Tanaka, Mayumi (2015) Appropriate pedagogy for critical reading in English in the Japanese secondary school context : an action research investigation. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This study investigates the development of an appropriate pedagogy for critical reading in the Japanese secondary school context, adopting an action research approach as a methodology. It was conducted in a national college of technology in Japan, which offers five-year education for students over the age of 15. The target students were between 15 and 18, who were equivalent to upper secondary students. This study consisted of three phases, lasting from 2008 to 2014 overall. Data were collected by means of several methods: journal writing, interviewing, observing, video- and audio-recording, questionnaires, and documents. Written and oral data were analyzed using thematic analysis. During the process of this action research investigation, teachers in an English language teaching (ELT) study group were engaged as advisors for my teaching as well as informants. The opinions of these teachers as well as students’ opinions were incorporated into this study.

This study contributes to ELT in the Japanese context. First, it shows that locally produced, government-approved textbooks could be used as materials for critical reading. Second, it shows that critical reading is a type of instruction which aims to develop students’ reading skills. Third, it shows that developing students’ thinking skills can be used as a rationale for critical reading. Fourth, it developed a framework for critical reading.

This framework of critical reading can be used for developing intercultural understanding in other ELT contexts. Another contribution of this study to wider ELT contexts is that it reveals some teachers’ resistance to the political orientation of critical discourse analysis (CDA) and critical pedagogy (CP).

There are also methodological contributions. One is that this study reveals the paradoxical nature of action research outcomes affected by social or policy changes. The other is that this action research with other teachers’ participation raises an issue of power relationships in a context where age matters in social interactions and decision-making.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	L Education > L Education (General)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Second language acquisition -- Research, English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers -- Research, English language -- Study and teaching -- (Secondary) -- Japan, Critical pedagogy, Literacy -- Japan, English philology -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Japan
Official Date:	August 2015
Dates:	Date Event August 2015 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Centre for Applied Linguistics
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Extent:	ix, 332 leaves : illustrations
Language:	eng

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