Using Mobile Phone Aizuchi Basic-Skill Teaching

Abstract

This research is considered new since using a mobile phone in aizuchi-skill learning for students in semester 2 to speak the Japanese language. Technology has an important role to the humans’ life almost in all aspects [1]. During the period of this Covid-19 pandemic, conventional learning cannot be well implemented without technology, such as multimedia, youtube, and etc. [2]. Technology, such as mobile phone, has recently become more sophisticated and provided many functions. Mobile phone is not only used for communication, shopping, socializing, and businesses [3]. However, the role of mobile phone has also been developed in foreign language educational fields, such as English [4]. The research on English language learning using mobile phone has no longer been unfamiliar, just like English. The research conducted by Azad on mobile phone had positive impacts and greatly effective for English learning at Sulaiman university in Iran[5]. The utilization of mobile phone for learning experienced by the students in Malaysia has, in fact, rapidly developed in 2013, although in 2008, not many students used mobile phone for learning [6]. The research conducted by Murugan et al. on the readiness of lecturers and students to use mobile phone for learning in Malaysia. They explained that there are 3 elements required to change and develop habits using the mobile phone technology, namely context, control, and communication [7]. Furthermore, a research conducted in Malaysia on teaching and learning English language using mobile phone has concluded that using mobile phone for learning English is greatly attractive and well facilitate both lecturers and students [8]. What about the foreign language learning, such as Japanese language? The basic Japanese language speaking learning mostly used more time to review the sentence patterns learned in the teaching’s introductory-phase [9]. Furthermore, in class activities, the lecturers generally require the students to memorize conversations and practice the conversations in front of the class with their pairs. The assignments were made in the form of students’ in-pair conversations in the form of videos sent through e-mail to the related lecturers since it is impossible for each student to practice their conversations in one meeting session. Teaching speaking using this method seems to be not teaching good communication strategies since greatly depending on memorization and sentence patterns. Besides, the students who frequently memorize the scripts or reading the full-text slides, are unable to improve their speaking skills in front of public and make their learning experiences become boring [10]. Speaking ability requires some strategies, such as aizuchi. Many studies have been conducted related to aizuchi or backchanneling aizuchise throughout the world because aizuchi has an important role for communication. Heinz argued that aizuchi belongs to all languages in the world, yet different in each language due to the characteristics of language and culture existing in each country. Heinz further explained that aizuchi is different in each language mostly caused by the utilization frequencies, types, and functions of aizuchi [11,12]. Aizuchi which has appeared in all languages, frequencies, types, and contexts of its different utilizations greatly depends on the language and culture. Thus, to communicate effectively, knowledge on aizuchi is greatly required since the inability to utilize aizuchi can result in miscommunication between speaker and hearer [13].