A Review of Japanese CALL for Kanji, Vocabulary, and Reading: Findings, Best Practices and Future Directions

Abstract

This article reviews the last two decades of CALL research for kanji, vocabulary, and reading to shed light on the effects of CALL on learning and teaching Japanese. A review of kanji studies reveals, for instance, that although online games are implemented by teachers to increase motivation for kanji learning, gamification has been found to be more motivating and results in more time on task. Vocabulary studies reveal what types of glosses are the most effective (e.g., L1/L2 definition, audio) and how vernacular games can enhance vocabulary learning. The reading research shows, among other things, that online materials offer a variety of topic material likely to motivate students, but that use of online tools is necessary to mitigate cognitive overload. With so many teachers propelled into online delivery due to the pandemic, this is a timely examination of student outcomes, pedagogical best practices, and future directions.

Keywords

• teaching japanese as a foreign language
• computer-assisted language learning
• kanji acquisition
• vocabulary acquisition
• reading