Nagoya University of Foreign Studies
MA TESOL Handbook

The Nagoya University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) MA TESOL program was established in
response to the enthusiasm of a small group of passionate Japanese teachers of English. In
2000, Professor Kazuyoshi Sato invited these teachers to co-create a communicative
language teaching research group. By 2006, the small group had grown into the Center for
EFL Teacher Development, a monthly workshop for English teachers, and the NUFS MATESOL Program, drawing on the participation of English teachers from throughout the
Chubu region in central Japan. As of 2015, eight books and six DVDs of classroom-tested
learning activities and assessment tasks had been published by Professor Sato incollaboration with students and graduates of the MA Program and the NUFS Workshop.

Director: Kazuyoshi Sato, Professor
Coordinator: Duane Kindt, Professor
Coordinator: Kevin Ottoson, Associate Professor

1

TABLE of CONTENTS

Pages
2
3-4
4-5
6-15
6-7
8
8-13
13-18
18-19
20-22

Introduction
Goals and Features of the Program
Choices and Opportunities
Program Structure
Academic Courses
Action Research
Yearly AR Cycle
Completing Your Degree
Strategies for SuccessResources

Introduction
This handbook is designed for prospective students, current students, and non-degree
students* as a road map to help you navigate the MA TESOL program. The information isdivided into four sections: (1) goals and distinguishing features of the program, (2) choices
and opportunities, (3) program structure, and (4) strategies for success.
* Non-degree students are those who take MA TESOL courses but are not officially masters students
because they have not applied to and been accepted into the program.

2

Goals and Features of the Program
MissionThe program aims at nurturing teachers who have a deep understanding of second language(L2) learning and teaching. In essence, the mission of our program is to graduate students
who can effectively implement a communicative language teaching (CLT) approach,including task-based language teaching, in their own classrooms and actively pursue
professional development as lifelong learners.
Student Goals
Successful graduates will be able to do the following:
1. Understand the principles of language learning and language teaching based on second
language acquisition (SLA) research and the relationship between SLA research and L2classroom teaching practices. In particular, understand research studies from which CLT
has grown and how to use those insights to guide their own teaching.
2. Be able to apply CLT in their teaching through continuous action research (AR). CLT is
not a method but an approach, which is flexible and responsive to learners’ needs,interests, and levels. Thus, CLT requires teachers to develop a number of teaching andmaterials development skills. MA students improve their teaching by integrating theory
and practice.
3. Understand research findings, which are based on research in various fields such as
Sociocultural Theory, Materials Development, Classroom Dynamics, and Learner
Autonomy. These courses provide insights into how to implement CLT to maximum
effect.
4. Be able to assess their students’ ability to use English within the framework of CLT sothat learning goals, classroom tasks and test tasks are integrated and consistent. Refining
assessment practices is the key to improving teaching and thus key to improving
students’ ability as English users.
Admission Requirements
To apply, you will need to submit an application form that can be found here. Along with theapplication form, students must provide the following information when they apply: Evidence of prior learning (all MA students must have an undergraduate degree) Description of current teaching position (all MA students must be practicing teachers)
For further details regarding these, contact the graduate office.

3

Key Features
Our program is distinguished for its ongoing AR component; students conduct AR in theirclassrooms for the duration of their MA studies.
 The central pillar of the program is the requirement of conducting ongoing AR. Thisrequirement gives students the opportunity to apply newly learned theories, principles,
and techniques to their teaching and to improve their classroom practice.


The AR requirement necessitates students have a teaching position throughout theirstudies. Courses are held on Saturdays and during summer vacations in order toaccommodate in-service teaching schedules.



The language of instruction within the MA TESOL program is exclusively English, andstudents must be proficient in English in order to participate. The interaction among
students from multiple backgrounds facilitates rich discussion of teaching practices aswell as opportunities for social interaction, but they require a high level of English.

There is no formal language requirement to enter the program. Students decide forthemselves if they can manage the all-English environment of the program including theacademic reading, discussion and writing aspects of their courses. If students are unable
to keep up with the pace of the program due to English language issues, they will have towithdraw.

