NSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGSJAPANESE LANGUAGEEDUCATION FOR UNIVERSITYSTUDENTS IN JAPANWITH CULTURALLY AND
LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSEBACKGROUNDS —THE POTENTIAL OF
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITYLANGUAGE EDUCATIONKEIKO OKUMURA
Meiji Gakuin University

57

NSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGS

58

ABSTRACT
Australian community language education contributes positively to the life and careers of citizens from culturally andlinguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The concept of community language education has great potential not only inAustralia, but also in other countries such as Japan that are becoming increasingly multicultural, as it serves to connect
individual local residents and nations with the world. It can also lead to career education related to the Japanese language
for Japanese Background Speakers (JBS) in Japan and overseas. This paper first reviews the concept of community
languages and community language education in Australia. It then discusses the effectiveness of career education
practices for CALD students enrolled in a university in Japan.

INTRODUCTION
The author lived in Victoria, Australia for four years from 2011 to 2015. During this time, they had the opportunity toteach Japanese Background Speaker (JBS) classes at a Japanese language supplementary school (community language
school) where they first became acquainted with the concept of community language education. The idea of a community
language is not part of the Japanese linguistic or educational landscape: the prevailing view is that as the national languageof Japan, the Japanese language is used by all Japanese citizens. However, in multiethnic and multicultural Australia, theconcept of a “community language” emerged as a result of the arrival of migrants from around the world.
Japan has also entered an era of multiculturalism and as a result, Japanese language education in Japan is undergoing amajor transformation. In this context, the Australian approach to community language education serves as a touchstone
and it is recommended that universities in Japan consider adopting the approach in the future.

PEOPLE WITH CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDSFirst, it is important to define what is meant by “people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.” Underpinningthe concept is the notion that a person cannot be categorized solely on the basis of nationality. In the past, in the field ofJapanese language education in Japan, terms such as “日本語指導が必要な児童生徒” (Students in need of Japanese
language instruction) or “外国人児童生徒” (foreign students)” were commonly used (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology, 2020). In practice, however, these phrases have little meaning. As an example, a child born andraised in Japan whose parents are of non-Japanese origin, may not identify with their parents’ country of origin but consider
themselves Japanese. On the other hand, some children with Japanese nationality, if they were raised abroad, may notconsider themselves to be the same as Japanese people born and raised in Japan in terms of their own identity. Thus,
children’s backgrounds are diverse and assumptions about children’s cultural or linguistic identity based on their nationality
can be easily misplaced. As children’s culture and language are primarily influenced by the international migration of theirparents it is important to recognize that individual children do not have a single culture or language and as such they are“young people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds” (Okumura 2022b).

CALD AND COMMUNITIES IN AUSTRALIA
In multicultural Australia, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children make up a significant proportion of the
population, with around a quarter of children and young people now coming from a CALD background (Australian Instituteof Family Studies, 2024). The term CALD was introduced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 1999 to replace the term
“Non-English-Speaking-Background” (NESB), which lumped together people from non-English speaking backgrounds anddid not identify separate cultural or linguistic groups. This led to the acronym’s negative connotations. In contrast, CALD isan inclusive term that recognizes the cultural and linguistic diversity that makes up Australian society and encompasses
the essence of co-existence and unity regardless of differences (LEXIGO Team, 2023).
According to the 2021 Census, 27.7% of the Australian population was born overseas (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021).
Across Australia, more than 300 languages other than English are spoken by more than six million people (Community
Language Australia, n.d.). It is not uncommon for a child born to parents of different ethnicities to live in Australia whereNSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGS

59

they simultaneously have, and maintain, three different cultures and languages: the culture and language of the father,
the culture and language of the mother, as well as English, which is Australia’s common language. In the case of suchinternational families, while English is the common language of the entire family, some children may consider one or bothof their parents’ first languages and cultures to be part of their roots. For instance, many JBS are willing to make the effort
to learn Japanese on their days off in order to participate in Japanese community events and to deepen their awarenessof their roots, even if it is not necessary for their everyday lives. This situation is an example of language education policy
at the smallest level of community, the family.

