Description

This study compares how Japanese language teachers and native speakers evaluate the naturalness of utterances containing interjections produced by German learners of Japanese, with the aim of exploring effective approaches to teaching interjections. Interjections can be broadly divided into response forms (e.g., hai, iya) and those expressing emotion; the latter are particularly difficult for learners due to their wide intonational variation (Yang, 2022). The data consist of utterances in the form “<interjection>, Manami-san” produced by ten beginner-level German learners of Japanese. Ten Japanese language teachers and ten native speakers rated the naturalness of these utterances on a five-point scale. Fifteen interjections were selected from beginner- to intermediate-level Japanese textbooks. Inter-rater agreement was low in both groups (teachers: α = 0.32; native speakers: α = 0.22), though slightly higher among teachers, suggesting some shared evaluative criteria. Mean ratings showed that utterances with geminate consonants (e.g., e?, a?) were evaluated as relatively natural, whereas those with long vowels (e.g., nee, fuun, aa) were generally rated as unnatural. Emotion-expressing interjections (e.g., o?, uwaa) were rated as more natural by teachers but less so by native speakers. In contrast, fillers such as eeto and anoo received higher ratings from native speakers than from teachers. These differences may reflect teachers’ reliance on normative criteria, whereas native speakers evaluate utterances based on their use in everyday conversation. The presentation will include pitch contour visualizations of learner speech and discuss implications for teaching interjections based on native speaker evaluations.

(Word count for the Body part: 242 words)

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References

楊虹(2022)「初対面会話における感動詞「へー」「えー」の分析　中国語との対照から」友定賢治編『感動詞研究の展開』pp.189-217. ひつじ書房.

Description

Here I report on a revised classroom exercise conducted with university students using a critical incident approach to address the theme of cross-cultural friction at times of disaster.

The critical incident approach is a form of cross-cultural training using cases of friction caused by cultural differences. The aim is to increase participants’ awareness, clarify cultural differences, and enable participants to behave more appropriately in similar situations (Wight, 1995). However, because this approach only presents a single case and does not allow detailed exploration from the standpoint of the respective protagonists, a new approach was trailed that presents a detailed case for each protagonist.

In this exercise, students were tasked with reading about a case of cultural friction at an evacuation center at a time of disaster from the perspective of either Japanese Person A or Foreigner Person B. The students were then given time to consider the problems, protagonist feelings, and solutions from the perspective of their given protagonist feelings, and solutions from the perspective of their given protagonist. All the students then recombined to share their cases and their reflections, write down further reflections, and share these with the group.

Categorizing and analyzing their reflections produced the following results.

Students identified the cases of misunderstanding as being “gaps in perception of the issue arising from differences in standpoint” and “misunderstanding caused by not knowing the other person’s situation or intentions.”

To resolve the misunderstanding, students suggested “accepting the other person’s feelings,” “being willing to reserve judgement,” and “de-categorization and re-categorization so as to overcome bias.” In terms of communication, they suggested “being willing to listen to the other person’s feelings,” “ verbalizing one’s own feelings,” “positive communication,” and “creating an environment conductive to communication.” Their suggestion in relation to behave were “show respect,” “show consideration,” “don’t let your emotions dictate your actions,” and “act together.”

Using a new methos for this exercise whereby students were presenter with a case from the position of one or other of the protagonists enabled them to deepen their thinking in relation to causes of misunderstanding and possible solutions from the perspective of both protagonists or the other protagonist and engage in critical self-reflection.

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References

Wight, A. (1995) The critical Incident as a Training Tool. Intercultural Sourcebook: Cross-Cultural Training methods. Intercultural Press.

Description

Contemporary societies are characterised by increasing individualism and social division. Consequently, Japanese language education is expected to foster learners’ ability to accept and respect differences, and to encourage them to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds. This study examines a group-work-based classroom practice implemented in a short-term Japanese language programme, which was designed to improve learners’ proficiency in the language and to cultivate tolerance and the ability to live with others. The focus is on a CEFR A2-level class, in which international and Japanese students worked together in mixed groups to produce short videos.

The aim of this study is to identify the factors that promote collaboration in group work, and to clarify the role of teachers in facilitating this process. The data consist of the teacher’s participant observation records; written reflections from international and Japanese students, collected after each class; transcribed comments from the final video presentation session; responses to the post-programme questionnaire; and a transcribed follow-up interview with a Japanese student. These data were analysed qualitatively to examine changes in the group work process over time. Although one international student was initially unable to participate fully, it became apparent as the sessions progressed that mutual respect and collaboration within the group were being fostered.

Three main factors were identified as contributing to successful collaboration: (1) explicit goal-setting by the teacher that emphasised mutual respect and collaborative engagement; (2) proactive and attentive engagement by the Japanese student, who facilitated collaboration by responding to both individual members and the group as a whole; and (3) opportunities for each group member to contribute their individual strengths.

These findings offer practical insights into the effective implementation of group work in Japanese language education, emphasising the pivotal role of teachers in designing and supporting collaborative learning environments. Furthermore, the study suggests that group activities can provide valuable opportunities for learners to develop the ability to accept others and learn how to live in diverse societies.

