INSTRUMENTAL MOTIVATION IN ENGLISH ACTIVITIES AT A JAPANESE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Children enjoy communicating with others on Role Playing Games (RPG). Moreover they are never aware of taking diagnostic tests in English. The computer software and the system between iPods and the electronic board intercommunication system of the RPG have been developed with Voltec, an ICT company, Mr. Murata (the animator) and Newton Press, a publisher, under this research project. The RPG system has connected the electronic board in class with an iPod, which each learner has in the palm. The diagnostic tests on the game measure how well the students understand the communicative contents in English Activity classes at once.

Each test and the RPG pilot version have been developed with the sound effects for three years. The RPG and the test have been carried out at some elementary schools. The learners’ attitude survey in class shows five questions and they answer each question out of 4 multiple choices. It reports how well they understand and enjoy communicating with the main character, Newton, interactively on the RPG world. Children evaluated their attitude with four stages. Each number shows the higher, the better.

1. Did you enjoy the story? (3.3 point average)
2. Did you enjoy shopping? (3.2 point average)
3. How well did you buy for Newton? (3.1 point average)
4. Do you like to use the computer in English Activity Class? (3.0 point average)
5. Do you like computer games? (3.3 point average)

Some remarks from the students on this paper show how well the learners understand the story of the RPG world. You could see how much the students enjoy the RPG and how well the system works at elementary schools. The research data has been collected and analyzed more on this report. Based on the feedback, the system is revised and rebuilt, to make the system and the RPG better.