The Effects of an Instructional Method Focused on Child Developmental Stages and Memory

The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of the instructional method underlying computer-based English teaching materials developed for fifth and sixth graders. To complete the study, two variations (Type A and Type B) were compared, without changing the basic procedure of the instructional method. Type A was carried out using a conventional method practiced by an instructor using hand-made teaching materials and naturally spoken voice. Meanwhile, Type B was performed using the new style by an instructor employing a projector and a computer loaded with the newly developed teaching materials. After the instruction in Type A and Type B, memory tests and questionnaires were administered to a total of 32 fifth and sixth graders in a local elementary school. In both Type A and Type B, a first memory test was conducted 10 minutes after instruction, a second test 1 week later, and a third test 2 weeks later. Each test consisted of five English phrases that had appeared in each instruction session. The students were required to write the equivalent Japanese after listening to the individual English phrases orally presented by the instructor twice for each. In both Type A and Type B, an initial questionnaire including two items was given to the students immediately after each class. The two items were “Did you enjoy the class?” and “Was the class educational for you?” In addition to this, a second questionnaire consisting of one item was administered to the students after two lessons of both Type A and Type B. The question item was “How do you prefer to learn English phrases, with Type A or Type B?” The results revealed the following. (1) In both Type A and Type B, there was gradual increase in the students' memory of the five English phrases learned, from 10 minutes after the instruction to 2 weeks later. This phenomenon is called “reminiscence” in psychology. (2) To the question “Did you enjoy the class?” the affirmative answer was chosen 81% of the time in Type A, and 84% of the time in Type B. To the question “Was the class educational for you?” the affirmative answer was chosen 72% of the time in Type A, and 84% of the time in Type B. (3) To the final question, Type B was preferred by 68% of the students, while Type A was 10%. Accordingly, it was thought that the instructional method underlying the computer-based teaching materials was effective not only for retaining learning matters in memory, but also for stimulating the intellectual curiosity of the students. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the students preferred the computer-based instruction over the conventional hand-made style.