COMMUNITY LANGUAGESIn Australia, the language of an ethnic community is referred to as a “community language” (Clyne, 1991). According to Liddicoat(2013), community languages have both internal- and external-community contexts. With respect to the former, Australia’s
support for multiculturalism since the 1970s has been accompanied by respect and support for the maintenance of community
languages or those spoken by migrant communities. With regard to the external-community contexts, the emphasis on close
and active social, economic, and security ties with various non-English-speaking countries has led to the promotion of language
education from the primary level for languages of geographically close Asian countries including Japan.
An example of community internal- and external-oriented language education is the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
program, which is divided into first and second language categories; that is, students who speak a language as their first
language (e.g. JBS) and those who are learning the language as a second language. VCE Japanese First Language Study
Design 2022–2026 explains the significance of Japanese language study as follows:
The study of a language other than English contributes to the overall education of students, most particularly in the areaof communication, but also in the areas of cross-cultural understanding, cognitive development, literacy and generalknowledge. It provides continued access to the cultures of communities that use the language and promotes understandingof different attitudes and values within the wider Australian community and beyond. (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority 2021, 2)This description is written about the need for learning Japanese to be useful in the community as a JBS. The following
explanation also accompanies the above explanation:
The study of Japanese develops students’ abilities to understand and use the language of a country that is one of Australia’s
most significant trading partners. There is a vibrant and longstanding Japanese-speaking community in Australia and there
are important links between Australia and Japan in areas such as business, tourism and education. The study of Japanese
promotes the strengthening of these links. Students may wish to study Japanese as an academic subject for educational
purposes, or to further develop their knowledge and use of a language already important to them, or to link this study toother areas of interest such as tourism, technology, the arts, finance and business. (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority 2021, 2)
The above is clearly a description of the benefits for the “external community.”
VCE Second Language also explains the significance of learning Japanese outside the community as follows:
The study of Japanese provides students with a direct means of access to the rich traditional and popular cultures of Japan.
Japan and the Japanese-speaking communities have an increasing influence in Victoria through innovations in science,technology, design, retail, fashion, cuisine, sport and the arts. A knowledge of Japanese, in conjunction with other skills, canprovide employment opportunities in areas such as tourism, hospitality, the arts, diplomacy, social services, journalism,
commerce, fashion, education, translating and interpreting. (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2021, 6)
It is natural that there are different types of learning in each community. The basic premise of Japanese language education
as a community language is to learn “Japanese” for different purposes, as well as the ability to communicate, accept, andunderstand each other’s similarities and differences in values. To promote community language education, community
language Schools are organized in each state and territory.

NSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGS60COMMUNITY LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
Across Australia, many non-native English-speaking children attend government-endorsed community language schools
to learn the language (AFESA n.d.). In terms of Japanese language, Japanese language supplementary schools offer
various forms of Japanese language education to children of Japanese expatriates and students living permanently inAustralia. These schools were previously regarded as problematic because they grouped all learners in one class anduniformly provided lessons similar to the Japanese school education system. In recent years, however, an increasing
number of schools use different methods of teaching that take into account the backgrounds of the learners. For example,
students who plan to return to Japan are taught Japanese language lessons that follow the Japanese school system,
while students who are permanent residents of Australia are taught Japanese as a community language (Okumura 2021).
While it is idealistic to vary teaching methods according to learners’ backgrounds and needs, there are effective aspectsof collaborative Japanese language learning among CALD students that can only be achieved in community language
learning settings. The author conducted a study of the effectiveness of community language teaching in a CALD class at auniversity in Japan (Okumura 2022a).

