Language orientations: Case study of a Japanese-as-a-foreign-language classroom

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the theories of orientations in the context of a Japanese-as-a-foreign-language (JFL) classroom in the Northwest of the United States. Using a Grounded Theory methodology, this study includes data from card-sorting activities, teacher and student interviews, classroom observations, and scenario studies. The perspectives of language planning--theories of orientations--bring socio-political aspects to the foreign language classroom context, and help to describe the participants' voices, hopes and determinations toward learning Japanese in a foreign language classroom setting. The existing theories of orientations and the abstraction of the data results are merged into a new taxonomy. The notion of Grounded Theory--an interplay of data and theories--is a central perspective throughout the study. The JFL program in the Northwest reflects many aspects of the language-as-resource orientation. Most of the participants' voices and hopes are explicitly included in the program and in some standards on foreign language education. However, heritage language and identity issues are not explicitly discussed in this program. The research suggests that this program consider this aspect and develop an appropriate methodology for this population. In addition, a new descriptive orientation taxonomy is suggested in the coding process: Language as means of communication, Language as linguistic means, and Language as a mediator of culture (with two different emphases: First language and culture; and Any language and culture). The research findings and interpretations were negotiated with the participants in order to assure their appropriateness, and the study includes two-year data from various interviews, ranging from a pilot study to final interviews. Final interviews were conducted in addition to the main study in order to assure the results and my interpretations of interview quotations. This study contributes to research methodology itself by incorporating various research tools including descriptive statistics and traditional qualitative methods. As an exploration of this topic, this study presents important implications to foreign language education and pedagogy, and to theory development in language planning and policy.