A supportive learning community has evolved through the monthly workshops and AR
report sessions. Participants share teaching ideas and discuss how to solve their teachingproblems. Click here to see a list of workshop topics. Also visit the bilingual Center for
EFL Teacher Development webpage for newsletters of past workshops, instructions forjoining the workshop, samples of shared materials, information about the lending library,
and more.
Choices and Opportunities Available to Students

You may shape your MA TESOL experience so that it best matches your individual context
and goals.
Deciding the Length of your MA Studies
Within the program there are two course options you may choose from: the two-year or thethree-year course. These two options cost the same amount.
Two-year Course
The two-year course option is for students who prefer intensive study. It is best suited forstudents who have lighter responsibilities at school and home, and who have native ornear-native ability in English. Students who choose this option should be confident withacademic reading and writing or should have completed an undergraduate program or acertificate course in TESOL or a related field.
4

Three-year Course
The three-year course option is for students who prefer a more relaxed pace of study, and itis the recommended option. Research in our program has shown that teachers who take thiscourse generally develop a more comprehensive understanding of AR than those who takethe shorter option. This is because they have more time to practice the ongoing cyclicalprocess of AR and can give more time and effort to each course as they have a lighter
academic load. It is important to note that this course is not more expensive. The course feesthat you pay during your time as a non-degree student are subtracted from the tuition of yourfirst year as a registered MA student. This means that, in effect, you get three years of
instruction for the price of two. As explained below, this option is recommended for students
interested in writing a thesis.
Extend your Studies
If you need to extend your studies, you may do so for up to two years. To do this, you mustcomplete required forms and submit them by specified, strictly-enforced dates. Details may
be obtained from the graduate school office.
Study Abroad
Students who meet the study abroad requirements may study in an MA TESOL program at
one of three sister universities for one year and transfer the credits they earn back to NUFS.
Our sister schools are: (1) The University of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia,(2) Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, and (3) Hawaii Pacific University in
Honolulu. Students going to Hawaii Pacific University also have an additional opportunity ofearning a Graduate Certificate in TESOL. Inquire at the graduate office for more information.
Professional Opportunities
Presenting at NUFS
Every year a number of graduating students, alumni and workshop participants are invited toshowcase their research or original teaching materials in featured presentations at themonthly workshop.
Professional conferences
The program encourages students to submit proposals to present their research atconferences held in Japan such as the annual Japanese Association for Language Teaching(JALT) international conference. Those who present are further encouraged to write anarticle for possible inclusion in the related conference proceedings.
Further education
Students who have successfully completed the MA TESOL degree are eligible to apply for
the NUFS PhD program.

5

Program Structure
There are three components of the MA TESOL program: (1) academic courses, (2) ongoing
AR, and (3) a final project or a thesis. The academic year begins in April and ends in Marchand consists of two semesters. During summer break—late July and August—intensive
courses are held.
Academic Courses
Students must earn 30 credits by completing 15 courses. The majority of the courses meetone Saturday a month for four months during the first and second semesters. The rest of thecourses are offered during summer break and meet for four consecutive days. Students
should examine the MA TESOL academic calendar in order to plan their course registration
for their time in the program.
There are two types of courses offered in the program: (1) required courses including AR,
and (2) elective courses. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and Second Language
Teaching (SLT) are required courses. Based on current research studies and seminal theory
and related papers, these courses examine how a second language is learned and how it canbe taught. Students take these courses in their first year, and they provide the foundation for
the remainder of the program.
AR-focused courses are also required including Action Research I and II (AR I, II) andCurriculum Design I and II (CD I, II), and it is in these courses where students develop theirown AR. Input is provided through course work, the NUFS Workshop, and discussion inmonthly AR report sessions. In AR I and II, students learn how to create communicative
activities, to structure lesson plans with culminating tasks, and to assess the productive skillsof conversing and writing. In CD I and II, students focus on how to develop year-long andmulti-year curricula.
The 13 elective courses teach specific aspects of learning, teaching, and researching.
(1) Materials Development and Classroom Dynamics(2) Teaching English to Young Learners(3) Learner Autonomy(4) Cross-Cultural Communication(5) Discourse Analysis(6) Sociocultural Theory(7) Introduction to Action Research Methods(8) Language Assessment(9) Qualitative Research Methods(10) Introduction to Language Learning Motivation(11) Introduction to Quantitative Methods(12) Phonetics and Phonology(13) Morphology and Syntax

