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“Natural Japanese” with the “Language Repeater”
03&-251x/90 $3.00 + 0.00 Pcrgamon Press plc
S.wrem. Vol. 18. No. 1. pp. 23%237. 1990 Printed in Great Briram
“NATURAL
JAPANESE”
WITH THE “LANGUAGE HEINER
REPEATER”
PijRSCHEL
University of Duisburg, Federal Republic of Germany Cassettes and tapes for foreign language self-study have the rarely mentioned disadvantage that they proceed in a linear fashion: they run on until the learner presses the stop button, plays back the tape and begins again from the beginning (or from a particular counter number). Of course there are devices for repetition, for instance in language laboratories, but these are usually rather complicated to use-for instance sometimes one has to hold down a key and simultaneously find one’s place by listening through the headphones to the text running backwardsand electronic repetition keys are in any case too expensive for home use. In every language, in addition to standard greetings, questions about directions and about prices etc., there are communicatively relevant sentences and phrases which the learner needs both to understand and to be able to produce if s/he is to be able to cope with the foreign environment adequately. A device providing assistance and support in learning-these expressions without the time-consuming disadvantages of the linear tape programme is the “Language Repeater” manufactured by Sony. The advertising blurb claims: “Effective. Practical. Selfpaced. With Sony’s Repeat Cards and the Repeater you learn Japanese the way it’s really spoken-naturally.” Although there have been no controlled empirical studies of its effectiveness (probably there never will be) there can be no doubt about the practicability of this device, and its usefulness in pacing learning.
DESCRIPTION
OF THE
“LANGUAGE
REPEATER”
The “Repeater” is a small sound-producing device with a digital endless loop (size: 19 x 5.7 x 15 cm; weight: around one kilogram). To work with the “Repeater” one selects one of the language cards (see below) from the box and inserts it into a slit. The card runs through the slit automatically, and the user hears (over loudspeaker or headphones) a sentence or dialogue section spoken at normal speed. The card can then be replaced in its box; the language sequence is now stored in the machine and can be repeated continuously (Replay-Auto) or as many times as the learner wants (Replay-Manual). The advantages of this procedure over a cassette recorder are obvious. A language sequence can be replayed as often as required without having to rewind tapes, note down counter 235
236
HEINER
PURSCHEL
numbers or press buttons. Only those sequences are listened to, practised and repeated which have not yet been learned. This means that practice can be more purposeful than when cassettes are used.
THE LANGUAGE
CARDS
The “Repeater” is fed with language cards. Each language card (13.5 x 5.5 cm) has a strip of magnetic tape which enables a language sequence of up to 3.2 seconds to be recorded (there is also a larger version permitting recordings of up to six seconds). Each card has a number corresponding to the page in the text book, thus permitting cross-referencing between text-book, grammatical explanations etc. In addition to “Natural Japanese” other courses have been prepared for the Japanese market: a Chinese course, a course in American English (600 cards), two English courses preparing for a trip abroad and one course in business English.
“NATURAL
JAPANESE”
The author of this report worked with “Natural Japanese” Part I, a course developed for English learners of Japanese, consisting of a text book, 150 language cards and a cassette. Native speakers of Japanese confirmed that the 31 basic sentences, 71 dialogue sections for specific language purposes and 48 mini-dialogues in the course were high-frequency items in authentic Japanese. In addition to the language material Book One contains information about the pronunciation of Japanese, a list of words and a table of Hiragana/Katakana symbols. Book Two is intended for more advanced learners, especially business people. Each language card is cross-referenced to a page in the text book where the structure, use and register of the language segment on the card is explained in detail. In some cases attention is drawn to specific pronunciation difficulties (for English learners) and structural problems. Variations in usage are also given. Each language segment is reproduced in Japanese script and in Romaji (a quasi-phonetic transcription into Latin characters). Often other lexical items which can be fitted into the same structure are given and expanded into word fields. The dialogues on the cassettes which I have already mentioned have a maximum length of 10 seconds. The texts included in the dialogues and their translations are printed in the text book after each set of five to 10 language cards and are accompanied by additional explanations. The dialogues consist of language segments which have already been practised, together with other elements (some unknown, others to be learned later) whose structure and meaning the learner can deduce from the translations and the word list, although this is frequently rather difficult. The dialogues are intended to practice the contextualized listening comprehension of the language segments learned; the aim is recognition of the material already practised rather than mastery of the entire dialogue. The book also provides brief grammatical comments and explanations, but these are really
“NATURAL
JAPANESE”
WITH
THE
“LANGUAGE
REPEATER”
231
only suitable for recalling and revising latent knowledge: they are too brief to serve as an introduction to grammatical phenomena. This means that with “Natural Japanese” the language cannot be “learned” although specific areas can be practised systematically. Similarly the “Language Repeater” is not the miracle device sought by language teachers for so long: the repetition of individual sentences is structural and imitative and is based on a behavioural rather than cognitive concept of language teaching. For this reason the choice of context and situations is very important; it is essential that the linguistic material should be adequately graded and that the elements chosen for individual sentences and dialogues should genuinely represent high-frequency elements in the language. For “Natural Japanese” this seems to be the case, so that the “Language Repeater” can be seen as a successful attempt in the direction of individualized language learning by means of directed practice and repetition of auditive materials.
