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Paper long abstract

This presentation aims to examine the historical development and current situation of Japanese language education in Poland, drawing on interviews with people, fifteen years of leadership in the Polish Association of Japanese Language Teachers, and the lessons learned through my own management of a language school. It seeks to identify key factors behind this development and to outline future challenges and prospects.

Japanese studies remain highly popular in Poland, with the University of Warsaw reporting an applicant-to-place ratio exceeding 30:1, the highest nationwide in 2006 and consistently maintained in recent years. Polish recipients of the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship also rank among the highest from non-kanji regions, reaching a global peak in 2014 alongside China.

The presentation consists of three parts. First, it traces the historical formation of Japanese language education, from its beginnings at the Oriental Institute to the establishment and expansion of Japanese studies programs across major universities, while considering the influence of historical events on Polish interest in Japan. Second, it analyzes the current situation, including institutions, learner numbers, JLPT administration, and professional activities. Third, it proposes future directions, emphasizing the role of the Polish Association of Japanese Language Teachers and strategies for sustainable development.

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This presentation examines the educational significance of classroom practices that engage with historical memory through film materials in a co-learning setting at a German university, where local learners of Japanese and exchange students from Japan study together. As different cultural backgrounds and understandings of history intersect, differences in how the same events are perceived become visible, giving rise to dialogue in which learners explain their perspectives to one another.

The course used three documentary films—Nuclear Nation, The Ants, and Minamata: The Victims and Their World—to explore different forms of memory: victimhood, perpetration, and the difficulty of understanding. In particular, in the Minamata class, students watched the film without subtitles. While some commented that “I could not really understand what the speaker was saying,” others noted that “even without understanding the words, the pain and suffering were conveyed.” Furthermore, a native Japanese-speaking student remarked that they were “able to learn on an equal footing,” suggesting that sharing “not understanding” transformed relationships among learners.

Through such dialogue, learners did not arrive at a single fixed interpretation but instead reconsidered their understanding by engaging with others’ perspectives. Across the three practices, three common features were observed: (a) an attempt to approach voices that are difficult to articulate, (b) an attitude of remaining with what cannot be fully understood, and (c) dialogue in which learners from different positions negotiate meaning. This process can be understood in relation to the concept of mediation in the CEFR and is closely connected to the domains of cognition and culture in CLIL. Moreover, film enables past events to emerge as present concerns. This presentation thus highlights the theoretical significance of such practices and argues for the potential of Japanese language education in which teachers mediate between different voices by incorporating diverse “media of memory.”

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This study employed an ethnographic approach to explore how competence emerges in Japanese workplaces where foreigners are employed. It examined how the participants made use of various resources available in the workplace to co-construct interaction and build new relationships. Focusing on the everyday practice of “taking photos together,” this presentation highlights how such a seemingly simple act reveals the dynamics of collaboration and inclusion.

As its theoretical framework, the study draws on metrolingualism (Pennycook A, ＆ Otsuji E, 2015). Traditional perspectives have tended to regard “language” and “linguistic competence” as possessions of individuals—abilities inherently owned by and internal to the person (Hall 1995). In contrast, metrolingualism conceptualizes language and competence not as given entities, but as phenomena that emerge through participants’ interactional engagement with linguistic, material, and relational resources configured within a particular setting. Following this perspective, the present study focuses on how “language” and “competence” arise in interaction and provides a detailed description of workplace exchanges. This reconceptualization challenges individualistic models of competence dominant in applied linguistics.

To further analyse the use of digital devices in photo-taking practices, this study incorporates the concept of miniaturized mobilities (Elliott A, ＆Urry J, 2010) .

Based on analyses of field notes, video-recorded data, and interview data, the findings reveal that workplace members collaboratively mobilize the functions of digital devices such as smartphones, along with other spatial and social resources, to construct relationships. Moreover, the act of taking photos and the social norms surrounding it serve as additional resources for negotiating identity and belonging, particularly for foreign employees.

This study contributes to the rethinking of competence, not as an individual attribute but as an emergent, interactional, and socially situated practice. It further deepens the understanding of competence within the framework of multilingualism and multiculturalism.

