Doshisha University

Faculty Member, International Studies

Assistant Professor

Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts

Thesis Title: Extensive Writing (EWr): An innovative approach to EFL writing in a Japanese high school

About

April 2011 - What a difference a year makes! Spending the past year immersed in the speaking and writing sections of the TOEFL iBT test has been fascinating. Our students raised their overall scores higher than in previous years and that makes us four new teachers feel very proud.

My own fluency-based approach was successful overall with most students raising their fluency (speed, automaticity and comprehensibility) by more than 50%, and some up to 100%. I learned a valuable lesson at the top end of the scale in that the returnee and highest-level students didn't improve from fluency practice. They were already fluent enough and therefore just got bored rather than motivated. I needed to challenge them in different ways, and luckily realized that soon enough to make the necessary adjustments.

I'm looking forward to going deeper into the TOEFL iBT this year and streamlining my teaching in order to help students reach their goals as quickly as possible.


April 2010 - About to begin teaching students in an International Studies program who focus intensely on an 18-month TOEFL preparation course before studying abroad for a year. I'm very keen to do classroom research and learn a lot about how to maximize both their motivation and their results.

Since 1992, I have been teaching high school EFL in Osaka, Japan, . After 21 years of focusing almost entirely on speaking and listening, two things happened coincidentally: I began an extensive reading (ER) program and also began teaching writing courses in my high school since April, 2007. Within weeks, I was floored by the levels of student engagement - blown away, knocked down, and thrown for a loop. When my students were given 1) time, and 2) choices, about what to read and what to write, they began the process of seeing their own improvement. By throwing in a little scaffolding, peer support and peer expectations, we were collectively beginning to make lessons "special" on a regular basis. Survey results after two years of writing show major attitude changes in my students. An analysis of eight months of 10-minute free writing samples will hopefully add some level of academic growth as well.

Aside from the dissertation, and from more of a personal perspective, I am a teacher who loves people. I have always seen the positive aspects of my students and the potential that each individual possesses. Initially, I strive to connect with people who enter my classroom. Then, I try to show clear and encouraging expectations for everyone to grow in some way: whether that growth manifests itself in TOEFL test scores, or by securing a good job in the future or by simply maturing to become “a better person” always depends on the individual. My role and my purpose is simply to add to their growth in a meaningful way.

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