6For the convenience of students, courses are taught near Nagoya Station on the NUFS
Nagoya campus, rather than on the NUFS campus in Nisshin.
AttendanceStudents are expected to attend all classes of each course. If a situation arises where you must
miss a class, you are required to contact your instructor before your absence.
Attendance is extremely important since there are few face-to-face class meetings, andrepeated absences can lead to an inability to pass a class. In addition to class attendance,
students are required to attend the Saturday workshops and AR session held by NUFS oncea month. This is because attendance hours for the workshops and AR sessions contribute toclass hours for action research-based courses Action Research I andⅡ, and Curriculum
Design I andⅡ.
Action Research
What is it?
AR is central to the MA TESOL program. AR is a way for you to experiment with yourteaching in order to improve both your teaching and your students’ acquisition of English. It
is cyclical and is conducted in a disciplined way, which follows specific iterative steps thatare explained below.
1. Identify a problem that your students are having in acquiring English.
2. With the help of new ideas that you gather through course work, workshops, advisors,and other teachers, plan a specific change in your teaching that you think may help thestudents overcome the problem.
3. Implement that plan in your class and collect data on how the change affected the
problem.
4. Based on the results of the data and with the help of further input gathered during AR
sessions, modify the change.
5. Repeat this cycle to further improve your teaching and your students’ learning.
Yearly AR Cycle
May: Decide your goals and make a plan
The overarching goal of most NUFS MA students is to develop the ability to improve theirstudents’ communicative competence in English. Incoming students who are beginning AR
tend to be unsure of themselves at first, but they steadily gain confidence by learning
through their own AR, working with their peers in AR report groups, and using the advice ofadvisors.
During the annual May weekend study trip, you will discuss AR in a group of new andexperienced AR practitioners. The groups discuss issues teachers are facing in their classes
and ways of solving them. Afterward, you will complete an AR plan on simple form that
includes: Some teaching issues you are facing in your classes and which issue you want toaddress first.
7Your goal regarding the issue you plan to address. (How do you want the situation tochange?) The action(s) you will take to try to reach that goal.
Share your draft plans in your group. During the weekend study trip, there are opportunities
to ask for more advice about your draft plan during meals and in free time.
After the study trip, you will submit your AR plan and lesson plan for the month of June.
Send both to Professors Sato (yoshi@nufs.ac.jp), Kindt (kindt@nufs.ac.jp), and Ottoson(forthcoming) for them to review. Based on their feedback, revise your lesson plan, and AR
plan if necessary, and begin to carry it out.
June and July: Monthly Reports
The following pages present an explanation of the content and organization of the AR
reports that you will submit each month.

8

Action Research Report Explanation
Feedback Focus
Please list one or two things you would like your group to give you feedback on after yourpresentation. Clear questions are best. (What could I do...? How should I...? Do you think I … ? )1.
2.
Overall Teaching Goal
Through my AR this semester, I am working on this overall teaching goal:
Write your overall teaching goal. This is long-term goal that you hope to achieve over timeand is unlikely to change during the semester.
Through my AR, I am working on this overall teaching goal:
Complete the following sections to report on your recent AR:
1. Teaching Context
Level: (junior high, senior high, university, other)
Class size: (number of students in the class or classes.)
Textbook: (title of your textbook)
2. Your AR Teaching Goal
For this, refer to your original AR Plan for the year. Unless you formally change your goalon your AR Plan for your AR, this should stay the same during the semester.
3. Your Clear and Measureable Objectives
You should design these to help you reach your AR teaching goal. These will probably change
each month as you make changes to your teaching. Consider this question when making theseobjectives: What do you want to see change? An objective might be “My students will use
three conversation strategies in their warm up conversations.” This is a clear, measurable goal.
4. Procedure
A list of classes in this cycle (Day 1, Day 2, etc.) with a brief description of each day’scontent. Mark the lesson focused on in this report “Today’s Lesson.” If collecting data, how
and when did you collect it?

95. Lesson Plan
A detailed description of the sequence, procedures, and interaction patters with timing of theactivities for each part of your lesson. You must use the provided lesson plan template andcalculate the interaction time at the end of the table.
6. What Happened
A description of what you observed during the lesson, for instance, students’ behavior during
activities, which activities you thought went well and which you thought did not with
explanations of why you have those opinions. Support your observations with specificexamples like in the following.
“Students were confused during the activity. I don’t think I gave good instructions
because I heard quite a few students saying, “I don’t understand how to do this” and“What are we supposed to be doing” to their group members.”
7. What I Learned/Plans for Next Time
Considering the objectives above and what happened, what you learned and what you areconsidering doing differently next time. This section includes a description of what yourobservations taught you and based on that learning, what you could do differently next time.
Some sample questions you might consider when preparing this section are:How can I improve the activities that did not go well?
Were my instructions clear?
Did the order of the activities work well?
What is the ratio of teacher talk and student talk time? Who talked more?
Did students have enough time for unscripted pair conversations?
Was there at least one personalized communicative task?
Was the topic interesting and suitably challenging for your students?
8. New Source
Somewhere in your report, including a citation with its reference for one or more source youread over the last month. Then, add the reference here with a relevant topic label such as
Conversation Strategies, Writing Rubrics, Extensive Reading, and the like. Some examples
are below. Be sure you use the appropriate APA format.
Peer Teaching:
Bradford-Watts, K. (2011). Students teaching students? Peer teaching in the EFL classroom
in Japan. The Language Teacher, 35(5), 32-35.