CLASSROOM PRACTICE AT A JAPANESE UNIVERSITY INCORPORATING THE
CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY LANGUAGES
Okumura (2022a) discusses in Japanese the effectiveness of collaboration (peer learning) among students from different
backgrounds. In this article, these practices are discussed from the perspective of community language education.
The students in the classes are a mix of Japanese students with no overseas experience, international students, andJapanese-English bilingual students. The department enrolls CALD students and offers a degree program in English. The
author is in charge of courses taught in Japanese and offered a course called “Career Japanese,” in which students withdiverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds can learn together.
The term “career” here refers not only to so-called occupations, but also to “the ability to become socially and professionallyindependent in the future, to fulfill one’s own role in society, and to realise one’s own way of life.” This is synonymous withthe “ability to live” in the new curriculum guidelines (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, 2011).
University teaching methods that incorporate collaborative learning among learners of diverse backgrounds requireinnovative practices. To this end, the author applied practices utilised in the JBS community language classes in Australia,
in their teaching in their university in Japan. For example, in the internal community or the local Japanese students, theuse of Japanese and learning new language items is used. For the external community on the other hand, a collaborative
learning approach was used in which the diverse learners learn about how to live better together by understanding theirpersonal views and coping strategies regarding everyday cultural interactions and conflicts, as well as the views andcoping strategies of others. Below are the specifics of this practice.

SIGNIFICANCE AND GOALS OF THE CAREER JAPANESE COURSES
The significance of the Career Japanese courses lies in the development of global human resources that will allow thestudents to work as members of society in Japan and abroad after graduation. Therefore, the students’ achievement
objectives are to improve their intercultural understanding skills as well as their Japanese language skills. In these courses,
emphasis was placed on understanding how individuals think and deal with everyday cultural interactions and conflicts thatthey may themselves encounter in the future. This leads to learning how to live better with others in a multicultural society.
The courses were offered throughout the year in two elective options: “Career Japanese A” in the spring semester of 2021and “Career Japanese B” in the autumn semester of 2021. Both courses could only be taken from the second semesterof the second year of university, so all students who were enrolled had to have at least one and a half years of university
experience. There were three types of students: those who took only A, those who took only B, and those who took both A
and B. The courses are open to all students with intermediate or advanced Japanese language skills, regardless of culturalor linguistic background, so they are not only open to international students and returnees, but also to native speakers ofJapanese who were born and raised in Japan.

NSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGS

61

According to the preliminary questionnaire distributed to students at the beginning of each course, the twenty-six students
enrolled in “Career Japanese A” came from ten countries and regions including Japan. The twenty-one students enrolledin “Career Japanese B” came from eight different countries including Japan. The questionnaire included a question about
the students’ Japanese language study history.
The Japanese language study history of the students enrolled in “Career Japanese A” and “Career Japanese B” as well as
their linguistic and cultural backgrounds were diverse. For example, there are those who studied in the Japanese school
system all the way through high school, those who had studied in the Japanese school system as well as returnees, those
who studied in international schools in Japan all the way through high school, children of international marriages who had
repeatedly moved between Japan and abroad, and those who were born and raised in Japan or came to Japan with theirparents. Each student was interviewed individually during the orientation for the first class. The purpose of the interview
was to ascertain whether the students could generally understand what was being discussed in class, whether they werecomfortable with reading, discussing, and writing activities in Japanese alone, and whether they could prepare for class,actively participate in class, and complete the after-class summary assignment. Only one student withdrew from the classafter the interview.

