Katsuhiko Muto

English Sophia University
Shinohara
Immersion Tatsuji
Kumon Educational Japan
Camp andInternational
PostureMika Adachi
Kumon Educational Japan

Masafumi Kikuta
Kumon Educational Japan

Reference Data:

Muto, K., Shinohara, T., Adachi, M., & Kikuta, M. (2013). English immersion camp and international posture. In N. Sonda & A. Krause (Eds.), JALT2012 Conference Proceedings. Tokyo: JALT.

This study focuses on how children, aged 8-12, built “international posture” through an English immersion camp, at which the instructors, mostly nonnative English speakers, helped the children develop
confidence in using English. The paper details (a) how participants’ attitude toward English changes; (b)how instructors motivate children to use English; and (c) what are considered key factors to acquiring
international posture (e.g., Yashima, 2009). Several suggestions are made for teaching English in elementary schools in Japan.
この研究は8歳から12歳の子どもたちがイングリッシュイマージョンキャンプ（キャンプリーダーの多くが英語を母語としない者であり、子どもたちが英語を使うことに自信を持てるようにサポートする）を通してどのようにして国際的志向性（e.g., 八島, 2009）を養うのかに注目する。本稿では（1）英語に対する参加者の態度がどのようにして変わるのか、（2）どのようにしてキャンプリーダーたちが子どもたちの英語を使うモチベーションを高めるのか、（3）国際的志向性を養うためにはどんな要素が必要とされるのか、加えて、日本における小学校における英語教育の一助となる提案を試みたい。

I

t is important to show students how English proficiency can expand their opportunities
in the future and how English can be used in any profession and position, according toFive Proposals and Specific Measures for Developing Proficiency in English for International Communication by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT; 2011). In order to do this, the ministry proposes providing children with a “global
perspective” to enhance their motivation for English learning. As Yashima (2009) suggested,international posturing, the acquisition of a tendency to see oneself as connected to the international community, plays a central role in achieving this goal.

Making a

Difference

JALT2012 Conference Proceedings
ONLINE

NEXT PAGE 

FULL SCREEN

536

Muto, Shinohara, Adachi, & Kikuta • English Immersion Camp and International Posture

Kumon English Immersion Camps (EIC) held for the past 10
years, provide an optimal environment where participants canshape their internal posture. Over the past 3 years, EICs havebeen held in Hotel Biwako Plaza by Lake Biwa in Shiga prefecture.

Four 1-week camps were held in August 2012. Camp leaders took care of the children and communicated with them inEnglish. The camp leaders were from 17 countries or regions,
including America, Botswana, Colombia, Indonesia, and Russia. Most of the leaders were nonnative speakers of English
but spoke English fluently as they had learned English as theirsecond or official language. In this respect, all of them sharedrecognition of the importance of World Englishes (Kachru, 1992)
or English as a global language (Crystal, 1997). The goals ofthese camps are to help children accept each other’s differences,have successful experiences communicating in English, andcontribute to the global community. One of EIC’s core beliefs isthat it is meaningful for children to be able to communicate withpeople from different countries and backgrounds in order toaccept cultural differences and become more confident in theirown English. With its slogan “Don’t be afraid of making mistakes! Let’s try communicating in English,” EIC is committed to
the following three objectives:
1.
2.
3.

Making a

Difference

offering children plenty of opportunities to experience
successful communication while using English as a global
language;

These are the features that distinguish EIC from other
English camps held in Japan, and they are essential in studying
international posture. Through EIC, participants experience
diversity and success in communicating in English with people
from different countries and regions. Regarding how that
happens, MEXT (2011) argued that “gaining overseas experience at an impressionable age allows one to interact with peopleof diverse cultures and backgrounds, to expand one’s viewand to deepen one’s insight, which is important for cultivationof human resources able to play an active role in the global
community.”

The Study
We hypothesized that EIC would have an impact on developing international posturing and the participants’ motivation
to learn English. Except for a few studies that have examinedchanges in variables such as willingness to communicate andcommunication anxiety in an immersion and a nonimmersion
program (e.g., Baker & MacIntyre, 2000; MacIntyre, Baker, Clément, & Donovan, 2003), the correlation between international
posture and English learning motivation in a short-term English
immersion camp has never been studied. Therefore, we deemedthat it was our task to attempt to elucidate the outcomes of ourprogram with the two research questions:1.

allowing children to share a communal lifestyle with people
2.
from different countries and to realize the importance ofunderstanding each other; andfostering a conducive atmosphere for building confidence,
allowing children to actively challenge the unfamiliar andto strive for higher goals.

