Japanese language cohesion module for enhancing university students’ speaking skills

Effective speaking is crucial in language acquisition, as it reinforces learned language through practical use in real-life situations. Despite this, research on verbal cohesion among Japanese language students at universities remain limited, with most studies concentrating on cohesion in writing. This has left challenges related to achieving cohesive and coherent speech insufficiently explored. This study seeks to bridge that gap by focusing on the under-researched area of verbal cohesion in Japanese language learners at universities. This research aimed to: 1) identify the need for cohesive modules for Japanese language learning among Japanese language learners at the USIM, 2) design and develop cohesive modules for Japanese language learning at the USIM using the Analyse, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation (ADDIE) Model, 3) identify the usability assessment level of the Japanese language Cohesion Module of the dimensions of usefulness, satisfaction, and ease of use, and 4) explore the perceptions of students towards the use of the Japanese language Cohesion Module’s effectiveness. The research involved Japanese language learners from the Faculty of Major Language Studies at USIM in Negeri Sembilan. Grounded in Behaviorist Theory, Gagne’s Theory of Instruction, and Halliday and Hasan’s Cohesion Theory, this research adopted a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative component included pre-test and post-test assessments of speaking skills, while the qualitative component involved interviews and usability surveys. The needs analysis phase, which involved surveys, group discussions, and expert interviews, revealed critical gaps in students' speech cohesion, particularly in their use of cohesive devices, topic continuity, and sentence coherence. Experts observed that students exhibited a low level of verbal cohesion, often struggling with fragmented sentences and a lack of fluidity in maintaining conversations. Validation through expert checklists and reliability testing ensured its accuracy, while usability testing using standardized questionnaires and student interviews confirmed high scores in usefulness, satisfaction, and overall usability. Pretest and post-test results demonstrated that the experimental group using the module achieved significantly higher speaking scores compared to the control group. During usability assessments, students reported improvements in speech cohesion, along with increased confidence and enthusiasm when speaking Japanese, attributing their progress to the module’s structured approach and clarity. The Japanese Language Cohesion Module has significantly enhanced their speaking skills. Future research should involve a larger and more diverse sample of Japanese language students across multiple universities to validate the module’s efficacy, ensuring it can be adapted to different student populations and academic contexts.

Text 123240.pdf Download (1MB) Official URL or Download Paper: https://ethesis.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/18714

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