The lecture meeting was conducted for the volunteers who teach the Japanese languageto non-Japanese under the theme of [how the Japanese language class should be- as friends living together in the same region] sponsored by AIRA- Japanese language Evening class.（No.18-20)
Date & time: Feb. 24, 2019 (Sun) 10:00-12：20
Venue: Abiko Civic Plaza hall
Theme : How the Japanese language class should be- as friends living together in the same region.
Lecturer: Prof.Hiroaki Kitamura, Seitoku Univ, Manager of Language-Culture Research Institute. Prof.of Faculty of Literature
Venue: Abiko Civic Plaza hall
Theme : How the Japanese language class should be- as friends living together in the same region.
Lecturer: Prof.Hiroaki Kitamura, Seitoku Univ, Manager of Language-Culture Research Institute. Prof.of Faculty of Literature
Participants: 46 (35 from Abiko, 8 from Kashiwa, one each from Matsudo. Toride, Noda).
The urgent subjects are how to conduct the Japanese language training for rapidly increasing non- Japanese residents. AIRA asked Prof. Kitamura to make a
lecture regarding how the education of Japanese language and the Japanese language class should be for the volunteers who are struggling with teaching. Prof. Kitamura was once in charge of the Japanese language teaching class at AIRA.
Mrs. Kitajima- AIRA Vice President, started to take the chair of the meeting and Prof Kitamura gave the lecture following Mr. Hesaki , AIRA President’s welcome speech.
1. The role of the regional Japanese language teaching volunteers:
There are about 2100 volunteer groups in Japan engaged in the Japanese language education and 59% of them are teaching the Japanese language free of charge based on their philanthropy sprits. Not like the Japanese language school,the major role of such a volunteer is to teach the Japanese language handling skill and to help and assist in order to make the daily life easier and comfortable by giving helpful information .
The volunteer is exactly like a good advisor to them. It is neither necessary to teach the things which are not required by them nor what you just want to teach.
2 Supporting system for learning
There are about 2100 volunteer groups in Japan engaged in the Japanese language education and 59% of them are teaching the Japanese language free of charge based on their philanthropy sprits. Not like the Japanese language school,the major role of such a volunteer is to teach the Japanese language handling skill and to help and assist in order to make the daily life easier and comfortable by giving helpful information .
The volunteer is exactly like a good advisor to them. It is neither necessary to teach the things which are not required by them nor what you just want to teach.
2 Supporting system for learning
It is important to change the teaching methods from so called the conventional way.to more practical conversation methods for daily usage. In the past, Japanese conversational patterns are mostly taken from the grammatical patterns and a complicated structure based on a very logical approach for those studying more theoretical and academic Japanese language education. However、such an approach is not helping enough to the common non-Japanese.
The suggested new conversational samples should be based on the daily life-based ones. It is important to make useful conversational patterns which will enable the speakers to do and act what they want by using a language. This is called [CAN DO TYPE] methods.
Q&A time:
Prof. Kitamura’s explanation and reply are as follow:
1. It is not easy to catch the requirements of students but try to get such things during the class. The volunteer is an evaluator as well. Please try to notice and be aware of any points of student’s desire during the class. And decide the contents of the class.
2. Always ask to self to improve your teaching skill. Self-satisfaction is not good both for students and yourselves.
3. Enjoy the class, enjoy the conversation and make the class a good atmosphere. Please give maximum chance to speak by the students. Do not think too logically.
4. If the number of students is reducing, think about the reasons why? The class was attractive enough? Way of teaching is good enough for the students? etc.
5 Others: a) how to select the textbooks, b) what to do when you doubt the way of teaching of other volunteers, c) Is there any difference in teaching method for adults and children, etc. etc.,
1. It is not easy to catch the requirements of students but try to get such things during the class. The volunteer is an evaluator as well. Please try to notice and be aware of any points of student’s desire during the class. And decide the contents of the class.
2. Always ask to self to improve your teaching skill. Self-satisfaction is not good both for students and yourselves.
3. Enjoy the class, enjoy the conversation and make the class a good atmosphere. Please give maximum chance to speak by the students. Do not think too logically.
4. If the number of students is reducing, think about the reasons why? The class was attractive enough? Way of teaching is good enough for the students? etc.
5 Others: a) how to select the textbooks, b) what to do when you doubt the way of teaching of other volunteers, c) Is there any difference in teaching method for adults and children, etc. etc.,
(Translated by Mr.Mitsuru Sato)