JALT2012 CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGSONLINEHow did participants’ attitudes towards English change
throughout the program?
What key factors are necessary for raising international
posture?

Out of the four camps, we chose the third camp, held August
15 to 20, for our study. The total number of participants was
86. Participants ranged from 3rd to 6th grade (ages 8-12). Their
English ability was equivalent to STEP Eiken (Test of PracticalEnglish Proficiency) level 4 or above.

 PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE 

FULL SCREEN

537

Muto, Shinohara, Adachi, & Kikuta • English Immersion Camp and International Postureter understand motivational changes in him, we conducted
three types of interviews: a preinterview, a postinterview, and a
Due to the nature of this study, which required both quantitative
daily interview. The preinterview was structured, as almost all
and qualitative analysis, three methods were utilized: a pre- andquestions were prepared in advance. We asked him why he had
postquestionnaire, interviews, and video-recorded observations.
decided to participate in the program, how he usually studied
English, why he thought he needed to study English, what his
dream for the future was, and so forth. The postinterview with
Questionnaires
Hiroto was unstructured in that we had not prepared a set of
In devising a questionnaire for this study, we drew on thequestions because we assumed that it would be better for him toquestionnaire used in a large-scale motivational research study
talk frankly about how he felt about the program. In addition to
by Taguchi, Magid, and Papi (2009) because the questionnaire
those two interviews, Hiroto was also interviewed at the end of
was well organized with questions that could be divided into
each camp day and asked what activity was the most enjoyable,
16 categories based on the type of attitude or motivation. In our
how he thought his English skills had improved, and what hequestionnaire, the 86 participants were asked to self-evaluate
wanted to try the following camp day. Except for a couple oftheir attitudes towards English and their motivation for studyquestions asked in English, all the questions in the interviews
ing English on a 6-point Likert scale. Considering the differwere in Japanese. All the interviews were videotaped for later
ences in our research setting compared to that of Taguchi et al.,analysis.
we selected 42 questions (see Appendix B) under 18 categories(see Appendix A), along with two open-ended questions thatwere significant for our motivational study and that could supObservations
plement responses to the Likert-scale questions. Eight questions
Observations were used to understand how Hiroto commuwere included under two new categories we developed andnicated with camp leaders, how he changed in the ways helabeled International posture and Tolerance for world Englishes. The
responded to them, and ultimately how he became motivatedquestions were arranged in random order on the questionnaire.
to use English more spontaneously. So as to not hinder him by
Also, taking participants’ age into consideration, we translated
making him too conscious of our existence, we videotaped him
all the questions into Japanese and used simple wording so thatduring the following four activities only.
children would have no trouble understanding the questions.

MethodLove chain

Interviews
To take part in the interviews and observations, one representative student, Hiroto (alias), was selected based on both
his responses to the questionnaire and self-confidence in his
own English skills prior to the camp. Hiroto was a 6th grader
who had already passed STEP Eiken level 3. In order to bet-

Making a

Difference

JALT2012 CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGSONLINE

This activity enables participants to learn about and accept
differences in cultures. Camp leaders explain some differences
related to culture, such as food, greetings, and how to eat. Oneof the ETC aims, to share a communal lifestyle with people fromdifferent countries, and to realize the importance of understanding each other, is particularly connected to our research.

 PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE 

FULL SCREEN

538

Muto, Shinohara, Adachi, & Kikuta • English Immersion Camp and International Posture

Traveling Around the WorldIn this activity, participants learn about the different countries
and cultures of the camp leaders. The presentations are handson. Participants experience national dance, food, traditional
clothes, and so on. By doing this, participants are able to expand
their views, learn more, and boost their interest in other countries of the world.

Wonder-Land
Participants listen to a presentation about world problems, suchas global warming and poverty. They learn about the reality ofwhat is happening in the world. They start to think about what
they can do for society and take self-motivated action.

Data Analysis and Results
Questionnaires
Applying a t test to the questionnaire data, we found thatanswers to 15 out of the 42 question items showed significant
differences (p < .05) before and after the camp. Table 1 shows theresults of the t test.