PRACTICAL METHODSThe overarching theme of both courses is conflicts. The major theme of “Career Japanese A” is conflicts with others instudent life at Japanese universities, and the major theme of “Career Japanese B” is conflicts with others in Japanese
corporate society.
For materials, we used the Miyazaki’s case-based textbook (2016). This textbook, written in Japanese, shows various
situations, such as conflicts in mutual negotiations with classmates and faculty members in university life in Japan,
happenings at a part-time job, troubles with workmates, conflicts with superiors and colleagues at work, and possible
actions by the individual characters in the situations. Although the title of the textbook is marked “for foreign learners,”
it is best suited to students with an intermediate or higher Japanese language proficiency. For students who are notnative speakers of Japanese, the textbook functions as means to encourage their communication skills in Japanese whilelearning vocabulary, grammar, and other linguistic skills.
The learning process was divided into three steps: 1. before class activity; 2. during class activity; and 3. after class activity.
The first step was pre-reading. If a student did not understand the vocabulary or an expression in the text, that student
first independently checked the meaning of the vocabulary word or expression. Then, when the students understood thecontents of each paragraph, they wrote a summary outline of the paragraph. This work was set as pre-class preparation
to be completed individually. These outlines were submitted online the day before each class to confirm that the work had
been completed and that the students had understood the content.
The second step was to read aloud the case of the textbook and to organize discussions during class. In these courses, inaccordance with the rule that Japanese is the common language of the class, students used Japanese in the discussions.
After the discussion, a representative from each group shared a summary of the points raised with the class.
The third step was a summary activity. After the end of the class, each student carried out individual work. The students
derived solutions to the case protagonist’s problems from the discussion. They then compared their own opinions withthose of others, reflected on them and analysed new perspectives that had not emerged from the discussion. Students
were required to submit an “opinion paper” at the end. This opinion paper was to be between 400 and 800 characters.
The opinion essay could be written freely according to the students’ level of Japanese sentence production skill. These
opinion pieces were made available to all students in the class. In the following classes, the instructor also summarised
the common content of the students’ opinion sentences in key sentences and introduced them to the students.
On the last day of the fifteen-week course, students wrote about a cross-cultural conflict they had experienced, using
the same case-writing process as in the textbook. They also shared what they had written with their classmates andcommented on each other’s experiences. The scoring of the end-of-semester assessments included scores for all threeof the above steps. In the oral presentations and essays, students were assessed not on fluency, accuracy of writing,vocabulary or grammar, but on whether they described in their essays their positive and active attitudes and statements
in class and their attitudes towards learning.

NSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGS62

RESULTS OF PRACTICE
At the end of the semester, a questionnaire was administered to students to learn what they thought of the classes. The
questionnaire was administered using the questionnaire section of the online class support system, which allowed theresearcher to know the names of the respondents, but it was mutually agreed that the names of the participants who
responded to the questionnaire would not be made public.
Appendix 1 lists some students’ impressions about the class as a whole and some excerpts from the written responses
from the students who agreed to them being published. The responses were written in Japanese and translated into
English by the author. For details, see Okumura (2022a).

CONCLUSION
As indicated in the table in the Appendix, students who had studied in Japan from elementary school through high school
and considered Japanese to be their native language mainly emphasized cross-cultural communication and recognized theopportunities to understand the similarities and differences between their peers.
On the other hand, students who had studied abroad from elementary school through high school, including international
students, or those who had spent most of their study abroad and viewed Japanese as their second or third language,
focused mainly on their language learning, and the communicative activities in Japanese they had with native Japanese
speakers.
The results of the above practices suggest that Japanese language education as a community language can contribute toaddressing the needs of increasingly diverse learners of Japanese. If Japanese language teaching practices are designedwith both internal and external communities in mind, the practices can adapt to the needs of learners with different
backgrounds in different contexts. Language learning does not end simply with the acquisition of language skills. Learninga language leads to understanding different cultures which in turn leads to a greater understanding of one’s own culture.
Finally, language learning leads to an appreciation of multiculturalism. It is highly significant that a language learning place
can be a place for community building among people from different backgrounds. Moreover, in the process of community
formation, the prospect of being able to use the language learnt (Japanese), can be a useful tool for students’ careerdevelopment.