(Word count for the Body part: 322 words)

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References

奥村三菜子・櫻井直子（2024）「言語教育に「仲介」を加えることの意義」『CEFR-CVの「仲介」と複言語・複文化能力』凡人社．

櫻井直子・奥村美菜子（2021）「CEFR Companion Volume with New Descriptorsにおける「仲介」に関する考察」『日本語教育』178, pp.154-169.

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

Description

This presentation examines the development of heritage Japanese language education in Germany through the lens of collaboration between Team Motto Tsunagu (TMT) and the Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne (JKI). TMT, established in 2015, aims to empower children and families living in multilingual and multicultural environments, primarily in Germany. In 2021, TMT launched the “The Watashi-go Portfolio” (Wata-Poto) and, in partnership with JKI, began operating the portal site “Tsunagu,” which connects multilingual families and supports Japanese language development among children. JKI has been involved with TMT since its inception, co-hosting lectures and events prior to the launch of the Tsunagu site. Following the enactment of Japan’s Basic Act on the Promotion of Japanese Language Education (2019) and related policy guidelines (2020), JKI incorporated heritage language education into its project plans and expanded initiatives targeting German-speaking regions. Since 2021, collaboration has deepened through joint management of the Tsunagu site, dissemination of Wata-Poto, and co-hosted workshops promoting its pedagogical approach. For this study, we reviewed TMT activity records and JKI project reports to analyse collaborative practices and their impact on heritage Japanese language education in Germany. Findings indicate that cooperation between TMT, focusing on family support, and JKI, providing institutional backing, has fostered broader program development and new network formation. Based on these outcomes, we discuss factors contributing to successful collaboration and identify challenges for future expansion of heritage Japanese language education initiatives.

Description

Through practical implementation of Japanese language learning, I aim to focus on students and self-directed learning from a longitudinal perspective. Autonomous learning has garnered more attention in Japanese language education in recent years, and research on university Self-Access Learning Centers has advanced. However, reports on the long-term implementation of self-directed learning classes as required courses at universities remained sparse.

This practice was conducted in a JSL environment, where self-directed learning classes were implemented over three semesters as a compulsory university Japanese language course. Students identified their own challenges in Japanese language proficiency, planned their learning, and independently selected learning materials. Each learner set personal goals, and at the end of every class, self-evaluated their progress and the extent to which they had achieved their goals. Their progress was recorded in a cloud-based learning log sheet shared with the instructor, who also provided written comments on the learners’ reflections. The instructor’s role was less that of a traditional teacher, and more that of a learning facilitator.

This practice involved a total of 130 learners. Among them, data from 43 subjects who consented to participate in the study were analyzed, including their learning records over the first to third semesters and their reflective reports written at the end of the third semester. The analysis was conducted using coding methods, with Self-Determination Theory and the L2 Motivational Self System as the analytical frameworks. In the first and second semesters, many of the learners’ comments focused on learning methods and perceived deficiencies in their Japanese proficiency. By the third semester, however, statements reflecting awareness of autonomous learning began to emerge, such as: “Since everyone has different levels in Japanese, this type of class is the most useful,” and “Collaborating with classmates helped me maintain motivation,”. In addition, some descriptions corresponded to the three basic psychological needs identified in Self-Determination Theory: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Motivation and persistence are often challenges in learning Japanese in a JFL environment. I hope that this practice, grounded in Self-Determination Theory, will contribute to Japanese language education in Europe.

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References

Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy and foreign language learning. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.

青木直子・中田賀正（2011）『学習者オートノミー　日本語教育と外国語教育の未来のために』ひつじ書房.

Description

This presentation reports on a practice aimed at lowering the barrier to Japanese language learning for adult beginners who are interested in Japan through culture and travel rather than through exam preparation or career goals. The project uses short animations based on ukiyo-e visuals and original characters, as well as songs designed for adult learners. It is based on the idea that, in order to motivate learners at a pre-learning stage, it is more effective not to foreground the language itself, but to engage their latent interests in Japanese culture and entertainment and connect these interests to language learning.

The presentation argues that: (1) for learners not yet committed to studying Japanese, presenting culturally appealing content together with immediately usable high-frequency vocabulary and formulaic expressions is more effective than textbook-style comprehensiveness in generating initial motivation; and (2) short-form content and repeated characters promote continued engagement.

The songs used in this project are not children’s nursery-style songs but are designed so that adult learners can listen comfortably in daily life and memorize expressions through repetition, especially in the chorus. In addition, a fox character traveling through the world of ukiyo-e was created, allowing vocabulary and phrases to be learned through a developing narrative.

The content was distributed on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, reaching approximately 600,000 followers within about eight months after the introduction of character-based short animations. Audience responses from Europe, the Americas, and Asia were examined through audience retention, saves, shares, and viewer feedback. The results suggest that while song-based content functions as an entry point with strong shareability, it has limits in sustaining continued viewing. In contrast, serialized short animations with recurring characters promote sustained engagement, with characters playing a key role in enabling viewers to follow narratives, develop emotional involvement, and maintain ongoing contact with the content. Viewer responses also included multiple reports of individuals who had not initially intended to study Japanese but began learning after encountering the content, as well as reports of use in Japanese language classrooms. These findings suggest the potential of “Japanese as cultural content” in non-formal learning environments.