Twenty-fifth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the perceptions of Japanese university students of the ownership of English, varieties of Englishes, native English speakers’ norms in the English classroom, ideal learning goal and preferred Englishes. A survey was conducted at a medium-sized university in Fukuoka, Japan. A total of 322 students (201 non-English majors and 121 English majors) participated in this study. The results show some contradictory findings. The majority of the students agree with the native ownership of English; however, they also agree that it is a language shared by anyone speaking it. In terms of varieties of Englishes, most students in the study agree that standard English means American or British English; however, they also agree that there should be varieties of Englishes. In regard to students’ ideal learning goal, the students believe that having smooth communication is more important than memorising grammar rules. When asked for their preferred English varieties, most students chose American English (50.3%), followed by British English (17.1%) and no preference (10.9%). A t-test was further used to examine whether students’ gender and majors impacted their perceptions. The uniqueness of this study also lies in the comparison and contrast between university students in Japan and Taiwan by drawing on the results of a study conducted by one of the authors (Lai, 2011). This paper will consider the possible implications for English language professionals.