Theory, Research and Pedagogy in Learning and Teaching Japanese Grammar

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xv

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2. Introduction

   • Alessandro G. Benati, Sayoko Yamashita

   Pages 1-4

3. Erratum to: An Integrated Grammar-Pragmatics Approach: Teaching Style Shifting in Japanese

   • Sayoko Yamashita, Noriko Ishihara

   Pages E1-E1

4. Theoretical Perspectives

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 5-5

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   2. Theoretical and Pedagogical Views on the Role of Grammar Instruction

      • Alessandro G. Benati, Benedetta Basile

      Pages 7-38

   3. Review of Classroom-Based Research on the Acquisition of Japanese Grammar

      • Sayoko Yamashita

      Pages 39-70

5. Research and Pedagogical Applications

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 71-71

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   2. Processing Instruction and the Acquisition of Japanese Morphology and Syntax

      • Alessandro G. Benati

      Pages 73-98

   3. L2 Learners and the Apparent Problem of Morphology: Evidence from L2 Japanese

      • Megan Smith

      Pages 99-125

   4. The Role of Linguistic Explanation in the Acquisition of Japanese Imperfective -teiru

      • Yumiko Nishi, Yasuhiro Shirai

      Pages 127-155

   5. Grammar for Reading Japanese as a Second Language: Variation of Stance Expressions Using to omou in Different Written Registers

      • Noriko Iwasaki

      Pages 157-186

   6. An Integrated Grammar-Pragmatics Approach: Teaching Style Shifting in Japanese

      • Sayoko Yamashita, Noriko Ishihara

      Pages 187-218

6. Back Matter

   Pages 219-222

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This edited book focuses on the role of different types of pedagogical solutions in the acquisition of the Japanese grammatical system by reviewing, assessing and measuring current theory and research. Findings from this research have implications for the way Japanese grammar is learned and taught in a classroom context. The editors and contributors address a number of questions around the role of Japanese grammar learning and teaching such as: what is the role of instruction in Japanese second language acquisition? What are the main findings of empirical research into the acquisition of Japanese grammar? Is any one particular pedagogical intervention or solution to the teaching of Japanese grammar more effective than another? What pedagogical options do we have for the teaching of Japanese grammar? This book offers a unique insight into its practical implications for Japanese language learning and teaching for applied linguists, researchers, language teaching professionals and curriculum developers alike.

• second language acquisition
• Japanese as a second language
• Japanese grammar
• processing instruction
• Japanese pragmatics
• grammar
• Japanese
• Japanisch

“Alessandro Benati and Sayoko Yamashita have assembled a useful collection of survey pieces and new empirical studies on the acquisition and teaching of Japanese grammar. The collection will be valuable for graduate students and classroom teachers, illustrating what has been accomplished in this relatively young field and suggesting avenues for future research.” (Michael H. Long, Professor, University of Maryland, USA)

“Benati and Yamashita have created an important and timely resource for researchers, teachers, and learners of Japanese as a second language. This well-crafted volume presents coverage of a number of important grammatical forms in Japanese (e.g., morphological case marking systems, the imperfective –teiru, the stance expression of to-omou, and the desu/masu and plain forms). Situating these forms in the mainstream SLA theories and instructional models, the book stimulates us to think more about the critical connection among theory, research and pedagogy in thecontext of Japanese.” (Naoko Taguchi, Associate Professor, Carnegie Mellon University, USA)

“Containing an insightful overview of important issues in the design and implementation of effective pedagogical grammar instruction, along with a range of theoretically motivated empirical studies, this book will be essential reading for SLA researchers, and for teachers of Japanese as a second language. A very valuable contribution!” (Peter Robinson, Professor, Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan)

• Head of School of Languages and Area Studies, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom

  Alessandro G. Benati

• Humanities and Social Sciences, Jissen Women’s University, Shibuya-ku, Japan

  Sayoko Yamashita

Professor Alessandro Benati is the Head of the English Department at the American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. He is honorary visiting professor at the University of York St John, UK. Alessandro has co-ordinated national and international high-impact research projects funded by the European Union, Leverhulme Trust, British Academy, Sassakawa Foundation, Japanese MEXT, and the School Challenge. He is a member of the AHRC Peer Review College and the REF Panel 2021.He is currently working on two monographs (Key Questions in Second Language Acquisition: An Introduction and Key Issues in Second Language Teaching) for Cambridge University Press.

Sayoko Yamashita is Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences at Jissen Women’s University, Japan. She holds an Ed.D, and specializes in applied linguistics, SLA, and pragmatics. Her publications include Six Measures in JSL Pragmatics, “Politeness in classrooms-comparison between JSL and EFL classrooms” in Selected Research Papers in Applied Linguistics, and “Investigating interlanguage pragmatics ability” in Investigating Pragmatics in Foreign Language Learning, Teaching and Testing.

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