2018 Volume 48 Pages 146-160
In this study, we conducted a cross-cultural educational session using role play that responds to a cultural conflict between Muslim international and Japanese local students. We focused on their reactions and learning, as well as exploring and organizing the actions and cognitions they performed in role playing. This study found that Japanese learners sought behavior that was comfortable for both Muslim international and Japanese local students during role playing. The latter thought that the former were confused because of their religious precept, although they tried to solve the problem Muslim students were confused indirectly by making enquiries without any religious reason, as Japanese students believed that asking publicly about religious topics is rude. Japanese students were concerned over how to, among others, ask a question, start a conversation, create a peaceful atmosphere, and reply in a way that does not divert the issue and make Muslim students uncomfortable or feel guilty. Based on Japanese student’s behavior and correspondence in this study, it was revealed that the areas and examples of social skills observed among Japanese students, who were not familiar with foreign students, were easy to create and carry out. It was suggested that in addition to skills related to starting a conversation and establishing a friendly atmosphere, a more effective skill that must be acquired in communicating with international students is the use of simple and easy Japanese spoken language and facial expressions.
