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5 LANGUAGE SOCIALISATION IN DEBATE ACTIVITIES: AN ANALYSIS OF A JAPANESE HIGH SCHOOL EFL CLASS

This study examines how learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Japanese high schools are socialised into debate activities and become proficient in academic discourses. From a language socialisation perspective, the study addresses two questions: (1) How do EFL students become more compe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL 2024-01, Vol.13 (2), p.87-109
Main Authors: Nimori, Masato, Yoshida, Tatsuhiro
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:This study examines how learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Japanese high schools are socialised into debate activities and become proficient in academic discourses. From a language socialisation perspective, the study addresses two questions: (1) How do EFL students become more competent in using norms and repertoires in debate activities? and (2) How do they develop an awareness of their transformation? The study involved 36 second-year students in an international studies department using video recordings, field notes, and student reflections. Using a multidimensional repertoire approach, the study analysed the students' engagement with debate norms and repertoires regarding social context, interactional context, and individual agency. The analysis revealed the students' transformation in expanding their communicative repertoires; for example, their progression from simple confirmation questions to strategic inquiries demonstrated their increased competence. The students' reflections showed an awareness of their transformation and emotional and intellectual challenges. The study concludes with pedagogical implications and recommends a shift from viewing argumentation as an end product (learning to argue) to recognising it as a way to deepen students' understanding through analysis and reasoning (arguing to learn).
ISSN:2192-1032