31.1939, Review: Applied Linguistics: Inaba (2019)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-31-1939. Thu Jun 11 2020. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 31.1939, Review: Applied Linguistics: Inaba (2019)

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Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2020 15:05:52
From: Laura Dubcovsky [lauradubcovsky at gmail.com]
Subject: Second Language Literacy Practices and Language Learning Outside the Classroom

 
Discuss this message:
http://linguistlist.org/pubs/reviews/get-review.cfm?subid=36600977


Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/31/31-157.html

AUTHOR: Miho  Inaba
TITLE: Second Language Literacy Practices and Language Learning Outside the Classroom
SERIES TITLE: Second Language Acquisition
PUBLISHER: Multilingual Matters
YEAR: 2019

REVIEWER: Laura Dubcovsky, University of California, Davis

SUMMARY

Second Language Literacy Practices and Language Learning Outside the Classroom
by Inaba reports on the teaching of Japanese as a foreign language at the
university level in Melbourne, Australia, a country with more than 100, 000
Japanese language learners. In the Introduction (chapter 1) Miho Inaba
explains her interest in exploring students’ literate activities outside the
classroom, given increasing and multiple technological media that surround
students’ lives. The author offers a clear layout of the major topics of the
book, followed by succinct descriptions of each chapter, the theoretical
framework, and the methodology. Chapter 2 explores, “Out-of-class literacy and
language learning from sociocultural perspectives,” situating the study within
Activity Theory (Wells, 2002). Inaba defines key sociocultural components,
such as learners’ interests and needs, physical, symbolic and cultural
mediation tools, communities’ assistance, and division of labor. She
underlines the relevance of students’ motives and levels of autonomy, as they
comprise a sense of responsibility and agency, which result in strong
influences for the language learning experience. Above all, she sheds light on
contradictions that take place within the components of the Activity Theory
and between them and the central system. Then the author summarizes
quantitative and qualitative methods employed in the study and introduces
notions of “class-related” and “non class-related” literacy practices as well
as technological resources, all of which are expanded in separate chapters in
the book.

In Chapter 3 Inaba examines, “Types of literacy activities performed outside
of the classroom” undertaken by university students who approach the target
language in social settings.  First, she analyzes class-related and non-class
related literacy types, looking at the range of autonomy and independence
among learners. Then she presents “Four dimensions for the participants’
literacy practices in out-of-classroom contexts” (Fig. 3.1, p. 49) that allow
a fast comparison between the two types of literacy settings. While in-class
activities show formal arrangements, academic-based content, teacher-guided
pedagogy and assessments through quizzes, written exams and oral
presentations, out-of-the-classroom dimensions comprise informal arrangements,
looser topical content, less-structured pedagogy, and absence of assessment
tasks. The author observes, that despite differences across dimensions, the
increasing use of technology is incorporated also in the school domain, as
shown by on-line and electronic dictionaries to look up simultaneous meanings
of words and expressions, comic books (manga),  magazines and booklets with
poems and song lyrics that populate classrooms’ shelves, and the permission to
watch cartoons (anime), videos, TV shows and sit comedies (rakugo) in the
classroom.  Therefore, the two types of literacy practices are far from
displaying clear-cut differences. As a matter of fact, they share common
social purposes, seek for authentic material, and strive to reach access to
native speakers in real and virtual worlds. Noticeably, the overwhelming use
of technology is changing not only the way of learning in and out of the
classroom, but also attitudes, values and motivation toward the second and/or
foreign language among students and teachers. 

Inaba looks for factors that encourage or constrain learners’ participation in
“Class related literacy practices outside the classroom” and “Non- Class
related literacy practices,” in Chapters 4 and 5, respectively.  Within
individual factors, she considers students’ personal trajectories, interests
and beliefs, as well as learners’ differentiated styles that show varied
engagement with literate activities in the community. Among contextual
factors, the author includes the amount of time, peer interaction and variety
of resources committed to literate practices without teachers’ influence.
Inaba uses the Activity Theory’s terminology to deepen the understanding of
students’ “motives,” examining “values of exchange” and “values of use.” 
Considered as external and internal motivation in most studies of second
language (Ushioda, 2011), the former is driven mainly by good grades and
marks, and in compliance with teachers’ styles and school requirements, while
the latter draws from individual willingness and meaningful purpose to learn,
with immediate applications in the real world. The author synthesizes the
former concepts in Figure 4.1, “A model of the central activity system for
class-related literacy practices” (p. 68), adding “Examples of linked activity
system” in Figure 4.2 (p. 69).The figures help situate theoretical components
explained in a generic manner (Fig. 2.1, p. 22), in the real context of second
language acquisition. More importantly, the two chapters emphasize existing
contradictions that take place in the dynamic learning process, such as
ambiguities between students’ language proficiency and task demands, values of
use and topics, and assessment tasks and learning activity. 

Chapter 6 addresses, “Language-related mediation in L2 literacy practices,” by
analyzing students’ strategies used outside the classroom to compensate for
gaps in language competence.  First the author reiterates individual and
socio-cultural factors that support the theoretical framework of activities,
actions and operations, and then she focuses on physical, symbolic and
cultural tools that play a mediation role in the language learning experience.
Inaba also enumerates traditional and on-line resources that assist with the
information and communication across literate scenarios. From powerful digital
engines (Wikipedia, Google, etc.), to social electronic platforms (Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, etc.), and from Japanese pop culture (songs, manga, anime,
etc.) to real and virtual speakers, most learners can communicate successfully
with others around the world. Moreover, participants seem at ease when
approaching casual genres, unfolding their learning independence and agency
capacities. For example, they can read subtitles from movies, translate
videos, refine listening skills to understand popular lyrics, and even
incorporate lexicon with varied nuances, tones and registers originating in TV
shows and serials. On the contrary, when students are required to perform
in-class-related tasks, they show uneven ability to benefit from technological
resources. For example, when using pop-up dictionaries in class, only high-
proficient learners can discern the correct meaning and select the proper
collocation for a given context, while low-performing students do not take
full advantage of these tools. 

