Language Learning Experience and Language Teaching Implication

Abstract

This report examines the author’s language learning experience through an online Japanese course, aligning it with Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories and deriving implications for language teaching. As a native Chinese speaker and an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher, the author undertook the course to gain insights into the challenges faced by language learners and to reflect on teaching practices. The study identifies four key themes: (1) the demand for appropriate teaching methodologies, (2) strengths and weaknesses in language learning, (3) natural and preferred learning styles, and (4) sensitivity to contrastive analysis (CA). The Grammar-Translation Method used in the course provided limited opportunities for practice, highlighting the benefits of the Audiolingual Method and Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) for skill development. The author’s strong analytical ability contrasted with average memory skills, emphasising the need for balanced teaching approaches that cater to different learner aptitudes. The report concludes that effective language instruction should integrate form-based and meaning-based activities, fostering both grammatical accuracy and communicative competence. The findings underscore the importance of aligning teaching methodologies with learners’ cognitive and motivational profiles to enhance language acquisition.