Jewels of Happiness: A Positive Approach to Second Language Acquisition (SLA) for Japanese, First-year, University Students

Learning an additional language, Second Language Acquisition (SLA), is paramount for graduates to participate in an increasingly global and interconnected world. Traditionally, Japanese students studied English as a Foreign Language (EFL) for six years by the completion of high school, yet low English language proficiency, recognized worldwide, has been one of the most worrisome issues in formal Japanese education. In the universities, most students, regardless of field of study, choose English to fulfill mandatory foreign language requirement; yet, lack of motivation and reticence to speak are common phenomena, even upon completion of 1-3 years of language instruction.

To address this challenge, new policies and programs, both at the national and state level, were implemented throughout the Japanese educational system. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports Science and Technology recently reformed the school curriculum to introduce the English language as early as grade three. Japanese universities have implemented new approaches to EFL, such as instituting a higher proportion of native English instructors, and introducing a variety of e-learning options. These new and ongoing initiatives have made a difference for EFL students; yet, university professors and course instructors observe low student motivation and slow progress, leaving room for improvement. A relatively new approach in SLA is to combine two paradigms—language instruction and the positive psychology/well-being approach (Maclntyre, Gregersen, & Mercer, 2016). To that end, approximately 40, Japanese EFL students were instructed with the audio and text version of a happiness manual, The Jewels of Happiness: Inspiration and Wisdom to Guide your Life-Journey. Chapters included lessons on happiness, peace, and meditation to quiet mind. A descriptive content analysis of essays written during the year-long course was conducted. Preliminary results indicate that, overall, students perceived the course not only improved their English comprehension and speaking skills, but also afforded them personal insights.