The role of foreign language requirements in domestic students’ first-year success at one internationalising Japanese university

ABSTRACT This project addressed the role of foreign language (FL) classes in a successful first-year student experience at one Japanese university. I assessed six dimensions of this experience: Match between high school FL classes and university FL classes, role of first-year FL course grades for academic progress, role of first-year FL classes in later studies, students’ attitudes toward the classes, promotion of language learning, and the success of these classes in fostering international peer interactions. Employing a mixed methods approach with one year of on-site fieldwork, I observed 78 FL classes, interviewed 40 students, five university and nine high school FL teachers, and analyzed teaching materials, homework, and student grades from 58 FL classes. Results indicated that, although these classes did not detract from students’ overall academic goals mainly due to the classes’ modest aims and lack of connections to later academic work, they largely failed to promote robust language learning, positive affect, and international peer interaction. This study especially indicates the need for improved connections between high school English and college-level EMI courses. Also, students with previous costly English learning opportunities fared better in English classes which suggests the importance of greater attention to equity in language education.