Self-concept in foreign language learning: A longitudinal study of Japanese language learners.

The Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion proudly presents the launch of

Self-concept in foreign language learning: A longitudinal study of Japanese language learners.

The volume calls attention to the ways in which learners’ perception of themselves as foreign language (FL) learners plays a fundamental role in FL learning. Drawing on data from a longitudinal study, including student

diaries, interviews and classroom observations, Yoshida outlines shifts in self-concept as learners progress from secondary school to university courses to study abroad and beyond. The book demonstrates how the learner journey is marked by a growing recognition of the importance of practice for achievement but also a greater sense of self-consciousness, with learners’ agency in creating opportunities for themselves to practice their FL as a key factor in improving self-concept over time. This work offers unique observations about self-concept for learners who already ‘have’ global English as a first language, inspiring ways forward for future research and language teaching in other under-studied languages.

Dr. Reiko Yoshida is a lecturer in Japanese in UniSA Education Futures. She was awarded her PhD in 2008. For her PhD study, Reiko examined

corrective feedback and learners’ private speech in Japanese language classes. Her book based on her PhD study ‘Learners in Japanese language classrooms: Overt and covert participation’ was published in 2009 by Continuum (now Bloomsbury). Her research interests include psychological aspects in foreign language learning and teaching, such as emotions, self-concept, and motivation of foreign language learners and teachers as well as autoethnography. Reiko published articles in various journals in applied linguistics and second language acquisition including Modern Language Journal, Computer Assisted Language Learning and Higher Education