Table 1. Questions That Showed a t-Test Significant
Difference (N = 57)
Category(1)(2)

World Food Market(6)

Question
no.
Q31

Q24

Q13

pre

Mean

4.473

4.035

3.053

post

4.982

4.482

2.500

pre

SD

1.141

1.128

1.563

post

1.017

1.124

1.362

p-value< .001
.028

.031

Q39
4.321
3.875
1.501
1.669
.004
Participants learn how to negotiate in English as well as havefun and discover different foods of the world. They are given
(11)
Q21
4.315
4.789
1.230
1.135
.003
a set amount of money and a recipe for one international dish.
(12)
Q37
4.105
4.631
1.346
1.070
.005
Camp leaders work at a market, selling ingredients for the foods (13)
Q7
4.363
3.236
1.312
1.560
< .001at stalls. Participants go shopping and buy the necessary ingreQ34
4.596
3.105
1.268
1.459
< .001
dients by negotiating for a lower price.
(15)
Q30
3.160
3.642
1.372
1.368
.027
Unlike most classroom observations in which a camera is
.013
0.988
1.124
4.929
4.561
(17)
Q3
set up on a tripod, we carried around a hand-held camcorder
.038
0.822
0.989
5.446
5.196
Q15
during the four activities so that we could quickly approach
.037
1.151
1.253
3.821
4.232
Q36
Hiroto and zoom in on the scene with him. In so doing, we
<
.001
1.507
1.229
3.157
4.456
(18)
Q9
expected that we could examine what type of activity waseffective to elicit a meaningful response from Hiroto and how
.002
1.207
1.088
4.263
4.789
Q23
he responded to camp leaders’ questions (e.g., by smiling or
.009
1.141
1.177
4.526
4.982
Q29
by spontaneous speech). Since the four activities centered on
the importance of cultural or international understanding, theNine categories out of 18 showed significant differences, such
evidence we gathered from the observations demonstrated thatas(13) English anxiety, (17) International posture, and (18) Tolerance
the activities nurtured Hiroto’s international posture and helped
forworld Englishes. Therefore, we concluded that through this parto change his attitude toward English over time.
Making a

Difference

JALT2012 CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGSONLINE PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE 

FULL SCREEN

539

Muto, Shinohara, Adachi, & Kikuta • English Immersion Camp and International Posture

ticular EIC, participants were motivated to learn English, raised
their international posture through activities such as Traveling
Around the World, and decreased their fear and anxiety about
speaking English by communicating with camp leaders. Furthermore, we can argue that through this program, participants cameto realize that English is a useful tool for communicating withpeople from different countries and backgrounds.

Correlational Analyses
In order to understand the motivational factors related to raising international posture, a correlation analysis was applied tothe data collected after the camp. Question items that we foundcorrelated with the questions measuring international posture(Q3, Q15, Q28, and Q36) are shown in Table 2. According to
the results, four factors are related to international posture. In
particular, Q15 “I study English to make friends with people
from different countries” was inversely correlated to Q7, “I
feel uneasy when I see foreigners who speak English,” and isstrongly correlated to Q6, “I want to get to know people fromdifferent countries.” Also, Q17 “Studying English is important
to me because English proficiency is necessary for what I want
to do in the future,” in the Ideal L2 self category, shows a moderate correlation with three questions (Q3, Q28, Q36) in the International posture category. Furthermore, Q30 “I like English
magazines, newspapers, and books,” in the Cultural interest category, also shows a moderate correlation with three questionsin the International posture category. From these results, it can beargued that three key factors are important to raise international
posture through the program: (a) it is imperative to remove
fear, nervousness, and anxiety about speaking English; (b) it isnecessary to become more interested in cultures and customs ofdifferent countries; and (c) it is desirable for participants themselves to feel the need to study English in order to pursue theirown future goals.

