Learning American Social Skills in Preparation for Studying in the United States: A Learning Session for English Trainee

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of the American social skills learning session for English trainees based on the session’s dialogues and feedbacks. The authors of the paper held the session in 2008 for four Japanese university students to practice American social skills before they left for their studies in the United States. In addition to the participants and authors, the session included an American exchange student and two Japanese assistants who had obtained English training in the United States. Through role plays, they learned four American social skills such as self-introduction, making friends, negotiation, and communicating with language handicap. The results revealed that the participants gradually became used to the learning style of the session. Next, it was found that in order to improve their skills, they came up with various ideas of role-plays. This indicated that their performances became more natural and their impressions, more favorable. Lastly, it was also concluded that joining the session provided the students an opportunity for virtual simulation before they left for the United States