Book Details

This timely book explores the out-of-class literacy activities of L2 learners of Japanese, and the complex ecologies and multiple motivations that shape them. Teachers and researchers alike will gain rare insights into the intersections between class-related and non-class-related activities, as well as the ways in which students are engaging with the new technological resources which mediate them.--Robyn Spence-Brown, Monash University, Australia

I've always wanted to know what my students do outside the classroom. Thanks to Inaba's work, I now know that they engage in not only class-related, but also non-class related practices, playing games, chatting on social media, reading magazines, and I can encourage them to make the most of these practices.--Chihiro Kinoshita Thomson, UNSW, Sydney, Australia

As we move into a future of blended online/offline cultures, understanding foreign language learning is increasingly a matter of understanding relationships between out-of-class and in-class engagement with language. Miho Inaba makes an especially valuable contribution to this important area of research by introducing both a new language and context, Japanese in Australia, and the new perspective of everyday literacy practices.--Phil Benson, Macquarie University, Australia

Richly grounded in data and drawing on Activity Theory as an illuminating analytical framework, this study explores what language learners do (or can do) outside the classroom to enhance their literacy skills and connect language study with personal interests and pursuits. The book offers valuable insights for those researching, promoting or engaging in out-of-class language learning.--Ema Ushioda, University of Warwick, UK

This book presents a study of literacy practices and language use of students of Japanese outside of the classroom, both in class-related and voluntary activities. It discusses how values, motivations and types of activities differ between the two contexts and concludes that slight changes to teaching practices may enhance autonomous learning.