cally, this study investigated two things. First, are oral fl uency gains in storybook reading possible for a Japanese reader of English storybooks over just 10 days? Second, do hypothet...
Hiroshima studies in language and language education, 2018
2016年に始まった Family Reading プロジェクト（FRP）は，日本人小学生の親を対象に，英語絵本の読み聞かせを練習する機会を提供するものである（Ferguson, Sponsel... more 2016年に始まった Family Reading プロジェクト（FRP）は，日本人小学生の親を対象に，英語絵本の読み聞かせを練習する機会を提供するものである（Ferguson, Sponseller, & Yamada, 2017）。FRP で用いる絵本は，内容が面白いだけでなく，プロジェクトに参加する親の語彙に合わせて選ばなければならないが，現在，子ども向けテクストの包括的なコーパスや，その難易度を測定する方法は確立されていない。本研究の主目的は，FRP に用いるテクストの一貫した分析方法の開発とその改良にある。FRP が将来にわたって継続されていくためには，語彙に基づいてFRP で用いる本を選ぶ必要がある。そこで，子ども向け絵本シリーズとして有名な The Berenstain Bears から55作品を選んで電子化し，小規模コーパスを作成した。本論文では，そこからシリーズ全体と個別の作品の語彙使用レベルに関して調査し，今後のFRP において使用可能なテクストの評価について示唆を述べる。
I Background & Research Purpose 1.International Background on Shared Reading Most Japanese couple... more I Background & Research Purpose 1.International Background on Shared Reading Most Japanese couples who are raising children in Japan today were exposed to at least six years of English during their junior high school and high school years. Results vary as to the success or failure of these six years of English language education in terms of developing communicative competence among today's young to middle-aged Japanese citizens. While most Japanese may not be able to maintain a conversation in English, it seems likely that they may be able to handle reading English language children's books aloud. Thus far the research focused on the impact of use of storybooks at home comes almost invariably from a Western point of view and typically with English as the L1 under investigation (Bus, Ijzendoorn, & Pellegrini, 1995; Dickinson & De Temple, 1998; Sénéchal & LeFevre, 2002). Some studies are conducted within family literacy programs or at least sample an at-risk population for who...
OnCUE Journal, 2020
In recent years, many Japanese universities, recognizing the value of high-impact learning experi... more In recent years, many Japanese universities, recognizing the value of high-impact learning experiences provided through sojourns abroad, have developed an increasingly wide array of study abroad programs. Students have diverse reasons for deciding to study abroad. However, no instrument which quickly and accurately gauges the strength of the various motivational factors compelling a student to pursue study abroad opportunities appears
JALT 2019: Teacher efficacy, learner agency, 2020
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program has, for more than 30 years, brought the concept of team ... more The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program has, for more than 30 years, brought the concept of team teaching to Japanese schools. However, research concerning precisely how these teachers perceive the roles of themselves and their teaching counterparts remains inconclusive and is
focused primarily on what teaching methods are employed. In a team-teaching context, arriving at a mutual understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of both teachers is vital for establishing and maintaining positive teacher efficacy. The current study analyzed perceptions held by ALTs and JTEs to see if there existed an alignment between the two that might benefit this collective efficacy. Data was taken from a national survey of Japanese teachers of English (n = 207) and assistant language teachers (n = 199) in which respondents focused upon their perceived roles in and expectations of team teaching.
