Tokai University European Center (TUEC) Japanese Language Education Workshop Spring 2013

Lecture by Yoko Tateoka
“Designing Processes for Collaborative Learning: Collaborative Reading in the Classroom”

In recent years, peer learning has become a widely used method in Japanese language education. Peer learning is an approach where dialogue between fellow learners acts as vehicle for acquiring a deeper understanding of the given material and a deeper understanding of one self and the other party one is interacting with. It also encourages learners to adopt a more independent attitude to the learning process.

1. The Beginnings of Peer Reading: Three factors

In Japanese language education, articles and papers on peer learning started to appear around year 2000, and the actual application of the method had probably begun prior to this. I also began using peer learning from about 1996, and especially an exercise in collaborative text comprehension I have termed “peer reading.” In peer reading, text comprehension is attained in the process of dialogue with fellow students. The duality of self and other involved in this process also leads to reflection on one’s own interpretations as well as a deeper knowledge of the other party’s take on the same text. Looking back, it can be said that there were three contributing factors that prompted me to switch to peer reading exercises.

First of all, I wanted to do something to improve reading comprehension classes in general. Conventional reading comprehension aims at students grasping the overall meaning of a given text by examining the difficult passages and words, and by grammatical analysis. However, the question remains of what purpose there is for assembling a group of students in a classroom for a lesson. This in turn leads to an examination of how a classroom environment is best utilized for reading comprehension classes. In the course of mulling over such problems, I have come to believe that the classroom setting is an ideal space for students to share their individual reading processes with fellow classmates.

Secondly, another contributing factor stems from research conducted on the reading comprehension process related to Japanese as a second language. The research results show that reading comprehension as activity consists of, firstly, formulating a hypothesis (the immediate understanding of the text), and then examining this hypothesis from various angles based on the information offered in the text and the knowledge at one’s disposal. In other words, a reader advances his or her comprehension of a text in a self-contained discursive process by answering his or her own questions (Tateoka, 2001). As a result, the idea evolved of externalizing the discursive process in the form of dialogue between students.

Thirdly, a general change in attitude towards learning can also be mentioned as a contributing factor. Based on an approach to learning that sees the activity as essentially being an act the learner performs of his or her own volition, and not as being an unwilling act forced upon one by a third party (i.e. a teacher), I came to consider learning as something which is conducted via participation and experience.

2. The Benefits of Learning in Collaboration with Others

There are a number of benefits to be received from learning in collaboration with others. From a cognitive perspective, we can say that the resources at one’s disposal increase. A typical Japanese language class in Japan is composed of a number of individual students from different countries with their respective cultural backgrounds and corresponding experiences and knowledge. Each student is therefore a source of personal and culture-specific information for his fellow students. Through collaborative learning the students share a wealth of resources as a group, thus greatly increasing the quantity of resources available for use by each student within the limited time frame of the class.

A second benefit to be had from collaborative learning relates to the advantages that arise from dialogue with another person (or persons). These include a deeper mutual understanding of each other, a refinement of one’s own thinking processes, as well as the possibility of developing something completely new and unique. If we consider the first benefit of increased resources as a quantitative benefit, then this second benefit can rightly be seen as a qualitative benefit promoting qualitative change, self-reflection and the possibility of new ideas taking shape. The above benefits can, undoubtedly, be said to be of great importance in learning.

In addition to the cognitive aspects mentioned above, there are also emotional benefits to be found. Collaborative learning triggers an increased involvement in students deriving from their feelings of wanting to teach their classmates, of wanting to be recognized, and the desire to share with their fellows. This results in a higher level of participation in classroom activities and increases the motivational factor for learning immensely. Another important point is that students share a sense of equality when working together in a group, and this has a tendency to eliminate any tension and stress otherwise connected to the learning process.

Above, I have examined the cognitive and emotional elements of collaborative learning separately. However, in reality, they are inseparable constituent elements of the learning process.

• Tateoka, Y. (2013, April 27-28). “Designing Processes for Collaborative Learning: Collaborative Reading in the Classroom.” Tokai University European Center (TUEC) Japanese Language Education Workshop (Vedbæk, Denmark: TUEC). [Report: PDF]

Worksession Summary >