REFERENCE LIST
Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2021. Accessed January 20, 2024.
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/cultural-diversity-census/2021.
Australian Federation of Ethnic Schools Associations (AFESA). N.d. Community languages Australia. Accessed April 20, 2024.
https://www.communitylanguagesaustralia.org.au/AboutUs.
Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 2019. Cultural and linguistic diversity (CALD) strategy 2018–2021. Accessed January 20,
2024. https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/Pages/cald-strategy-2018-2021.
Australian Institute of Family Studies. 2024. Key organisations for working with culturally and linguistically diverse families. Accessed January 20, 2024.
https://aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/key-organisations-working-culturally-and-linguistically-diverse-families.
Clyne, M. 1991. Community languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
LEXIGO Team（2023）“A comprehensive guide to CALD in Australia.” Accessed April 20, 2024. https://lexigo.com/post/a- comprehensive-guide-to-cald-inaustralia/.
Liddicoat, A. J. 2013. Language-in-education policies: the discursive construction of intercultural relations. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. 2020. Gaikokujin jidoo seito tou no kyouikuno jyuujitsu nitsuite [外国人児童生徒等の教育の充実について]. Accessed April 30, 2024. https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20200326-mxt_kyousei01-000006202_02.pdf.
———. 2011. Kyaria kyouiku towa nanika [キャリア教育とは何か]. Accessed April 30, 2024. https://www.mext.go.jp/component/a_menu/education/
detail/__icsFiles/afieldfile/ 2011/06/16/1306818_04.pdf.
Miyazaki, N. [宮崎七湖]. 2016. Ryugakusei no tame no keesu de Manabu nihongo: mondaihakkennouryoku wo nobasu [留学生のためのケースで学ぶ日本語：
問題発見解決能力を伸ばす]. Tokyo: Coco shuppan. [東京 ココ出版].

NSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGS

63

Okumura, K. 2021. A paradigm shift from inherited japanese language education to global human resource development: the possibility of Australiancommunity language education. Kankoku nichigo kyouiku gakkai Nihongo kyouikukenkyuu [韓国日語教育学会日本語教育研究] 54: 181–97.
———. 2022a. “Designing learning environments in Japanese for university students with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.” Meiji Gakuin Review
International and Regional Studies 61: 19–35.
———. 2022b. Tayoona haikei no kodomotachi to tsunagaru Tayoo na kyouiku genbade sodateagerushimin riterashii (Dai sankai) [「多様な背景の子供たちとつながる」多様な教育現場で育て上げる市民リテラシー（第3回）Naigaikyouiku [内外教育]:12–13.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. 2020. VCE Japanese second language study design 2019–2023. Accessed April 30, 2024. https://www.
vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/vce/vce-study-designs/japanesesecondlanguage/Pages/Index.aspx.
———. 2021. VCE Japanese first language study design 2022–2026. Accessed April 30, 2024. https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/vce/vce-studydesigns/japanesefirstlanguage/Pages/Index.aspx.

NSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGS64

APPENDIX
Opinions and Comments about “Career Japanese A”
1. Do you think this class will be helpful in your college life?
Very helpful

27% (7)

Helpful

65% (17)

Neither helpful nor unhelpful

8% (2)

Not very helpful

0% (0)

Not helpful at all

0% (0)

2. Why did you answer “very helpful / helpful” in #1? Please describe freely.
International students• This department is a very special environment, and I was able to learn more about university life and issues in Japanthrough this class.
• There were many episodes that I have experienced.
• I can practice my Japanese through discussions in class.

Returnees• I am satisfied because I learned about communication skills in Japanese and how to improve problems.
• I am glad that I have never learned how to communicate in Japanese.
• The reason I didn’t find it very useful is that sometimes I don’t think I have much experience with the cases.
• I was able to think of some ideas with the other students to help me with the case.
• It was very interesting to hear the different opinions and ideas of the students around us. In addition, the slides
summarized by the professor allowed me to hear the deeper thoughts of the students, which led me to new
discoveries that I had never paid attention to before. I learned that I may have unintentionally offended them, which
made me realize that I had to be more careful about my words and actions.

Children of foreigners in Japan• I was interested in this program because it gives me the opportunity to deal with problems that may occur in my daily
life and to discuss them with others, so I can learn about different values.
• I looked forward to the opportunity to work with other students because learning about their problems and how tosolve them will help me to write a good resume.

Graduates of Japanese schools• It was good to hear everyone’s opinions.
• I am glad that I was able to learn from the lecturer’s experience.
• I think I am now better able to deal with conflicts caused by different cultures.
• I could learn a lot of cases that could really happen in university life through the textbook and discussions.
• I could see things objectively because I could discuss other people’s cases.

Graduates of international
schools in Japan• I think this class will be very useful for my university life. The reason is that in this class, we dealt with cases that
could have happened at various universities, and we were able to exchange opinions on how to deal with those cases,
which I think broadened our perspectives. Therefore, I think that this class will be very useful for my university life in
the future.

