Shimazu, Y. M.

Publications & Presentations

• Y. M. Shimazu. © 2001. "A COMPARISON OF A 5-DAY WITH A 3-DAY 5-UNIT LANGUAGE COURSE: WHICH IS MORE EFFECTIVE?"  Education. Vol. 121. Issue 4.  pp.717-727.

  Abstract: In the United States, language courses are typically taught as 5-unit courses scheduled 5 days a week. Language program coordinators or chairpersons arranging class scheduling often juggle considerations in formulating a 5-day course or a 3-day course in search of the most effective alternative for language acquisition. Often you hear from your colleagues, "May I come in and teach my 5-unit course on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, instead of coming to school every day? I live quite far away from the university, and recently the traffic is so bad." On the other hand, you also hear, "You know, when I teach my 5-unit course every day, students learn more than meeting 85 minutes for 3 days a week."

• Y. M. Shimazu. ©2005. "Language course taught with online supplement material: Is it effective?"  Education. Vol. 126. Issue 1.  pp.26-36.

  Abstract: Computer technology continues to develop. As William Massy (1997) noted "the faculty role will change from being mainly a content expert, professor's job is to profess, to a combination of content expert, learning process design expert, and process implementation manager" (p. 31). In recent years, the Internet has become the leading edge in delivering instruction at a distance by virtue of its ability to incorporate learning in innovative ways. By using the Internet, students can maintain their control over the rate and timing of instruction and homework. In 1986, Kulik and Kulik found that (a) computer-based instruction has a small but significant positive effect on achievement and (b) computer-based instruction substantially reduced instruction time to as little...

• Y. M. Shimazu. © 2007.  Handy Katakana Workbook (6th ed.).  Pearson Custom.  pp.84.

  Abstract: This is a workbook intended to accompany an introductory Japanese language course. It is a self-paced program with study sheets, worksheets on how to write and read Hiragana, and 2 practice quizzes. The workbook is paced to be covered in 15-25 hours of instruction. Each worksheet presents a sufficient number of Hiragana and their combinations for beginning level students to practice. Unlike the methods used in traditional language classes, this workbook teaches you to read and write from day one. Approximately 580 Hiragana words are introduced. The workbook is prepared by language specialists who understand the logic and psychology behind language learning.