Author Information
Ikhlas Abdul Hadi, Globiz Professional University, JapanAbstract
Previous research on English language learning in Japan indicates that many students feel nervous about the communicative aspects of class, partly due to limited opportunities to use English in natural settings (Gullikson, 2024, pp. 15–16). This paper examines an English program at a Japanese professional university (専門職大学) in which students engaged in weekly conversations with native English speakers from the United States over a one-month period. The study investigates how this program influenced students’ intrinsic motivation to learn English while managing cognitive load during authentic communication. Although conversational classes in the institution are typically reserved for intermediate to advanced learners, findings show that with targeted scaffolding by instructors, even low-proficiency students were able to participate meaningfully. The results suggest that structured interaction with native speakers, combined with pedagogical scaffolding, can reduce learner anxiety, support cognitive processing, and enhance motivation in low-proficiency EFL contexts. These findings have implications for designing inclusive communicative programs in vocational education settings.
Paper Information
Conference: ACE2025Stream: Teaching Experiences
This paper is part of the ACE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
Full Paper
View / Download the full paper in a new tab/window
To cite this article:
Hadi I. (2026) From Anxiety to Engagement: Inclusive Strategies for Low-Proficiency EFL Learners in Japan ISSN: 2186-5892 – The Asian Conference on Education 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 197-210) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5892.2026.16
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5892.2026.16
Comments
Powered by WP LinkPress