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References

Elliott, A., & Urry, J. (2010). Mobile Lives. Routledge

Hall, J. K. (1995). (Re)creating Our Worlds with Words: A Sociohistorical Perspective of Face-to-Face Interaction. Applied Linguistics, 16, 206-232

Pennycook, A. & Otsuji, E. (2015). Metrolingualism: Language in the city. Routledge

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This paper argues for pedagogical integration between Concept-based Language Instruction (C-BLI) and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – Companion Volume (CEFR-CV) through classroom-based practice focusing on Japanese motion verbs. Both share a learner-centred view of language development, conceptualizing learners as social agents who expand their linguistic repertoires through meaningful use. C-BLI (Gal’perin, 1992), grounded in Sociocultural Theory and Cognitive Linguistics, emphasizes the internalization of conceptual meanings underlying language use (Poehner & Lantolf, 2024; Masuda et al., 2025; Masuda (ed.), forthcoming). Learning is supported through mediational tools—SCOBAs (Schematic Cognitive Orienting Bases for Action) and languaging—which enable learners to visualize, verbalize, and reconstruct conceptual linguistic knowledge. This approach aligns with CEFR-CV’s emphasis on mediation as a key communicative activity involving the co-construction and transformation of meaning in multilingual contexts (Sakurai & Okumura, 2024; Piccardo et al., 2019). The pedagogical practice focuses on Japanese motion verbs iku ‘go’ and kuru ‘come’, which pose challenges for L2 learners due to reliance on L1 influence, which prefers objective construal, rather than subjective construal (Yamamoto 2009). Implemented in an intensive online summer course at a U.S. university with intermediate learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds, the instruction employed SCOBAs, including animated visualizations of directionality and speaker-cantered perspective. Activities extended from basic motion verbs to auxiliary constructions (–te iku / –te kuru) and conventional expressions, integrating grammatical concepts with discourse and sociocultural practices. Through written languaging, learners demonstrated their understanding, supporting self-regulation and meaningful self-correction. Findings indicate that learners developed awareness of speaker perspective and the temporal meanings of auxiliary constructions (–te iku / –te kuru), deepening conceptual understanding through reflection. Instruction was adaptively sequenced from comprehension to production, and learners’ emerging self-regulation points to the potential development of mediation abilities within CEFR-CV’s social agent framework.

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References

Gal’perin, Piotr. I (1992). Stage-by-stage formation as a method of psychological investigation. Journal of Russian and East

European Psychology 30(4): 60-80.

Piccardo, Enrica, Brian North, and Tom Goodier. (2019). Broadening the scope of language education: Mediation, Plurilingualism,

and collaborative learning: The CEFR companion volume. Journal of e-learning and Knowledge Society 15(1): 17–36.

増田恭子（編）（印刷中）「コンセプトベースの言語教育―日本語教育への応用と可能性―」ひつじ書房

Paper long abstract

This presentation examines the potential of learning beyond linguistic boundaries by focusing on “collaborative extensive reading” (kyōshū tadoku), in which Japanese students and learners of Japanese (international students) participate together. Building on practices of extensive reading and Book Talk implemented at a Japanese university, the study explores their implications for Japanese language education. While extensive reading and Book Talk have also been increasingly practiced in Japanese language education, the perspective of collaborative learning, in which learners with different linguistic backgrounds learn together, has not been sufficiently examined.

In this study, students engaged in extensive reading using easy texts, followed by small-group Book Talk sessions in which they shared their reading experiences. Questionnaire data and open-ended responses from these classroom practices were analyzed. The results indicate that (1) the combination of easy books and dialogic interaction reduces learners’ psychological burden associated with speaking, and (2) using reading experiences as a basis for discussion provides opportunities for initiating communication and enhances learners’ Willingness to Communicate (WTC). Based on these findings, the study implemented collaborative extensive reading as the central practice.

In the collaborative extensive reading classes, learners of Japanese joined English classes for Japanese students, and they engaged together in extensive reading and dialogic activities. This arrangement created a situation in which both groups participated as second language users, thereby mitigating the asymmetry between native and non-native speakers and fostering a more equal environment for interaction. In Book Talk sessions, Japanese students were encouraged to use English, while learners of Japanese were encouraged to use Japanese, with flexible language switching allowed as needed. As a result, flexible communication prioritizing mutual understanding was observed.

These findings suggest that collaborative extensive reading can reconstruct relationships among learners through shared reading experiences and promote dialogic learning. This presentation argues that collaborative learning based on extensive reading and Book Talk can function across linguistic boundaries and offers practical implications for Japanese language education in European contexts, where Japanese exchange students can be incorporated into classroom practices.

