Silence in the Second Language Classroom

Why are second language learners in Japan's universities so silent? This book investigates the perplexing but intriguing phenomenon of classroom silence and draws on ideas from psychology, sociolinguistics and anthropology to offer a unique insight into the reasons why some learners are either unable or unwilling to speak in a foreign language.

List of contents

Foreword by Zoltán Dörnyei 1. Introduction 2. Major Theoretical Frameworks of Silence 3. An Interdisciplinary Overview of Silence in Japan 4. A Critical Analysis of Japan's Language Education System 5. A Structured Observation Study into L2 Classroom Silence 6. An Interview Study Into Learners' Perspectives on L2 Classroom Silence 7. A Naturalistic Stimulated Recall Study of Specific Silence Events 8. Summary and Conclusions Appendices

About the author

Jim King is a lecturer in the School of Education, University of Leicester, UK. A Post-doctoral Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), he worked for a number of years in Japan as a lecturer, researcher and teacher trainer.

Summary

Why are second language learners in Japan's universities so silent? This book investigates the perplexing but intriguing phenomenon of classroom silence and draws on ideas from psychology, sociolinguistics and anthropology to offer a unique insight into the reasons why some learners are either unable or unwilling to speak in a foreign language.

Product details

• Authors: J King, J. King
• Publisher: Palgrave UK
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2013
• EAN: 9781349453573
• ISBN: 978-1-349-45357-3
• No. of pages: 211
• Subjects: Education and learning > Adult education/adult education classes > Adult education class / course materials (language); Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics; B, Teaching, English, English Language, teacher training, Applied Linguistics, Language: reference & general, Language Education, Language teaching and learning, Teaching and Teacher Education, Language and education, Language teaching & learning, Language and languages—Study and teaching, Language Teaching, Germanic Languages, Palgrave Language & Linguistics Collection