THE RECORDING
DEVICE
In Japan a recording device (with microphone) for recording and copying blank cards can be obtained. I have also tried out this machine and would like to emphasize the very high quality of the recordings. The device is easy to use and can be combined not only with the microphone but also with other sound sources, e.g. radio, video, cassettes. This makes the “Repeater” an ideal accessory for classroom teaching. An entire dialogue can be played over the cassette recorder while the “Repeater” deals with selected segments. Watching video in the classroom can also be facilitated by using the language cards to deal with individual structures separated from the “fascinating and distracting” visual input. But its use in the classroom is not the only possibility offered by the “Repeater”; it can be used in tests, or as dictaphone and for advanced learners as starting point for conversational exercises or to practise difficult phrases (as shown by my own experiments). It remains to be seen, however, whether in addition to its use in Chinese or Japanese courses it can be exploited for teaching of languages like French and English to Europeans. At the moment the “Repeater” is not obtainable in Europe. The reason given by the manufacturer, Sony, is convincing: as yet there is no suitable software for the European market available. Perhaps this report will interest text book authors and software producers to investigate the possibilities of this device. Language centres at universities might also like to experiment with its use. It is perfectly possible to order the device in Japan.
S.wrem. Vol. 18. No. 1. pp. 23%237. 1990 Printed in Great Briram
“NATURAL
JAPANESE”
WITH THE “LANGUAGE HEINER
REPEATER”
PijRSCHEL
University of Duisburg, Federal Republic of Germany Cassettes and tapes for foreign language self-study have the rarely mentioned disadvantage that they proceed in a linear fashion: they run on until the learner presses the stop button, plays back the tape and begins again from the beginning (or from a particular counter number). Of course there are devices for repetition, for instance in language laboratories, but these are usually rather complicated to use-for instance sometimes one has to hold down a key and simultaneously find one’s place by listening through the headphones to the text running backwardsand electronic repetition keys are in any case too expensive for home use. In every language, in addition to standard greetings, questions about directions and about prices etc., there are communicatively relevant sentences and phrases which the learner needs both to understand and to be able to produce if s/he is to be able to cope with the foreign environment adequately. A device providing assistance and support in learning-these expressions without the time-consuming disadvantages of the linear tape programme is the “Language Repeater” manufactured by Sony. The advertising blurb claims: “Effective. Practical. Selfpaced. With Sony’s Repeat Cards and the Repeater you learn Japanese the way it’s really spoken-naturally.” Although there have been no controlled empirical studies of its effectiveness (probably there never will be) there can be no doubt about the practicability of this device, and its usefulness in pacing learning.
DESCRIPTION
OF THE
“LANGUAGE
REPEATER”
The “Repeater” is a small sound-producing device with a digital endless loop (size: 19 x 5.7 x 15 cm; weight: around one kilogram). To work with the “Repeater” one selects one of the language cards (see below) from the box and inserts it into a slit. The card runs through the slit automatically, and the user hears (over loudspeaker or headphones) a sentence or dialogue section spoken at normal speed. The card can then be replaced in its box; the language sequence is now stored in the machine and can be repeated continuously (Replay-Auto) or as many times as the learner wants (Replay-Manual). The advantages of this procedure over a cassette recorder are obvious. A language sequence can be replayed as often as required without having to rewind tapes, note down counter 235
236
HEINER
PURSCHEL
numbers or press buttons. Only those sequences are listened to, practised and repeated which have not yet been learned. This means that practice can be more purposeful than when cassettes are used.