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References

八島智子（2019）『外国語学習とコミュニケーションの心理』関西大学出版部．

Day, R. R., & Bamford, J. (1998). Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press.

Mikhail Bakhtin (1981). The Dialogic Imagination: Four Essays. University of Texas Press.

Paper long abstract

This study builds on a previously developed escape-room–style learning environment in the 3D virtual world Second Life designed to teach Japanese transitive–intransitive verb alternations, and extends it by introducing voice-based interaction with an AI agent. From a concept-based instruction perspective, the study examines the cognitive and interactional effects of replacing one human interlocutor with an AI agent. Following Yamada’s argument that transitive verb selection depends not on the agent’s intention but on learners’ awareness of agent involvement, the virtual environment visually foregrounds the relationship among agent, object, and resulting state.

Previously, learners engaged in collaborative dialogue with one another to confirm states and issue operational instructions; however, the requirement of simultaneous participation limited opportunities for practice. To address this constraint, the present study replaces one interlocutor with an AI agent and constructs an environment in which learners perform instructions and confirmations through voice input. In this design, when an object is clicked, its state is automatically presented using an intransitive verb, whereas transitive verb use is realized only through agent-initiated request expressions. This mechanism serves to highlight the functional distinction between transitive and intransitive verbs in a systematic way. As a result, the introduction of voice input reduces breakdowns in interaction caused by typographical errors during text entry and allows for more continuous dialogue. At the same time, learners are observed engaging in a process of meaning-making in which they interpret their own utterances by cross-referencing them with situational information in the virtual environment. On the other hand, several challenges emerge, including how to handle non-prototypical yet semantically appropriate expressions and how to design forms of interactional negotiation in dialogue with an AI agent. This presentation analyzes think-aloud protocols to examine how AI-mediated interaction influences learners’ conceptualization of transitive–intransitive distinctions and the quality of their interactional practices.

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References

山田隼人（2020）

「日本語教育における他動詞の捉え方の問題と教育上の提言」

『 高等教育推進センター紀要』第5号，pp. 21-34.

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This presentation reports on the development of teaching materials and an evaluation of their effectiveness, with the aim of supporting the stable continuation of optional Japanese courses outside the core curriculum in secondary education in Spain.

Previous research on Japanese language education at the secondary level in Europe includes examples of material development; however, studies focusing on optional courses outside the core curriculum—characterised by limited instructional time and no direct links to examinations or qualifications—remain scarce. Few studies have examined such courses from the perspective of sustainability.

Japanese language education at the secondary level in Spain is still at an early stage and is mainly offered as an optional subject. While this allows flexible implementation, the lack of a unified curriculum, shared materials, and clear teacher requirements, together with limited teaching practice, places a considerable burden on teachers and makes stable course operation difficult.

In response, the presenters developed teaching materials adapted to the local context, focusing on factors affecting course continuity. A questionnaire survey was conducted with teachers who used the materials, examining workload, ease of using the first language, and students’ willingness to continue learning.

The results indicate that the materials reduce teachers’ workload and that visual and audio elements, together with every day-related topic, help stimulate students’ interest. At the same time, variation was observed in evaluations of students’ sense of achievement, and challenges were identified, including the amount of content per unit and the need for more writing activities. The findings also highlight the importance of practical teacher support, such as guidance on lesson procedures and model course designs. Future revisions should incorporate student feedback and further examination of learning outcomes.

This study positions teaching materials not only as tools for supporting teachers but also as a key factor in sustaining optional Japanese courses, offering insights for their introduction and continuation.

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References

大舩ちさと・平川俊助・関根千紘(2025). 「海外の中等教育段階における日本語教育支援策の策定手法に関する一考察―スペインと英国の事例を基に―」『2025年度日本語教育学会春季大会予稿集』, pp.140-145. 日本語教育学会.

国際交流基金(2023). 「スペイン（2023年度）」『日本語教育国・地域別情報』, https://www.jpf.go.jp/j/project/japanese/survey/area/country/2023/spain.pdf（2026年12月1日）

平川俊助・関根千紘（2026）「スペイン中等教育を対象とする日本語教材の開発」『スペイン日本語教師会ジャーナル』2, pp.133-144.

