Abstract

This study explores the effectiveness and challenges of a collaborative drama project conducted in a beginner-level Japanese language university class. The project had two main objectives: firstly, it encouraged students to focus on linguistic elements during the process of writing, examining and editing the scenario, and to embed it in an authentic context; secondly it aimed to raise student self-awareness of how to project attitude and emotion in their speaking parts, followed by feedback from native Japanese speakers. Seven students from the U.S., Germany, Ukraine, Algeria and Poland and four Japanese student volunteers participated in the three-week project. Students first discussed an outline and created a detailed image of characters and scenes. Then, the students in pairs created a scenario that was examined and edited through class discussion with focus on form in context. Finally, students practiced their roles with Japanese volunteers and filmed a 10-minute drama that was presented for another Japanese class and guests. Three significant improvements in students' Japanese skills and awareness were observed during the project: students were able to critically analyse and negotiate the best ways to use their Japanese language resources in the context, they became aware of why their direct translations from English to Japanese and word choices do not always work, and they were able to speak in a lively and active way beyond reading the texts. Students reported that they acquired various ways of using Japanese and became more confident in speaking with native speakers.