Paper short abstract:

In this presentation, we clarify the benefits gained by the members from their Japanese language teachers' associations and the expectations they held. Then we try to give suggestions how the associations can contribute to the professional development of their teachers.

Paper long abstract:

In the previous panel presentation, we analyzed, from the viewpoint of the teachers' associations, the characteristics of the respective Japanese language teachers' associations in Spain, France and Belgium, and considered the diversity and common features of the teachers' associations in Europe.

In this panel presentation, we clarify from the viewpoint of the members, what the members have learnt from the activities organized by their Japanese language teachers' associations and what they expect from them. The data used for this analysis are the result of a questionnaire survey conducted among the members of each association.

The questionnaire of this survey was composed of 20 items in total, combining multiple choice questions and description type questions along four themes: 1) the profile of the participants, 2) their outlook on Japanese language teachers, 3) participation into and expectation from their associations and 4) Japanese language education in Belgium, France and Spain.

As for the description type questions, we generated a co-occurrence network and hierarchical clusters using text mining as analyzing method. From the results, we extracted keywords and considered the relation between the keywords in order to clarify the trend of the members' opinions about their associations.

In last year's survey in Spain, the terms "new", "to change" and "to create" emerged as some of the keywords. These keywords indicate that the interest of the members of the association in Spain tends to concern issues about teaching practices. (Suzuki, Kondo. in printing. The Significance of the Japanese Teachers' Association in Spain (APJE), from the perspectives of teachers' professional development. Japanese Language Education in Europe 21).

Furthermore we try to give suggestions how the associations can contribute to the professional development of the teachers.