In the last chapter Inaba summarizes major findings of, “L2 literacy practices
and language learning in out-of-class contexts.” She underlines the importance
of learners’ motivation to learning and autonomy to favor second language
skills, which vary broadly according to agents (teacher or student) that
regulate the literacy activity, the planned or spontaneous orientation given
to the literacy tasks, the more personal or school-based topics that animate
the discussion, and  the academic or the domestic domain in which these
practices take place. Overall, assessments, homework, lesson preparation, and
revision tasks are highly regulated by teachers’ guidance and may demand lower
levels of students’ self- determination, whereas the activities that are
undertaken freely and for entertaining purposes, may empower students and
increase their learning autonomy.  Recreational readings, visual media and
social communication tend to facilitate gains in second language vocabulary,
incorporating words and expressions beyond the curricular scope, and raising
metalinguistic awareness of nuance and adequate registers. In addition,
learners are more inclined to enjoy the second language experience within a
non- threatening environment.  Figure 7.1 summarizes ,“Links between language
classes/class-related tasks and non-class-related literacy practices” (p.
154), pointing at common materials, content and pedagogy between the two types
of literacy activities, as well as similar higher results in reading and
viewing than in writing activities, which are usually constrained to short
answers, both on paper  and on-line, and abbreviated emails, twitters,  and
blogs. In closing, Inaba suggests some directions for the foreign language
classroom. She proposes to infuse school-based activities drawing from the
examples of the informal setting, as they foster students’ motivation and
positive attitudes toward the second language. She highly recommends the
incorporation of authentic (reading, visual, audio) material, the selection of
topics that resonate with students’ lives and their future jobs, and more
importantly, the revitalization of the joy of learning a foreign language.

EVALUATION

Second Language Literacy Practices and Language Learning Outside the Classroom
represents a positive pursuit of approaching modern ways of teaching second
languages. The book develops along linear and straightforward chapters that
offer explanations, figures and tables accessible to all readers. The final
bibliography combines Western and better-known studies with specific research
on the teaching of Japanese at university level. The analysis of
out-of-the-classroom-activities is consistently framed within Activity Theory
and supported by quantitative and qualitative methods. Additionally,
linguistic skills of reading, writing, speaking, viewing and listening are
explored under the lenses of individual and sociocultural factors, which are
well-integrated to better understand not only new learning tools but also
inherent contradictions that exist in the language process. Therefore, the
book attempts to overcome traditional dichotomies, such as colloquial versus
academic registers, reading versus writing activities, first versus second
language uses, etc., offering more flexible categories and fluid perspectives
on foreign language teaching. 

As Inaba recognizes, the book has some limitations, especially the low number
(15) of participants, high level of language proficiency (intermediate to
advanced), and educational level (university) selected for her study.
Therefore, more information is needed to include a larger number of subjects,
broader range of language competence, and all educational levels. Although the
study involves quantitative and qualitative data collection, there is a lack
of sources that can inform more objectively, beside interviews, and
self-reported notes and diaries.  Furthermore, and although the author reviews
valid concepts in the field of second language learning, she echoes these
notions profusely within and between chapters. It is suggested that the author
avoids longer explanations of well-known theories, saving space for her novel
contribution of Japanese class-related and non-class -related literacy
activities performed outside of the classroom. Despite the few limitations,
Inaba’s book constitutes an addition to the field of second language study, as
it makes accessible modern means of information and communication to improve
foreign language classes.

REFERENCES

Ushioda, E. 2011. Language learning motivation, self and identity: Current
theoretical perspectives. Computer Assisted Language Learning 24(3). 199-210.

Wells, G. 2002. The role of dialogue in activity theory. Mind, culture and
activity 9(1). 43-66.


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Laura Dubcovsky is a retired lecturer and supervisor from the Teacher
Education Program in the School of Education at the University of California,
Davis. With a Master’s in Education and a PhD in Spanish linguistics/with
special emphasis on second language acquisition, her interests tap topics of
language and bilingual education. She has taught a pre-service bilingual
teachers’ course that addresses communicative and academic traits of Spanish,
needed in a bilingual classroom for more than ten years. She is currently
helping in- service bilingual teachers for professional development and in
parent/teachers’ conferences. She also volunteers as translator at Davis Joint
Unified School district, the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, YoloArts, Davis
Art Center, and STEAC, in Davis, California. She is a long-standing reviewer
for the Linguistic listServe, the Southern California Professional Development
Schools and the Journal of Latinos and Education. She published “Functions of
the verb decir (‘to say’) in the incipient academic Spanish writing of
bilingual children in Functions of Language, 15(2), 257-280 (2008) and the
chapter, “Desde California. Acerca de la narración en ámbitos bilingües” in
¿Cómo aprendemos y cómo enseñamos la narración oral? (2015). Rosario, Homo
Sapiens: 127- 133.





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LINGUIST List: Vol-31-1939	
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