Gobierno de España. (2022). Real Decreto 217/2022, de 29 de marzo, por el que se establece la ordenación y las enseñanzas mínimas de la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Boletín Oficial del Estado, 76, 41004–41178. https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2022-4975（2025年6月15日）

Sangthongsuk, P., Miura, T., Takei, Y., & Takatsuka, N. (2013). Koharu to issho ni nihongo waai 1. TPA Press.

Paper long abstract

I believe that the role of a Japanese language teacher – regardless of whether they are a native or non-native speaker – is to continue learning while teaching and to encourage learner autonomy. To fulfil this role, I have been implementing kanji-related projects since 2020, one of which is the 2024 3D Kanji Project, with promising results.

The 3D Kanji Project (hereafter 3DKP) began in February 2024 as an attempt to help first-year students from non-kanji-using backgrounds enjoyably memorize kanji, an area they often find particularly challenging. Specifically, to make kanji easier to remember, we used materials such as knitting, paper, wood, silicone and metal to create three-dimensional representations of the characters. This approach makes them more visually memorable.

The objectives of this project are to maintain or increase learner motivation, improve Japanese language proficiency and increase participation in and pass rates for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). In addition, the project aims to contribute to society. In this presentation, I will introduce the goals, participants, format, content, characteristics and meeting frequency of the 3DKP in more detail.

Furthermore, I will analyse the results of a survey conducted among students regarding this project. I will examine how the project was effectively implemented by non-native Japanese speakers, how it can be approached both inside and outside the classroom, which aspects need improvement, and how those improvements can be made.

We held exhibitions based on the 3DKP, entitled “Let’s Have Fun Learning Kanji!”, at our university hall – the first on October 31, 2024, and the second on November 11, 2025. Through these exhibitions, we shared the beauty of the Japanese language and kanji not only with Japanese Studies students but also with students from other majors.

Finally, I will outline several benefits of involving students in project-based learning and emphasize the importance of “growing together with learners”. This perspective is based on the idea that teachers should also be hands-on, and that “making things and developing people” (monozukuri and hitozukuri) begins with small steps.

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Data-Driven Learning (DDL) is an approach in which learners inductively discover linguistic features by examining corpus data (Johns, 1991). While DDL has been shown to promote discovery learning and learner autonomy, previous studies have also pointed out several obstacles to its implementation, including the need for training and teacher support, the difficulty of understanding corpus examples, and the considerable time required for analysis (Lusta, Demirel, & Mohammadzadeh, 2023). As a result, DDL has not yet been widely adopted.

One way to address the difficulty of corpus examples is to use learner corpora. The research group has developed Hagoromo, a database of example sentences for function words designed to support grammar instruction. By incorporating both correct and incorrect examples extracted from learner corpora, the group has explored ways to extend this resource for use in DDL. Sentences produced by learners tend to be easier for other learners to understand and often share common points of misuse. Previous research has reported that learners refer to peer-produced examples more than native-speaker examples when creating their own sentences (Hori, 2019).

Until now, the extraction of examples from learner corpora has been carried out manually, and identifying grammatical correctness, causes of errors, and alternative expressions has required substantial effort. To improve efficiency, generative AI was used to judge correctness and identify causes of misuse, followed by human verification. This approach significantly reduced the workload involved in example extraction.

The AI-based judgments were found to be accurate in over 83% of cases. However, some inaccurate judgments were observed, such as failures to identify errors related to differences in perspective caused by transitive and intransitive verb constructions, as in the following example using sura:

Te o kizutsukete, kaku koto sura dekinai. (“I injured my hand and cannot even write.”)

In future work, careful human review will be combined with AI assistance to further expand learner-corpus-based examples.

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References

堀恵子(2019)「機能語ウェブツールを使った自律的文法学習の効果」『ヨーロッパ日本語教育』24, 568-579. https://eaje.eu/pdfdownload/pdfdownload.php?index=586-597&filename=koto-hori.pdf&p=belgrade

Johns, T. (1991). Should You Be Persuaded: Two Examples of Data-Driven Learning Materials. English Language Research Journal, 4, 1-16.

Lusta, A., Demirel, Ö., & Mohammadzadeh, B. (2023)Language corpus and data-driven learning (DDL) in language classrooms: A systematic review. Heliyon 9(2):e22731 DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22731