10Language Assessment:
Brown, H. D., & Abeywickrama, P.(2010). Language assessment: Principles and classroom
practices. Pearson Education.
Learner Beliefs:
Kartchava, E., & Ammar, A. (2014). Learners’ beliefs as mediators of what is noticed andlearned in the language classroom. TESOL Quarterly, 48(1), 86-109.
Notes: Please attach your lesson plan completed using Monthly Lesson Plan Template (besure to calculate the interaction times at the bottom of that chart), and other activities ormaterials that you distributed to students during the class.
If possible, please provide samples of your students’ work related to your research withnames removed for privacy.
You will need to make copies of your AR plan and the handouts you used in your lesson, andthey will be distributed to the other students in the workshop. Since making original
handouts takes skill and is time-consuming, we encourage sharing. Using handouts typicalof the CLT approach that you have borrowed from more experienced teachers allows you andyour students to experience CLT while you are new to it. When using other teachers’
materials, be sure to give credit to the original author.
Presenting your AR report
AR report groups meet in the afternoon of NUFS Workshop Saturdays at NUFS Nagoya
campus. As mentioned above, MA students are required to attend these workshops. Below is
the schedule: 10:30 to 12:00 Morning Workshop Session
 Break for lunch 1:00 to 2:30 Afternoon Workshop Session
 2:30 to 3:00 Break in order to: fill in the workshop reflection form look at and/or borrow resource materials
 talk with the workshop presenter, other workshop participants or professors.
 3:00 to 5:00 AR Report Session.
During the AR sessions, groups are a mixture of degree and non-degree students,
first-year and second-year students, and they are based on teaching context: (1)elementary and junior high school, (2) high school, and (3) university. Students fromother teaching contexts are placed in the group that most closely aligns with their context.
This allows students to learn from the experience of others within a similar context.
Before this session, group members will receive a copy of your report. During each session,
you will give an informal oral report on what you have done, and group members will give11

you feedback on your report by asking questions, making comments, and giving
recommendations. Reports are timed to ensure equal presenting and discussion time for all,usually 20 to 30 minutes.
Online participation requirements
Part of your grade will be based on your participation online. You will upload your monthly
AR reports to Moodle, our online course platform. MA students are required to read at least
two online AR reports by fellow students in their course and give comments to them. This
allows vertical sharing of ideas because each cohort of students will have teachers fromvarious contexts. It is useful for a junior high teacher, for example, to learn how course
classmates are teaching English to their upper elementary or high school classes. Activities
used at one level can often be modified and used successfully at a different level. Other
practices and techniques can be shared vertically as well, such as classroom procedures,
topic ideas, visuals for handouts, formats for data collection, and successful teaching
techniques. Advisors also provide online feedback.
Collecting advice and ideas
Each month you can gather advice and ideas from a number of sources including
coursework, professors and participants in your AR report group, invited workshop
presenters, the selection of books and DVDs available in the third and fifth-floor libraries,
and discussions with other workshop participants as you do hands-on activities together insmall groups. Teachers around you are glad to share their classroom-tested activities,
techniques and problem-solving strategies.
August: Mid-term report presentation
Your mid-term report is given at the summer AR session. Using the prescribed format, youwill write your report and prepare a digital presentation on it. This presentation is moreformal than the monthly reports; however, as at regular AR report sessions, each report isfollowed by feedback.
The mid-term report should include your July AR report and an analysis of data you
collected during June and July. Students in their first semester of AR should conduct at least
one survey in late July to collect information on how the changes in their teaching are
affecting students’ learning. Click here to see examples of surveys, such as “アクションリサーチ
実践報告集 2014 Action Research Report 2014,” by clicking on “アクションリサーチのすすめ
Action Research.” View several reports and compare the survey questions. Using two types ofsurvey questions gives you more detailed information about students’ feelings: closed
question formats (students choose one point on a scale of five points to express their answer
or choose from multiple answers) and open-ended formats (questions to which students write
sentence or more to describe their own answers to questions).
Students with longer AR experience are expected to collect more types of data. Look at thesource above and at the AR projects and theses of recent graduates (available to borrow from12