Children of international
marriages• Each case was a problem that I often face in my college life. So, I thought it was very good that I could think about
realistic countermeasures to various problems with my classmates. I am very happy to have had this opportunity.

3. Do you think this class will be helpful in your career path?
Very helpful

23% (6)

Helpful69% (18)

Neither helpful nor unhelpful

4% (1)

Not very helpful

4% (1)

Not helpful at all

0% (0)

4. Why did you answer “very helpful” in #3? Please describe freely.
International students• 1: My Japanese is getting better. 2: I have more courage to speak Japanese.3: I could understand more about
Japanese culture.
• I usually don’t talk much with Japanese students at school, so this class helped me to talk properly.
• I had a chance to think about various problems in my life.

Returnees• I think that studying Japanese will be useful in the future.
• I don’t know what the term “career path” means, so I will refrain from commenting on it.
• I think it will be useful to learn about the rules of seniority and teamwork in Japan, as these are things that are
possible in society.
• I assume that by learning about them, I will be able to communicate more smoothly with a wide variety of people
from different backgrounds.
• Through the cases, I was able to think about other people’s standpoints and perspectives.
• The faculty I am studying now is international, so I can learn in advance about the conflicts and problems that may
arise when I work in a Japanese company in the future.

NSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGS

65

4. Why did you answer “very helpful” in #3? Please describe freely.
Children of foreigners in Japan• I am now a better candidate for a job because I can understand and respect various values.

Graduates of Japanese schools• It was a good opportunity for me because I could not meet many people due to covid-19 and could not hear theiropinions, even though we all have similar problems.
• I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to learn about conflicts caused by cultural differences based on casestudies, and I thought it would be something that could happen when I go out into the world and work at a company.
• I would like to live abroad in the future, and I am sure that I will encounter problems caused by cultural differences.
• I was able to learn both solutions from the perspective of a foreign student and a Japanese student, so I was able
to gain an international way of thinking. Therefore, I think it will broaden my future perspective and lead to a better
career path.

Children of international
marriages

The reason is that the case was realistic.

5. What is the best thing about this class?
International students• The pace is good, and I liked the way we were made to think.
• I can study in a relaxed atmosphere.
• I can have discussions with everyone. I think I can hear various opinions.
• I usually don’t talk much with Japanese students at school, so this class helped me to talk properly.
• The teacher listened to my opinions and experiences with interest.

Returnees• The teacher was kind. The amount of assignments was just right.
• I think it was the opportunity to be able to discuss various cases together. It was good practice for my Japanese. In
addition, the teacher and students were kind, so I enjoyed the class.
• It was good to be able to talk while seeing everyone’s face, so I could see how everyone was reacting. It was also
good to have breakout sessions because I didn’t have as many opportunities to talk with my classmates since I
started taking the class online.
• It was great to hear different opinions about the same thing that came from various backgrounds.
• I could hear the opinions of my friends from various backgrounds, such as Japanese who have lived in Japan for along time, foreigners who have lived in Japan for a long time, and international students, which made each class very
fresh and beneficial.

Children of foreigners in Japan• I had a lot of opportunities to discuss issues with my classmates.
• The best part was that we could all discuss together.

Graduates of Japanese schools• It was very refreshing to be able to talk in Japanese with so many people from different departments, as I have not
had the opportunity to do so very often.
• I could learn about various cases and think about solutions to those cases through discussions. I could listen to otherpeople’s opinions, so I could find new discoveries for myself. It was also interesting to hear about the real experiencesof the class members at the beginning of each class.
• The case studies were very interesting because they dealt with issues and cultural backgrounds that we don’t usually
think about in our daily lives.
• I had opportunities to talk with my classmates and learn how they think and feel about the cases.
• I thought it was only for international students, but I was relieved that Japanese people who grew up in Japan could
also take this class.
• I was able to deepen my understanding of different cultures.

