Beliefs of a Japanese college student as an English learner: Exploring epistemic cognition in language learning
Conference Type
Domestic
Presentation Type
Speech (General)
Contribution Type
Collaborative
Researchers and Co-Researchers
Akiko Fukao
Details
This empirical case study has explored the two research questions: 1) What beliefs does a Japanese college student hold toward English learning? and 2) What factors influence the emergence and revision of an individual learner’s beliefs of English learning? Multiple data collection methods were employed. One of the most significant themes that emerged from the data is the participant’s constant reevaluation of her ideas about English proficiencies. The current study supports previous research findings both in learner beliefs and epistemic cognition in that beliefs are not stable but dynamic in nature (Barcelos, 2003; Barcelos & Kalaja, 2011; Chinn et al., 2011). It also identifies various factors that seem to lead to the formation of a new belief as well as confirmation and revision of already held beliefs. Further, the study sheds light on the importance of coherency among related beliefs (Bendixen, 2002).