Nagoya campus TESOL library) for examples. Also consult your advisor for guidance ontypes of data and a data collection schedule.
After the mid-term AR session, write your September lesson plan and second semester datacollection plan and send them to your professors, Sato, Kindt, and Heigham. Based on
feedback you receive from your supervisor, revise the plans as necessary and implement
them.
More about data collection
In AR, data are necessary in order to understand how the changes in teaching are affecting
students’ learning. By the end of their first semester of AR, MA students will have seen
several types of data presented in other students’ AR reports. Students in the second
semester of their first year of AR should choose at least two types of data, collect them on aschedule and present them in their subsequent AR reports.
Students in their second and third years of AR should be collecting at least three types ofdata, both quantitative and qualitative. Not all data collection is as time-consuming as asurvey. A two-minute self-assessment conducted once per unit provides insight into students’feelings about learning English and perception of their improvement. An equally quick
student assessment of a new activity (How useful, interesting, difficult was this activity?)
can help the teacher improve the activity. Longer surveys that include open-ended questions
are only needed a few times each term.
The two courses on research methods – Introduction to Action Research Methods andQualitative Research Methods – are scheduled to meet the needs of both new action
researchers and second year researchers.
Research ethics
Researchers need to conduct research according to a code of ethics in order to avoid causing
students harm or distress academically, emotionally, or socially. Before beginning to collectdata, explain to your students the reason(s) for your research (to improve your teaching andtheir learning and for your MA) and what kind(s) of data you want to collect. Distribute a
simple consent form that asks if they are willing to participate in the research or if theywould prefer not to participate in it. Research surveys to collect student opinion should
generally be anonymous, with the data being reported as group percentages of students
taking part in the research. It may require simplified English or Japanese translation to
explain this to students. With younger children, permission may be required from one ormore of the following: the school teacher, the cooperating Japanese English teacher, aguardian, or your haken (temporary employment) company if you are an ALT. Check withyour advising professor and school principal to determine from whom you should seek
permission.
September through February: Monthly AR reports

13

These follow the same guidelines and procedures as the June and July reports.
March: Annual Action Research Report presentation
The format of your Annual Action Research Report presentation will be similar to themidterm report presentation. It should include the best examples of your second semester
AR work, and your data from first and second semesters, presented in a way that highlights
the improvements that you have made to your teaching in light of the progress your students
have made over the academic year.
Completing Your Degree
This section explains graduation requirements, the two capstone project options, theevaluation criteria for the final project and the design of the oral examination.
Graduation Requirements
Successful candidates complete the following three requirements:(1) Earn 30 credits of course work
(2) Complete an AR project or a thesis(3) Sit an oral examination
Graduates generally finish the program within two to three years.
Capstone Project Options
There are two capstone project options: (1) an AR project and (2) a thesis. Each of theseprojects is described below.
The action research project
The AR project is a collection of two to three years of AR with literature review andmethods sections. It must conform to the American Psychological Association (APA) styleguidelines. For an overview of APA, see APAstyle.org and the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
Students are expected to evaluate their previous AR from a viewpoint of the literature
review. Below are the sections of the AR Project. See the Action Research Report Guidelines
for more detailed information.
1. Title Page
2. Abstract
3. Table of Contents
4. Introduction
5. Literature Review
6. Method
7. Action Research (annual AR reports with summaries)
8. Conclusion
9. References
10. Appendices
The thesis
If you wish to write a thesis, we highly recommend that you commit to three years of study to14allow enough time to do your required AR and complete your thesis. The NUFS thesis
requirement follows the traditional way of reporting research results in most academic fields.
A thesis for the MA TESOL program must conform to the APA style guidelines. There arevarious descriptions and models of the thesis. Most models have the same basic structure but
can vary in numerous ways. If you are thinking of writing a thesis, consult with your advisor.
The following is a list of the sections required for a thesis.
1. Title page
2. Abstract
3. Table of Contents
4. Introduction
5. Literature Review
6. Method
7. Results
8. Discussion
9. Conclusion
10. References
11. Appendices*Important note about style and format:
Style and formatting are very important in your final report. As previously noted, stylerequirements for both final tasks are the same: APA. Follow the citation and referencing styleof The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition. A basic
online version of this is available at the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
Correctly formatting your final task is your responsibility, not the responsibility of youradviser. Formatting the references section is especially detailed work and is an important
academic skill that takes time and effort. Check closely spacing, indents, periods andcommas, capitalization, etc. To find APA instructions on formatting references, click here.
Additionally, some students pay to have their papers edited by a professional to ensure theiraccuracy. Non-native-English speakers should consider this option because papers shouldmeet basic standards.
Deciding on a capstone project
You will decide whether to write an AR project or a thesis in consultation with your advisor.
The following information may help you understand the choice.
The themes that are suitable for the AR project and the thesis are the same. Students usually
research aspects of one of the following broad areas.
Effects of introducing CLT on student acquisition of English
MA students focus on aspects of CLT such as integrating the four skills, maximizing
student-student interaction, developing successful final tasks, implementing communicative
assessment of productive skills (speaking and writing), and on tracking students’ attitudes
toward studying English and their self-evaluation of their own English abilities over time.

