Exploring a Production-Oriented Reading Instruction Model in College Introductory Japanese Under Digital Facilitation

Abstract

In the context of educational digital transformation, how to effectively integrate artificial intelligence into introductory foreign language classrooms has become an important topic in language education research. This study investigates the integration of AIbased speech assessment and shadowing practice within the framework of the ProductionOriented Approach (POA), focusing on first-year Japanese majors at a university in Guangdong Province. Drawing on qualitative data—including classroom observations, learning journals, and semi-structured interviews—the study examines changes in learners’reading comprehension and language production under digital support. The findings indicate that: (1) AI-based speech feedback enhanced students’ sensitivity to prosodic features such as intonation, stress, and pauses; (2) shadowing facilitates meaning construction during phonological reproduction, leading to more coherent and rhythmically controlled retelling; (3) Learning journals and audio playback strengthened students’ self-monitoring awareness; and (4) with the support of digital records, classroom interaction gradually shifts from teacher-dominated instruction to collaborative participation between teachers and students. Based on these findings, the study proposes a digital POA reading-instruction framework consisting of the stages of “motivation–enabling–assessment,”offering a pedagogically feasible model for foundational Japanese reading courses.