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Paper short abstract:

Based on records of class practice and questionnaires in Japanese language classes using a Case based approach, this presentation analyses how Japanese language teachers think about and devise ways to deal with various aspects of intercultural understanding in the classroom.

Paper long abstract:

In the Case based approach classes, the participants work together on factual work-related conflicts, come up with solutions by means of dialogue, and at the end of the class, they do their own reflection on what they have discussed. In this activity, the reasons for the conflicts are often related to intercultural issues. In the case of foreigner-Japanese conflict issues, the focus is also on the Japanese culture and the way of thinking and foreigner's understanding of what the Japanese say and do.

Now, in these lessons, the teacher let the students to consider the feelings and emotions of the characters and the causes of the conflict, and if the participants do not understand the situation well, the teachers supplemented with information to make them aware of the Japanese perspective and way of looking at things from different angles. As is often the case in Europe, if the teacher is the only person for the information resource, his/her information effects a lot to the participants’ way of thinking. The teacher, as a facilitator, tries to explain the different cultural issues from a neutral standpoint but not to lead the participant to his or her own ideas. At the end, the teachers are acting as mediators, as stated in the CEFR-CV, to help the participants understand what the conflict situation is about.

In this report, we will analyze the opinions and practices of teachers who have experienced Case based approach classes through questionnaires and by gathering feedback from practitioners of the study groups. We will focus on the concerns and doubts they felt when tackling intercultural issues in their classes. We would like to share our findings and analysis on this regard and suggest the points that will become the basis of the future Case based approach classes focusing on intercultural issues.

■References

近藤彩・金孝卿（2010）「ケース活動における学びの実態―ビジネス上のコンフリクトの教材化に向けて―」，『日本言語文化研究会論集』第6号．

Council of Europe 2020. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment: Companion volume,

available at https://rm.coe.int/common-european-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea0d4

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Paper short abstract:

The study examines Japanese language students' anticipated difficulties in intercultural communication with Japanese after graduation and their relationship to the curriculum. Students who studied in Japanology courses show less concern tendency rather than those who have not.

Paper long abstract:

Multicultural coexistence refers to a societal way of life where individuals with differing characteristics such as nationality and ethnicity understand, recognize, and construct equal relationships through mutual understanding and acceptance. In the context of Japanese language learning, interaction and communication with Japanese people differs in terms of nationality, language and etc. also refers cross-cultural interaction. This exchange often turns into coexistence with Japanese people in professional life after graduation. To establish a solid ground for sustainable and effective communication and a coexistence environment between Japanese users and Japanese people, understanding the barriers Japanese language learners may experience in interacting with Japanese people in the workplace plays an important role. In this sense, revisiting the relationship between the academic background (Japanese language curriculum) of Japanese users' current communication-oriented difficulties in the workplace and the Japanese users' experiences with native speakers let us identify the multicultural coexistence in terms of the Japanese language.

The data used in this paper was obtained through an interview survey via Skype from December 10, 2022 to January 10, 2023. The interviewees were 15 junior and senior students enrolled in the Japanese Language Teaching Undergraduate Department at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University. Content analysis was used as the data analysis method, examining the through five issues: (1) hierarchical relations (2) decision making (3) time management (4) tatemae and honne (5) individual and group relations.

Among the five issues mentioned above, students expressed particular concern about "Honne and Tatemae", which was more related to cultural differences than to the Japanese language teaching curriculum. Participants also report that they tend to ease in navigating hierarchical relationships, decision-making, time management, tatemae and honne, individual and group relations with the strong help of prior learning experiences (curriculum). Moreover, participants who studied in Japanology courses such as "Japanese Communication Skills", "Japanese Society", and "Japanese Language Skills" show less concern tendency about communicative difficulties in the workplace with Japanese people rather than those who have not.

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Paper short abstract:

A pilot study was conducted in July 2022 at a voluntary evening middle school in City A using a revised version of the 1948 literacy survey questions, based on the content of the 1948 survey questions. Here we present an overview of the survey, the results of the analysis, and future prospects.

Paper long abstract:

1. Introduction - Summary of Pilot Survey

　The presenter first prepared questions from 2019 to 2021, based on the content of the 1948 questions (structure and content of the 90 questions), but with additions and corrections made to the wording for modern use. Using the questions, a pilot survey was conducted in July 2022 with 43 people (28 students and 15 staff) ranging from their teens to their 80s at a voluntary nighttime junior high school in City A. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of the problem, a summary of the results of the analysis of the pilot survey, and the challenges and prospects for the future development of the problem.

2. Summary of Questions, Scoring, and Results

2.1. Questions: The main questions were divided into questions 1-8, with a total of 90 questions. For the "Listen and Write" questions, the CD created for the pilot survey was used, since these questions require the participants to listen to the audio and write their answers.

2.2. Scoring: 1 point per question, 90 points maximum. Scoring was based on the correct answers and scoring rubric for the 1948 questions, including the handwritten kana and kanji questions (questions 1, 2, and 5).

2.3. Overall results

Collaborators Number of Collaborators/ Mean/ Median/ Min/ Max/

Students 25 / 78.4 / 83 / 28 / 89 /

Staff and others 18 / 87.8 / 88 / 80 / 90 /

3. Prospects for Developing Literacy Survey Questions to Support a Symbiotic Society

　When reconstructing and implementing literacy surveys that have been conducted since the Literacy Survey conducted in 1948, it is necessary to devise a method that meets the needs of the modern age. Assuming that there will be Japanese language users from diverse backgrounds (mother tongue/first or second language/inherited language/foreign language, etc.) among the survey participants, various considerations will be essential. For example, it will be necessary to consider the creation of questions at the A1 level, the lowest of the six levels of the CEFR, and at the lower, tentatively set A0 level, and to devise a structure for the questions.