15Curriculum development, teacher collaboration and teacher beliefs
Reaping the full benefit of a CLT approach requires school-wide cooperation on the English
curriculum and methods of assessment. MA students doing their final task in this area focus
on themes such as how to develop teacher collaboration, how to make a multi-year
curriculum and how to understand and deal with teacher beliefs.
There are similarities between the AR project and the thesis: (1) both grow out of thestudent’s AR, (2) the topics chosen for research are often similar, and (3) both are data-based
research. There are also some differences between the two and they are listed below.
 Time span: Theses, in this program, usually describe a one-year study, while AR projects
are required to report each year of AR a student has done—usually two, two and a half,or three years.


Data: More data must be collected in the one year of a thesis study than is needed during
a typical year of AR. Thesis writers should collect three or four types of data – bothquantitative (numerical) and qualitative (texts, images, etc.) data in order to have enoughevidence to support their claims about research results. AR project data collection is
spread over all years of a student’s AR.



Focus: The AR project usually reports the repertoire of teaching activities that a teacher
devised over two or three years of AR—in response to teaching issues and often withdifferent classes of students—and the impact those activities had on the students’learning, according to the data collected. The thesis, in contrast, focuses on a particular
topic and usually reports one long experiment with one group of students in which theteacher implements a teaching innovation, such as a new curriculum or teachingapproach, in order to improve student learning and analyzes the collected data to assessthe degree of success of the experiment. The thesis is done alongside ongoing AR.

Evaluation of the capstone project
Professors will evaluate your final project using a list of 20 criteria (see the following page).
By understanding the criteria from the beginning, you know what to aim for; by using it as achecklist as you write your first drafts, you can reduce the amount of revision needed andsubmit a better AR project or thesis.

16

MA Thesis Evaluation Sheet
1. Research Content
1.1 Subject matter/Topic(1) The subject matter/topic is explained clearly and appropriately.
(2) The subject matter/topic makes an original contribution to the research field.
1.2 Research goals/Rationale(3) Research goals and rationale are explained clearly.
1.3 Literature review(4) The review of literature is up-to-date and satisfactory.
(5) Research questions are formulated based on the literature review.
1.4 Research methods
1.4.1 Research design(6) Appropriate research methods are chosen to answer the research questions.
1.4.2 Data collection(7) Sufficient data was collected.
1.5 Data analysis(8) Data analysis is done correctly and appropriately.
(9) Results are presented clearly and appropriately by utilizing examples, charts, graphs,
and so on.
1.6 Discussion(10) The findings are discussed sufficiently in relation to the literature review.
(11) The findings are presented logically and convincingly.
1.7 Conclusion(12) The conclusion adequately answers the research questions.
(13)The findings contribute to the research field.
(14)Future issues are stated appropriately.
2. Organization/Format
2.1 Quotations/References(15)Quotations, notes, etc. are cited appropriately with references.
(16)References section is well written and error-free.
2.2 Chapters(17)The organization of the thesis and each chapter is satisfactory.
2.3 Language(18)Language use is clear, appropriate and grammatical.
(19)There are no typos, and headings are appropriate.
3. Ethics(20)There are no ethical issues.
4. Final Grade
A+: Outstanding (could publish a paper in a major journal)
A: Excellent (expected to continue to study in a PhD program)
B: Good (shows a good study and efforts in an MA program)
C: Acceptable
D: Unacceptable
17

