2016 Volume 14 Pages 128-149
This paper aims to investigate teacher’s beliefs that undergird Korean language education in Japan’s high schools by using the life story interview. It is a qualitative research method by which we can investigate the views of Korean language education and international exchanges between Japan and South Korea. I conducted interviews with one Zainichi Korean teacher and three Japanese teachers who belong to the Japan Association for Korean-language Education at High Schools (JAKEHS), the network of Korean language education at Japanese high schools. Even though Korean language has different connotations for Zainichi Korean teachers and Japanese teachers, two common views were found: (1) The purpose of Korean language education is not only to enhance students’ communication skills but to prompt them to notice problems of Japanese society, and (2) It is important to increase student exchanges between two countries through Korean language education. This study concluded that Korean language education in Japanese high schools is sustained by these beliefs and the network between them and schools, and they are developing a place for learning Korean language and Japan-South Korea exchanges.