THE LANGUAGE
CARDS
The “Repeater” is fed with language cards. Each language card (13.5 x 5.5 cm) has a strip of magnetic tape which enables a language sequence of up to 3.2 seconds to be recorded (there is also a larger version permitting recordings of up to six seconds). Each card has a number corresponding to the page in the text book, thus permitting cross-referencing between text-book, grammatical explanations etc. In addition to “Natural Japanese” other courses have been prepared for the Japanese market: a Chinese course, a course in American English (600 cards), two English courses preparing for a trip abroad and one course in business English.
“NATURAL
JAPANESE”
The author of this report worked with “Natural Japanese” Part I, a course developed for English learners of Japanese, consisting of a text book, 150 language cards and a cassette. Native speakers of Japanese confirmed that the 31 basic sentences, 71 dialogue sections for specific language purposes and 48 mini-dialogues in the course were high-frequency items in authentic Japanese. In addition to the language material Book One contains information about the pronunciation of Japanese, a list of words and a table of Hiragana/Katakana symbols. Book Two is intended for more advanced learners, especially business people. Each language card is cross-referenced to a page in the text book where the structure, use and register of the language segment on the card is explained in detail. In some cases attention is drawn to specific pronunciation difficulties (for English learners) and structural problems. Variations in usage are also given. Each language segment is reproduced in Japanese script and in Romaji (a quasi-phonetic transcription into Latin characters). Often other lexical items which can be fitted into the same structure are given and expanded into word fields. The dialogues on the cassettes which I have already mentioned have a maximum length of 10 seconds. The texts included in the dialogues and their translations are printed in the text book after each set of five to 10 language cards and are accompanied by additional explanations. The dialogues consist of language segments which have already been practised, together with other elements (some unknown, others to be learned later) whose structure and meaning the learner can deduce from the translations and the word list, although this is frequently rather difficult. The dialogues are intended to practice the contextualized listening comprehension of the language segments learned; the aim is recognition of the material already practised rather than mastery of the entire dialogue. The book also provides brief grammatical comments and explanations, but these are really
“NATURAL
JAPANESE”
WITH
THE
“LANGUAGE
REPEATER”
231
only suitable for recalling and revising latent knowledge: they are too brief to serve as an introduction to grammatical phenomena. This means that with “Natural Japanese” the language cannot be “learned” although specific areas can be practised systematically. Similarly the “Language Repeater” is not the miracle device sought by language teachers for so long: the repetition of individual sentences is structural and imitative and is based on a behavioural rather than cognitive concept of language teaching. For this reason the choice of context and situations is very important; it is essential that the linguistic material should be adequately graded and that the elements chosen for individual sentences and dialogues should genuinely represent high-frequency elements in the language. For “Natural Japanese” this seems to be the case, so that the “Language Repeater” can be seen as a successful attempt in the direction of individualized language learning by means of directed practice and repetition of auditive materials.
THE RECORDING
DEVICE
In Japan a recording device (with microphone) for recording and copying blank cards can be obtained. I have also tried out this machine and would like to emphasize the very high quality of the recordings. The device is easy to use and can be combined not only with the microphone but also with other sound sources, e.g. radio, video, cassettes. This makes the “Repeater” an ideal accessory for classroom teaching. An entire dialogue can be played over the cassette recorder while the “Repeater” deals with selected segments. Watching video in the classroom can also be facilitated by using the language cards to deal with individual structures separated from the “fascinating and distracting” visual input. But its use in the classroom is not the only possibility offered by the “Repeater”; it can be used in tests, or as dictaphone and for advanced learners as starting point for conversational exercises or to practise difficult phrases (as shown by my own experiments). It remains to be seen, however, whether in addition to its use in Chinese or Japanese courses it can be exploited for teaching of languages like French and English to Europeans. At the moment the “Repeater” is not obtainable in Europe. The reason given by the manufacturer, Sony, is convincing: as yet there is no suitable software for the European market available. Perhaps this report will interest text book authors and software producers to investigate the possibilities of this device. Language centres at universities might also like to experiment with its use. It is perfectly possible to order the device in Japan.