Oral Defense
Approximately one month after submitting your AR project or thesis, you will have the oral
exam. You and three professors, including your advisor, discuss your final project for about
one hour. You are first asked to summarize your project in ten minutes. Each assessor thenasks you several questions. You may be asked to clarify some points in your final task, toexplain your reason for handling some part of your research the way you did, to answer aquestion about a theory or principle that is central to your final task, and so on. Assessors willthen explain the strengths and weaknesses they see in your final project. Lastly, they will
point out specific revisions that you need to make before submitting the official, final version
one week later. You are given one assessment for both the final project and oral defense.
Strategies for Success
Below are six strategies that you can use to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of yourstudy time.
Be Proactive
When you need information, clarification, advice or help, seek it promptly. Talk with
program advisors Kazuyoshi Sato, Duane Kindt, and Kevin Ottoson, staff at the graduate
school office and your other course professors. You will find that asking senior students isoften useful, as well. A valuable part of our learning community is the graduates who
participate in the monthly workshop and AR report groups. They are a valuable source of
information and encouragement for new students.
Think Ahead
By reading this short handbook before or soon after you begin taking courses, you will haveenough information to think ahead. For example, you read on page three that Second
Language Acquisition (SLA) and Second Language Teaching (SLT) are foundation courses.
In other words, the contents of those two textbooks are a guide to understanding othercourses, doing high quality AR, and writing a good AR project or thesis. Making good notesin those textbooks and reviewing them periodically will, therefore, save you time later on.
Similarly, you know that both the AR project and thesis require you to include the work ofeminent scholars, including suitable quotes. To do this more easily, you should markpotential good quotes in your textbooks with a key word in the margin and keep a parallel
list of them with the keyword, author(s) and page number. You will have a personal “quotebank” that will save you many hours of searching for quotes later on.
Beat the Forgetting Curve
We forget most new information the same day we encounter it. Some students find thatmeeting with several classmates in a relaxed atmosphere after an MA TESOL class anddiscussing the content of that class is an effective way to improve their comprehension andretention of the content. Taking brief notes as you discuss gives you a quick way to review
before the next class.

18

Use Resources
In addition to the many excellent resources in the main library at NUFS Nisshin campus, theNagoya campus has an academic library of books and articles that is specifically relevant to
topics in the TESOL program. Additionally, there is a teaching materials library. Six DVDsand eight books, made collaboratively by Prof. Sato with students and graduates,
demonstrate two of the central aspects of CLT: how to assess students’ English production(speaking and writing), and how to teach grammar in a structured yet communicative way.
On monthly NUFS Workshop days, the eight books are available for purchase. Everythingelse in both libraries may be borrowed for one month by recording your name and the titles inthe designated notebook at each library.
People as Resources
The monthly AR report sessions are an excellent place to get creative, classroom-tested
teaching ideas and to receive advice on ways to improve your own activities. There are also
copies of previous AR reports and theses in the 5th floor library that you may check out.
Learning from the AR of senior students is often the quickest way to improve your own AR.
To preserve those valuable ideas, chose a way that matches your style: taking notes, marking
good ideas on other’s reports and preserving just those marked pages, and so on.
MA students also attend the NUFS Workshops, as part of their AR and CD courses, to gain
more input. At workshops, you have a good opportunity to talk with other teachers who are
already using a CLT approach in their teaching. Make it a regular habit to note input ofparticular value to you in a notebook for that purpose.
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
Instead of creating original CLT activities and handouts for your students (especially before
you understand how to do that) use classroom-tested materials created by others who havedone AR on the same topic as you will do. You may be able to use them “as is,” but it ismore likely that you need to modify them for your particular class. Even borrowing one
classroom-tested aspect or technique in someone else’s activity can have a significant impact
on your students’ performance.

19

Resources
Center for EFL Teacher Development
 Information about current month’s workshop and Newsletters about all past workshops
 Schedule of NUFS Workshops and a form for requesting monthly workshop-relatedannouncements
 Brief introduction to action research All past final Action Research Reports with AR theme of each report listed in the Tableof Contents
 FAQ and answers
 List of library holdings at the Nagoya campus TESOL library Useful links for more information
 My Share (sample AR monthly and mid-term reports, lesson plans, handouts based on
focus on form for JHS and SHS, and so on)
NUFS MA TESOL Program Description of program Information about being a non-degree student
 Study abroad Faculty introduction
 Curriculum Tuition
 Application procedure and forms
Non-Degree Student Candidate’s Guide Detailed information about non-degree student status
 Eligibility and application procedures Application documents
 Tuition
Prof. Sato Kazuyoshi’s Homepage
 Published articles, including articles with former MA TESOL students
These are helpful for current MA students’ action research and writing ofAR report and thesis. Among them, we recommend Sato, Mutoh, Kleinsasser (2019)
So that you will know how previous MA TESOL students learned to teach through ourprogram.
 Summary explanations of CLT and AR
 Introductions to the eight books published by Meijitosho (see the list below).

