Promoting deeper learning through a scaffolded language curriculum: Double tasking language-specific and research-skills development

Abstract

This study explores the pragmatic value of a scaffolded language curriculum (SLC) model for fostering students’ deep approach to learning in a language discipline. An SLC based on the control wedge model (Cadman and Grey, 2000) was implemented with third-year undergraduate students in Advanced Japanese — the majority completing various non-Arts degrees. Building upon students’ existing Internet literacy in English, a variety of staged tasks were embedded and scaffolded in a curriculum, guiding students to complete a research project — involving writing a research essay and giving an oral research presentation, both in Japanese. Students investigated self-selected social issues in Japan to develop both their Japanese language-specific and research skills. With a gradual control shift from teacher to student, students became increasingly autonomous, in their utilisation of Japanese search engines and online tools to locate and read authentic online materials in Japanese. Results from formal student experience surveys show that authentic tasks embedded in an SLC effectively improved students’ course experience ratings in all areas; including transferable, generic research and thinking skills, without increasing perceptions of workload. Implications and future directions, as well as transferability of this model to other language contexts, are also discussed.