Psychology of Language and Japanese Language Acquisition

NISHIGUCHI, Koichi (Center for International Education and Exchange)

Capacity
   Japanese students should function practically in English in oral mode. Non-Japanese students are not required to be proficient in Japanese or have knowledge in Japanese grammar, vocabulary, phonology, etc..

Cource Objective
   The objectives of this course is two fold. One is to understand Bakhtinian perspectives on language, language acquisition and making-up of personality and the related concepts such as speech genre, dialogue, situation-transcending practice, heteroglossia, polyphony, etc.. The second objective is to understand possible application of Bakhtinian perspectives to second language education, particularly to Japanese language education to the speakers of other languages. In addition, students will also practice describing different aspects of Japanese language collaboratively so that they can deepen their understanding of the nature of the language and develop effective learning and teaching strategies.
   This course will be an introduction to Bakhtin's thought and will be of interest for students in liretary criticism, anthropology, sociology, education, and language pedagogy. International students will also gain insights into the nature of Japanese language and may find how best basic Japanese capacity could be acquired. For Japanese students this course will be a good introduction to the theory and practice in a new approach to Japanese language education firmly based in Bakhtinian philosophy of language.
   The materials used in the class will be provided in both English and Japanese. The collaboration between international and Japanese students will foster most favorable environment to achive above objectives.

Requirement / Prerequisite
   N.A.

Course Content
   □ Psychology of language

1. Bakhtinian perspectives on language, language acquisition, and making-up of personality
2. Concept of situated interaction and situation-transcending practice
3. Concept of cultural forms, figured world, and self-authoring
4. Translating Bakhtinian perspectives into second language acquisition

1. Nature of Japanese language
2. Application of Bakhtinian perspectives to the curriculum designing of elementary Japanese language program
3. Application of Bakhtinian perspectives to instructional plan of a unit
4. Learning strategies for efficient acquisition of Japanese
5. Bird's-eye view of the system of Japanese grammar
6. Adequate grammatical explanations to the learners of Japanese as a second language

Class Plan

1. Introduction: overview of the lecture
2. Saussurian perspectives on language and approach to second language acquisition and teaching
3. Approaches to second language acquisition and the state of Japanese language pedagogy
4. Bakhtinian perspectives on language 1 ― concept of speech genre
5. Bakhtinian perspectives on language 2 ― speech genre and language acquisition, making-up of personality and second language acquisition
6. Bakhtinian perspectives on language 3 ― dialogue, self-authoring, figured world and dialogism
7. Wertsch's "tool kit" analogy and Wilkin's notion of "synthetic approach" and "analytic approach"
8. Self-expression-based Mastertext approach and designing of elementary Japanese language program
9. Instructional plan of a unit in SMT approach
10. Nature of Japanese language (sound system and basic structure of an utterance) and knacks for pronouncing Japanese
11. Bird's-eye view of the system of Japanese grammar
12. Description of particles
13. Description of "giving" and "receiving"
14. Description of causative, passive and causative passive sentences
15. Final remarks

Textbooks
   N.A.
   Reference Books

1. "A New Approach to Elementary Japanese" vol.1-2, Kuroshio Publisher
2. "Understanding Basic Japanese Grammar" ALC
3. NISHIGUCHI, Koichi (2012)"NEJ Shido Sankoosho"(Teacher's Guide for NEJ), Kuroshio Publisher
4. Voloa
   inov, V. N. (1929/1973) Marxism and the Philosophy of Language. Matejka, L. and Titunik, R.. (trans.). Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
5. Bakhtin, M. (1986) Speech Genres and Other Late Essays. McGee, V. W. (trans.). Emerson, C. and Holquist, M. (eds.). Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press.
6. NISHIGUCHI, Koichi (2013) "Daini Gengo Kyoiku ni okeru Bafuchin-teki Shiten (第二言語教育におけるバフチン的視点)"(Bakhtinian Perspectives on Second Language Education), Kuroshio Publisher
7. Wertsch, J. V. (1991) Voices of the Mind. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 田島信元他訳（1995）『心の声』福村出版

Grading Policy

1. participation - 20%
2. occasional short reports - 30%
3. quizs - 20%
4. final report - 30%