TITLE:

A Research on Japanese Language Acquisition by Migrant Workers
A Survey into an Indonesian Community
Fukihara, Yutaka
This research is a comprehensive analysis of the use and acquisition of Japanese language inIndonesian migrant workers concentrated in the town of Ōarai, Higashi-Ibaraki County, Ibaraki
Prefecture.

The main results by chapters are as follows:

Chapter I examines previous research on related topics, analysing its contributions andshortcomings. The Japanese language acquisition in the members of the community in Ōarai can be
regarded as a case of second language acquisition in adults (and a natural one at that). But we feltthat a new multifaceted approach, overcoming the vision of language acquisition as a temporallylinear process, is needed. Therefore we decided to use the theory of Situated Learning as exemplified
by Lave and Wenger’s（1991）Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP). Against this background we
set up an objective of the study “to clarify the factors that promote or impede the acquisition ofJapanese in the members of Ōarai Indonesian community”, which is further subdivided into a
number of aspects.
Chapter II elaborates on the territory covered by the survey and the methods used.
Chapter III introduces the establishment and functions of the Ōarai community as well as thesocial background of its members which is information, essential to the understanding of their
Japanese language acquision. We follow its history and development since the start.
Chapter IV focuses on the Japanese class designed for members of the Ōarai community as well asother attempts in this field including those from recent years.
Chapter V starts with the introduction of some of the tests the members of the Ōarai community
were subjected to, namely the vocabulary test and the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview). The results1

showed that the majority of the community had not gone beyond the “novice” level and the length oftheir stay in Japan has almost no bearing on their performance in the OPI. Further, there is a
discussion on the participant observations of their work and everyday life, as well as speech
activities of the community members, carried in order to find out the reasons for this situation.
Chapter VI starts with analysis of those members of the Ōarai community who performed above“intermediate” level at the OPI in order to find the factors which may have promoted their language
acquisition. A further analysis of the “novice” level members, tries to find out the factors impeding
the process. By the use of M-GTA (Modified Grounded Theory Approach) as a main method, theanalysis of acquisition-promoting factors shows how the process of converting the “novice” into
“intermediate” works. In order to understand impeding factors, the data from participant
observations were added to the interview of “novice” speakers and consociates. Finally the findings ofthis research were summarized in the context of Situated Learning Theory. The approaches to copingwith difficulties in “novice” learners were introduces first. Then we analysed the situation
surrounding members of the Ōarai community from the viewpoint of LPP as a part of the above
mentioned theory. We searched for certain hints to improve the situation inside reports from
Germany and the Republic of Korea and further examined public assistance to the community
against this background,making some suggestions. Finally we examined if the “Circle of Learning”(“Manabi-no wa”) introduced in Ōarai is efficient in the light of a multifaceted approach to second
language learning baced on the theory of Situated Learning. The analysis showed that:①To members of the Ōarai community the working place is an important environment wherethan can interact with the host community and practice. The acquisition happens as part of thissituation.
②To most members of the Ōarai community the “situation” usually involves unskilled labour
and the learning induced by it does not go beyond of its limits.
③It is possible that the furthest point, the members’ acquisition reaches, is set by the mutual2expectations of migrant workers and Japanese speakers, as well as the effort, time and funds
invested. In other words, the troubles they have with their practice and Japanese acquisition are
in a way “predesigned” by the participants in the process, including themselves.
④ 95% (N=100) of the members who took the OPI were found to be “novice” (63% “Novice Mid”)
which roughly corresponds to the level predetermined by the “situation”.
⑤ The intermediate speakers have a personal network that extends beyond the Ōaraicommunity and gives them many opportunities to interact with the host community as part ofmany practice groups making their Legitimate Peripheral Participation successful to a certain
extent. This seems to be what has brought them to the intermediate level in the first place.
⑥Legitimate Peripheral Participation creates a new self-image of “a person who can speak
Japanese” leading to a new “skilled” identity.
All this serves as evidence that the access to social practice is the main factor explaining thesuccess of Japanese language acquisition in some members of the Ōarai community, making thisresearch a successful implementation of the concept of Legitimate Peripheral Participation tolanguage acquisition. It has also made some proposals as to how to improve Japanese language
acquisition in members of the Ōarai community, including some suggestions considering theJapanese language course managed by the “Circle of Learning” (“Manabi-no wa”).

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