20明治図書 (Meijitosho) Publisher of the eight books listed below:
 These books contain class-room tested teaching procedures and handouts for four
separate levels of learners: JHS 1st year, 2nd year, 3rd year and SHS.
 Books can be ordered from the publisher or from booksellers including Amazon.com.jp,
and the like. You can also buy them, for a discount, on monthly workshop days.
1.新しい英文法指導アイデアワーク 中学 1 年―フォーカス・オン・フォームでできる! (授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ 16) 単行本 – 2012/3
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)
2.新しい英文法指導アイデアワーク 中学 2 年―フォーカス・オン・フォームでできる! (授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ 17) 単行本 – 2012/3
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)
3.新しい英文法指導アイデアワーク 中学 3 年―フォーカス・オン・フォームでできる!
(授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ 18) 単行本 – 2012/3 佐藤 一嘉 (編著)
4.フォーカス・オン・フォームでできる!新しい英文法指導アイデアワーク 高校 (授
業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ) 単行本 – 2012/3
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)
5.ワーク&評価表ですぐに使える! 英語授業を変えるパフォーマンス・テスト 中学 1
年 (授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ) 単行本 – 2014/7/3
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)
6.ワーク&評価表ですぐに使える! 英語授業を変えるパフォーマンス・テスト 中学 2
年 (授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ) 単行本 – 2014/7/3
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)
7.ワーク&評価表ですぐに使える! 英語授業を変えるパフォーマンス・テスト 中学 3
年 (授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ) 単行本 – 2014/7/3
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)
8.ワーク&評価表ですぐに使える! 英語授業を変えるパフォーマンス・テスト 高校(授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ) 単行本 – 2014/7/10
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)
9.フォーカス・オン・フォームを取り入れた英文法指導ワーク&パフォーマンス・テ
スト中学 1 年（授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ）単行本– 2019/12
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)
10.フォーカス・オン・フォームを取り入れた英文法指導ワーク&パフォーマンス・テ
スト中学 2 年（授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ）単行本– 2019/12
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)21

11.フォーカス・オン・フォームを取り入れた英文法指導ワーク&パフォーマンス・テ
スト中学 3 年（授業をグーンと楽しくする英語教材シリーズ）単行本– 2019/12
佐藤 一嘉 (編著)

DVDs Published by ジャパンライム
アクション・リサーチから学ぶ英語教授法シリーズ
 Each DVD contains an introductory explanation in Japanese of the type of demonstration
shown. A teacher who is experienced in using the teaching approach being demonstrated
conducts a short lesson with students, in English.
 These DVDs are available for check out from in the Nagoya campus TESOL library.
1. コミュニカティブ•ライティング 1&2（授業者:高橋恵子）DVD – 2012 佐藤一嘉（監修）
2. 中学校におけるフォーカス・オン・フォームの実践（授業者:石飛典子）DVD – 2013
佐藤一嘉（監修）
3. 高校におけるフォーカス・オン・フォームの実践（授業者:久代美和子）DVD – 2013
佐藤一嘉（監修）
4. スキル・インテグレーション（４技能の統合）（授業者：平野充）DVD – 2014 佐
藤一嘉（監修）
5. 英語授業を変えるパフォーマンス・テスト（中学校）（授業者：福元有希美）DVD –2014 佐藤一嘉（監修）
6. 英語授業を変えるパフォーマンス・テスト（高校）（授業者：奥田紀子）DVD – 2014
佐藤一嘉（監修）
7.多読で深める英語授業の実践 1&2（授業者:高橋恵子）DVD – 2017 佐藤一嘉（監修）8.コンテンツベースの英語カリキュラム（授業者：名古屋外国語大学英語教員）DVD –2018 佐藤一嘉（監修）

Professor Duane Kindt’s Homepage
Various resources for EFL teachers, including an introduction to the textbook Tools for
Increasing Proficiency in Speaking (TIPS), classroom activities, such as conversation cards,
and recording, feedback, and evaluation procedures.
A list of Professor Kindt’s publications.

22