Speaker
Description
This presentation examines an ALT-led English performance day as an example of event-based learning in Japanese elementary EFL education. Using a mixed methods design, the study explores grammar and vocabulary retention, learner engagement, and alignment with the national curriculum. It establishes an empirical baseline for event-based learning, extends discussions of ALTs' pedagogical roles and instructional leadership, and highlights the potential of EBL to extend English use beyond the classroom.
Keywords
Event-based learning
Elementary EFL
Assistant language teachers
Short summary
This presentation examines an ALT-led English performance day as an example of event-based learning in Japanese elementary EFL education. Using a mixed methods design, the study explores learning outcomes, learner engagement, and alignment with the national curriculum. It establishes an empirical baseline for event-based learning, extends discussions of ALTs' pedagogical roles and instructional leadership, and highlights the potential of EBL to extend English use beyond the classroom.
References
Binns, A., & Johnston, S-K. (2022). Impact of assistant language teachers on English education in Shizuoka. In P. Ferguson, & R. Derrah (Eds.), Reflections and New Perspectives (pp. 89-99). JALT. https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTPCP2021-11
Higginbotham, G. (2009). Event-based learning: The benefits of positive pressure. The Language Teacher, 33(11), 15-18.
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. (2020). The national curriculum standards for grade 5 and grade 6 in elementary school - Section 10 foreign languages. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.
Uchida, A. V. (2018). English education beyond the classroom: A focus on Japan. In Proceedings of the Seameo Retrac Training Workshop: Experience and solutions of Asian countries in creating an environment for school students to use English, (pp. 51–62). SEAMEO RETRAC.
Abstract
English language education in Japan aims to develop communicative competence and foster positive attitudes toward foreign language use (MEXT, 2020). Despite policy reforms and the adoption of communicative classroom approaches, many elementary school learners struggle to apply English beyond highly structured classroom contexts (Binns & Johnston, 2022; Uchida, 2018). This gap highlights the need for learning opportunities that extend English use into meaningful, purposeful contexts.
This study investigates event-based learning (EBL)—an extension of task-based learning by organizing classroom tasks toward a culminating real-world performance (Higginbotham, 2009)—as a supplementary approach in Japanese elementary English education. EBL is under-researched, and no prior studies appear to have examined ALT-led EBL initiatives at the elementary level in Japan.
Focusing on an English performance day led by an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT), the study examines how EBL influences English learning outcomes, learner engagement, and alignment with national curriculum goals. Using a convergent parallel mixed methods design, the study integrates three data sources: (1) pre- and post-test measures of grammar and vocabulary retention, (2) document analysis examining alignment between the EBL activity and Grade 6 national curriculum standards (MEXT, 2020), and (3) semi-structured interviews exploring participant perceptions of the preparation and implementation process.
This presentation establishes the baseline for research in event-based learning in elementary EFL contexts and extends discussions of ALTs’ pedagogical roles beyond classroom support to curriculum-aligned instructional leadership. Attendees will gain concrete insights into how event-based learning can be designed and implemented to support English use beyond the classroom.
| Scheduling preference | Anytime on Saturday or Sunday |
|---|---|
| Title | Event-based learning: An ALT-led English performance day in elementary EFL |