A Case Study of the Effects of Online Classes on Japanese Learners of English
Maiko Kimura, School of General Education, Mukogawa Women’s University, Japan
Hiroko Arao, Faculty of Education, Mie University, Japan
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, teaching and learning styles in English classes have dramatically changed. Both teachers and learners have been getting used to remote classes, such as synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid online classes, and in the process, there have been some discoveries about the pros and cons of remote classes. The result of an English writing class survey reveals that online classes sometimes unexpectedly turn out to be very effective and helpful for students who need special assistance. In this study, the description “students who need special assistance” does not necessarily refer to students who are medically identified as having a learning disorder (LD) but rather to those who show signs of slight symptoms and have trouble learning in classes. This study especially focuses on those types of students as it is said that they often go unnoticed, and their special needs are not recognized. For instance, there is a distinct subgroup of university students who have never been formally diagnosed or identified with an LD and are overlooked (Lefebvre, 1999). Therefore, the number of such students with special needs is often unknown but definitely expected to be increasing. The present study investigates how asynchronous online classes affect these types of students in English writing classes and the possible improvements in teaching and predicaments for the future.
Maiko Kimura, School of General Education, Mukogawa Women’s University, Japan
Hiroko Arao, Faculty of Education, Mie University, Japan
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, teaching and learning styles in English classes have dramatically changed. Both teachers and learners have been getting used to remote classes, such as synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid online classes, and in the process, there have been some discoveries about the pros and cons of remote classes. The result of an English writing class survey reveals that online classes sometimes unexpectedly turn out to be very effective and helpful for students who need special assistance. In this study, the description “students who need special assistance” does not necessarily refer to students who are medically identified as having a learning disorder (LD) but rather to those who show signs of slight symptoms and have trouble learning in classes. This study especially focuses on those types of students as it is said that they often go unnoticed, and their special needs are not recognized. For instance, there is a distinct subgroup of university students who have never been formally diagnosed or identified with an LD and are overlooked (Lefebvre, 1999). Therefore, the number of such students with special needs is often unknown but definitely expected to be increasing. The present study investigates how asynchronous online classes affect these types of students in English writing classes and the possible improvements in teaching and predicaments for the future.
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