「語学指導等を行う外国青年招致事業」（ＪＥＴプログラム）は、30年以上にわたり日本の学校にティームティーチング（以下、ＴＴ）を提供してきた。しかし研究では授業で運用する教授法に焦点が当たり、担当教諭が本人及びパートナーの役割をどう認識しているかについては、はっきりしていない。ＴＴでは、両者の教師効力感を生み出し維持するためには、互いの役割と責任についての相互理解が不可欠である。この研究では、集合的効力感に有益な協力体制の有無について、外国語指導助手（ＡＬＴ）と日本人英語教師（ＪＬＴ）それぞれの認識を分析した。データはＴＴにおける役割認識とＴＴに求めるものを焦点に全国調査し、ＪＬＴ207人、ＡＬＴ199人が回答したものだ。このデータから、ＴＴ関係者が受ける恩恵についても考察する。
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Papers by Aaron C . Sponseller
focused primarily on what teaching methods are employed. In a team-teaching context, arriving at a mutual understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of both teachers is vital for establishing and maintaining positive teacher efficacy. The current study analyzed perceptions held by ALTs and JTEs to see if there existed an alignment between the two that might benefit this collective efficacy. Data was taken from a national survey of Japanese teachers of English (n = 207) and assistant language teachers (n = 199) in which respondents focused upon their perceived roles in and expectations of team teaching.
「語学指導等を行う外国青年招致事業」（ＪＥＴプログラム）は、30年以上にわたり日本の学校にティームティーチング（以下、ＴＴ）を提供してきた。しかし研究では授業で運用する教授法に焦点が当たり、担当教諭が本人及びパートナーの役割をどう認識しているかについては、はっきりしていない。ＴＴでは、両者の教師効力感を生み出し維持するためには、互いの役割と責任についての相互理解が不可欠である。この研究では、集合的効力感に有益な協力体制の有無について、外国語指導助手（ＡＬＴ）と日本人英語教師（ＪＬＴ）それぞれの認識を分析した。データはＴＴにおける役割認識とＴＴに求めるものを焦点に全国調査し、ＪＬＴ207人、ＡＬＴ199人が回答したものだ。このデータから、ＴＴ関係者が受ける恩恵についても考察する。
focused primarily on what teaching methods are employed. In a team-teaching context, arriving at a mutual understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of both teachers is vital for establishing and maintaining positive teacher efficacy. The current study analyzed perceptions held by ALTs and JTEs to see if there existed an alignment between the two that might benefit this collective efficacy. Data was taken from a national survey of Japanese teachers of English (n = 207) and assistant language teachers (n = 199) in which respondents focused upon their perceived roles in and expectations of team teaching.
「語学指導等を行う外国青年招致事業」（ＪＥＴプログラム）は、30年以上にわたり日本の学校にティームティーチング（以下、ＴＴ）を提供してきた。しかし研究では授業で運用する教授法に焦点が当たり、担当教諭が本人及びパートナーの役割をどう認識しているかについては、はっきりしていない。ＴＴでは、両者の教師効力感を生み出し維持するためには、互いの役割と責任についての相互理解が不可欠である。この研究では、集合的効力感に有益な協力体制の有無について、外国語指導助手（ＡＬＴ）と日本人英語教師（ＪＬＴ）それぞれの認識を分析した。データはＴＴにおける役割認識とＴＴに求めるものを焦点に全国調査し、ＪＬＴ207人、ＡＬＴ199人が回答したものだ。このデータから、ＴＴ関係者が受ける恩恵についても考察する。
See the following conference report for details about the validation process.
Contact Aaron C. Sponseller if you have follow-up questions or requests.
Remember to cite the orginal authors (Peterson, Milstein, Nakazawa, & Chen, 2011) when using the original English version.
summer vacation represents a threat to instructed language acquisition remains unclear. In a previous study, Kramer et al. (2019) looked at receptive
vocabulary knowledge attrition over summer vacation, found no evidence of
attrition using these measures, and called for future research to instead use
tests of productive vocabulary knowledge which is more likely to be forgotten. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the amount of summer attrition among Japanese university students(N = 81) and any mediation in that attrition attributable to digital paired-associate vocabulary studying, extensive reading, or experience traveling abroad. The results indicate that although there was no significant group difference in pre- and post-test productive vocabulary scores, a small but significant relationship was found between digital paired-associate vocabulary studying and vocabulary test score gains.