Additional Language Acquisition as Professional Development for Graduate Students Training to Teach L2 in an L3 National Context

Abstract

In the current global economy, the number of non-native English teachers working outside of their own national context is steadily increasing. This trend has made it increasingly common for non-native English-speaking prospective teachers to pursue advanced professional degrees outside of their own countries and simultaneously outside of the English-speaking world. The following case study presents six students in an graduate-level English-teaching program in Japan who are all non-Japanese and non-native English speakers (NJNE). For such students, pursuing Japanese L3 proficiency is an essential component to their professional development for pursuing a teaching career in Japan after graduation from the program. The study, using survey and interview data, examines the attitudes and practices that lead to successful and unsuccessful L3 learning results. Positive feelings toward their local environment and close, early relationships with TL speakers were among the factors most predictive of L3-learning success.