Acknowledgements; Introduction; Chapter 1: Social Contexts of Language Use and Learning; Chapter 2: Learners' Bilingual Social Networks; Chapter 3: Changes in L1/L2 Use; Chapter 4: Language Selection and Its Negotiation; Chapter 5: Opportunities for L2 Learning; Chapter 6: Access to L2 Social Interaction: Implications for Language Teaching and Learning; Appendix I: Questionnaire for the First Year Students; Appendix II: Interaction Interviews; Appendix III: Diary About Exposure to Japanese Outside Classrooms; References; Index
Summary
It is commonly believed that foreign language skills improve through social interaction with speakers of the language. However, there is little research addressing the issue of access to such interaction. This book explores this issue, examining longitudinal case studies of interaction between language learners and speakers of the target language within their informal social networks. It looks at the complex social and personal factors that influence language choice. . Kurata reveals that even for motivated learners opportunities to use the target language are limited, and suggests factors
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 181-191) and index