Graduates of international
schools in Japan• I think one of the best parts of the class was the exchange of opinions at the beginning and end of the class.
• Many of the students in this class have grown up in a variety of environments, so I think that the ideas and solutions
that I had never thought of were presented to me, which broadened my perspective.

Children of international
marriages• It was nice to have a solid amount of time to research the case with my classmates.

Opinions and Comments about “Career Japanese B”
1. Do you think this class will be useful in your working life?
Very helpful

29% (5)

Helpful

65% (11)Neither helpful nor unhelpful

6% (1)

Not very helpful

0% (0)

Not helpful at all

0% (0)

2. Why did you answer “very helpful / helpful” in #1? Please describe freely.
International students• I think I learned more about my future university life and job-hunting life from the scenario of “what might happen.”• It is good practice for Japanese conversation.

NSJLE 2022 PROCEEDINGS

66

2. Why did you answer “very helpful / helpful” in #1? Please describe freely.
Returnees• I am very pleased to have had this opportunity to speak “proper” Japanese, as I do not use Japanese academically ona daily basis.
• The content of the class is applicable to human relations as a whole.

Graduates of Japanese schools• I think I can make use of my knowledge and experience by learning about real-life problems through the stories.
• I think it was very interesting to hear the opinions of international students, which I would never have thought ofmyself.
• I was able to exchange opinions with my classmates based on what they had experienced in Japan.

Graduates of international
schools in Japan• In college life, many students find part-time jobs and other social experiences very beneficial and enrich their college
experience.

3. Do you think this class will be helpful in your career path?
Very helpful

29% (5)

Helpful

65% (11)Neither helpful nor unhelpful

6% (1)

Not very helpful

0% (0)

Not helpful at all

0% (0)

4. Why did you answer “very helpful / helpful” in #3? Please describe freely.
International students• It was a good learning experience for me to share my thoughts through discussions and how to deal with situations
that I had never imagined.
• I think that if I know about cultural conflicts in advance, I will not be nervous or shocked when I am in such a situation.

Returnees• I don’t use Japanese academically on a daily basis, so it was very helpful for me to have this kind of time. It wasvery useful for me when I filled in an “entry sheet” (the document or form used by students when applying for job
opportunities) and the questionnaire after the internship.
• I learned the importance of respecting other people’s opinions, and I realised that each person has his/her own way of
doing things and sense of values.

Graduates of Japanese schools• I think it will be useful in all aspects, not in terms of career, but in terms of preparation for the constant changes insociety in the future.
• I think it will improve my discussion skills in discussions.
• When we discussed the problems in the relationship between supervisors and junior staff, I was able to learn
solutions from various perspectives, and I thought I would be able to cope with such problems if I faced them in the
future.
• The cases we dealt with in the fall semester were different from those in the spring semester in that they involved
working adults and cross-cultural conflicts in the workplace. I thought this class was useful in my future career pathbecause I was able to discuss with my classmates how to deal with and understand cross-cultural conflicts that I
may face after I graduate from college, and I think we were able to find clues that led to a solution.

Graduates of international
schools in Japan

This is a very important part of their future careers, as it allows us to envision real cases that our students will face inthe near future and to prepare them in advance.

5. What is the best thing about this class?
International students• There was a lot to talk about, and I thought it was important for the students to exchange their opinions. I think it wasa good exchange, especially because I could feel the differences in the cultures from which the students came.

Returnees• It was a great experience for me because I rarely have a chance to discuss things in Japanese in my department.
• I was able to exchange opinions with students from various backgrounds. It was interesting to see the different waysof thinking in different cultures.

Graduates of Japanese schools• The class respects each student’s opinion. I think the class was persuasive and deepened my understanding bylistening to students’ opinions and asking them to give specific examples.
• It was very enjoyable to discuss and exchange opinions with students from various cultural backgrounds, such as
international students and returnees.
• I am glad that I took this class in the spring and fall semesters because I think I can grow not only in discussions with
my classmates but also in my ability to explain what we discussed as a group when we return to the main room after
the breakout room.

Graduates of international
schools in Japan

I felt that it was very good to be able to exchange opinions with students from various cultural backgrounds.