Making a

Difference

JALT2012 CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGSONLINE

Table 2. Questions Correlated With International
Posture Questions
Intern.
post.
Q.
Q3

Q15
Q28

Q36

Positive correlation
Moderate*

Negative correlation

Strong**Moderate***Strong****Q6, Q17, Q18, Q19,
Q21, Q24, Q25, Q28,
Q30, Q35, Q37, Q40

none

none

none

Q1, Q2, Q12, Q14, Q18,
Q21, Q28, Q30, Q31,
Q37, Q38, Q40

Q6, Q35

Q7

none

Q1, Q2, Q3, Q12, Q14,
Q15, Q17, Q19, Q22,
Q30, Q32, Q36, Q37,
Q38, Q42

Q6, Q21, none
Q35, Q40

none

Q2, Q17, Q20, Q25,
Q28, Q29, Q30, Q39,
Q41

none

none

none

Note. *.4 < r ≤ .7; **.7 < r < 1 ***- .7 < r ≤ - .4; ****- .4 < r <1

Interviews and Observations
The data collected from interviews and observations were also
examined. Before the camp started, target participant Hiroto
self-evaluated his own reading and writing skills as 5 on a scaleof 1 (less confident) to 5 (more confident) on the prequestionnaire. However, he gave a relatively low score to his listening
and speaking skills, each of which was 3. In the precamp interview, he also stated that he had never had meaningful communication in English with people from other countries.
However, in the postinterview a month later, Hiroto said
that he now enjoys exchanging emails in English with some of
the camp leaders. In addition, one significant change for him
is in regards to his future dreams. According to the postques- PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE 

FULL SCREEN

540

Muto, Shinohara, Adachi, & Kikuta • English Immersion Camp and International Posturetionnaire, after the EIC his dream changed from “becoming adoctor” to becoming an “internationally minded doctor” whocan contribute to the world. Also, his attitude toward studying
English changed. To an open-ended question in the postquestionnaire that asked about his reasons for studying English,
Hiroto responded by stating “for myself and for my futurejob.” Moreover, to a question that asked what kind of English
skills he wanted to acquire, he wrote, “I want to speak (English)
without being afraid of making mistakes.” Therefore, it is safe to
say that through successful communication with camp leaders
and by participating in meaningful activities, his fear, nervousness, and anxiety about speaking English were considerably
lessened.

Conclusion
Through the EIC, participants became more motivated to learn
English, improved their international posture through activities,
and decreased their fear and anxiety about speaking English bycommunicating with camp leaders, according to the t test results. It would appear that participants had come to realize that
English is a useful tool for communicating with people fromdifferent countries and backgrounds.

be a noticeable impact on children’s English ability and motivation. English language education will be more effective if anenvironment where children can communicate in English withpeople from different countries and backgrounds is created. In
the future, it will be feasible for children in Japan to have suchopportunities by utilizing available resources in the community
where their school is located.

Bio Data
Katsuhiko Muto is a PhD student in applied linguistics at
Sophia University. Also, he is currently teaching at Rikkyo
University and Otsuma Women’s University. <katsuhikomuto@
gmail.com>
Tatsuji Shinohara has been engaged in English Immersion
Camp as an Activity Support member since 2009. He is currently interested in CEFR-J and Can-do lists. <shinohara.ta@
kumon.co.jp>

Mika Adachi has been engaged in English Immersion Camp asa Public Relations representative and a Life Support member
since 2005. <adachi.mi@kumon.co.jp>
Masafumi Kikuta has been Camp Manager since 2011. He has
also been the Leader of Global Network Team in the Public
Relations Department. <kikuta.ma@kumon.co.jp>

In the correlational analysis, we found three important points
to consider in fostering international posture. On the basis of theresults, we can argue, though with minimal certainty, that (a)relieving the fear or anxiety that they have when they use EngReferences
lish; (b) stimulating them to take a strong interest in a variety
Baker, S. C., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2000). The role of gender and immersionof cultures and customs; and (c) encouraging them to develop ain communication and second language orientations. Language Learnclear awareness of their own objectives of learning English may
ing, 50, 311-341.
all play a crucial role in helping participants build their interna- Crystal, D. (1997). English as a global language. Cambridge University
tional posture.
Press.
We strongly believe that if these three points are incorporated
into English education at the elementary school level, there will

Making a

Difference

JALT2012 CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGSONLINE

Kachru, B. B. (1992). The other tongue: English across cultures (2nd ed.).
Chicago: University of Illinois Press.

 PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE 

FULL SCREEN

541

Muto, Shinohara, Adachi, & Kikuta • English Immersion Camp and International Posture
MacIntyre, P. D., Baker, S. C., Clément, R., & Donovan, L. A. (2003).
Talking in order to learn: Willingness to communicate and intensive
language program. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 59, 589-607.
MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). (2011). Five Proposals and Specific Measures for Developing
Proficiency in English for International Communication. Retrieved
from http://www.mext.go.jp/component/english/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2012/07/09/1319707_1.pdf

Taguchi, T., Magid, M., & Papi, M. (2009). The L2 motivational self system among Japanese, Chinese and Iranian learners of English: A comparative study. In Z. Dörnyei & E. Ushioda (Eds.), Motivation, language
identity and the L2 self. (pp. 66-97). Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Yashima, T. (2009). Internal posture and the ideal L2 self in the Japanese
EFL context. In Z. Dörnyei & E. Ushioda (Eds.), Motivation, language
identity and the L2 self (pp. 144-163). Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.

Appendix A
Motivational Categories
Criterion measures / Intended effort(3)

Ought-to L2 self

(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)

Ideal L2 self

Parental engagement / Family influence
Instrumentality-promotion
Linguistic self-confidence

Attitudes toward learning English
Travel orientation(12) Interest in the English language(18) Tolerance for world Englishes

Appendix B
Question Items in English
Note. Category numbers are shown in parentheses.
Q1. 		 I like English. (14)Q2. 		 I find learning English really interesting. (8)Q3. 		 Studying English is important to me because I would liketo work in different countries. (17)Q5. 		 I am sure I will be able to write in English comfortably if I
continue studying. (7)Q6. 		 I want to get to know people from different countries. (16)Q7. 		 I feel uneasy when I meet a foreigner who speaks English.
(13)
Q8. 		 I think I have a talent for English learning. (7)Q10. My parents encourage me to study English. (4)Q11. It is important to me to study English because I want totravel abroad. (9)Q13. I have to study English because if I do not study it, people
will think I’m not a good student. (6)(13) English anxiety

JALT2012 CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGS(17) International postureQ12. It is important to communicate even though pronunciation may be different. (18)(11) Ethnocentrism

Making a(16) Attitudes toward L2 community

Q9. 		 I think we shouldn’t make mistakes when we use English.
(18)

Instrumentality-prevention(10) Fear of assimilation

Difference(15) Cultural interest

Q4. 		 I think that I am doing my best to learn English. (1)

(1)
(2)

(14) Integration

ONLINE PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE 

FULL SCREEN

542

Muto, Shinohara, Adachi, & Kikuta • English Immersion Camp and International PostureQ14. I like the rhythm of English. (12)Q15. I want to get along with people from different countries
by studying English. (17)Q16. Because of the influence of the English language, I think
the Japanese language has been corrupted. (10)Q17. Studying English is important to me because English proficiency is necessary for what I want to do in the future.
(2)
Q18. I like English music, like pop music. (15)Q19. It is important to study English because if I can use it, I
can work anywhere in the world. (5)Q20. Learning English is necessary because people surrounding me expect me to do so. (3)Q21. I am very interested in ways of thinking and customs ofother cultures. (11)Q22. If I make more effort, I am sure I will be able to master
English. (7)Q23. It is important to speak perfect English as foreigners who
speak English do. (18)Q24. I can imagine a situation where I am speaking English
with foreigners. (2)Q25. I always look forward studying English. (8)Q26. I think that there is a danger of Japanese people forgetting
the importance of Japanese culture as a result of internationalization. (10)Q31. If an English course was offered in school or somewhere
else in the future, I would like to take it. (1)Q32. Studying English can be important to me because I think
it will someday be useful for getting a good job. (5)Q33. I study English because with English I can enjoy travelingabroad. (9)Q34. I would feel uneasy speaking English with a foreigner
who can speak English. (13)Q35. I want to get along with people from countries where
English is spoken. (14)Q36. I study English because I want to contribute to the world.
(17)
Q37. I feel excited when hearing English spoken. (12)Q38. I respect the ways of thinking and customs of other cultures. (11)Q39. I have to study English because I don’t want to get badmarks or fail in it (e.g., STEP). (6)Q40. I want to know more about people from different countries. (16)Q41. I have to study English, because if I do not study it, I
think my parents will be disappointed in me. (3)Q42. If I keep on studying English, I think I will be able to read
English sentences comfortably and understand it. (7)Q27. My parents encourage me to take every opportunity touse my English (e.g., speaking and reading). (4)Q28. I want to understand different cultures of various countries by studying English. (17)Q29. I should learn perfect English pronunciation. (18)Q30. I like English magazines, newspapers, and books. (15)Making a

Difference

JALT2012 CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGSONLINE PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE 

FULL SCREEN

543