Event

The Potential of Cognates in Japanese to Aid Language Learning

Saturday, May 7th, 2011, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Speaker: Frank Daulton and James Rogers

In recent years, more and more research is being done examining the qualities of cognates in Japanese. While a handful of studies concentrate on the problems involved with cognate recognition, the majority of researchers view them as having a vast amount of potential in aiding language acquisition. While it is true that there are specific problems involved with cognates, the reality is that the majority of them can facilitate language learning.

In this presentation, such potential of cognates will be discussed. For example, the presenters will illustrate their significant coverage of high frequency and academic words. Student attitudes towards cognates, their usage of them, and a unique training method will also reveal how positive and motivational introducing cognates in lessons can be. The ease in which teachers can utilize cognates to create materials will also be shown. Various problems Japanese students have in utilizing this untapped resource will also be discussed. Orthographic, phonological, and semantic deviation among cognates will be reviewed, in addition to other issues, such as testing and affix knowledge. Thus, teachers in Japan will be able to better understand what steps are needed to enable their students to better utilize the built-in lexicon of English cognates they already possess.

Biographical Data: Frank Daulton is a professor at Ryukoku University. He completed his PhD under the tutelage of Paul Nation at Victoria University of Wellington. He authored Japan's Built-in Lexicon of English.

James Rogers is an assistant professor at Kansai Gaidai University. His main research focuses on cognates in Japanese, but he is also active in various other aspects of language learning, such as corpus linguistics, CALL, and the use of television in the classroom.

Organization: Kyoto Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (Kyoto JALT)

Cost: JALT Members: 1,000 yen
Non-members: free

Venue: Campus Plaza Kyoto (near JR Kyoto Station), Dai 3 Kogishitsu, 4th floor

Location: Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

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