Abstract
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, published by the Council of Europe in 2001 , is now having a great impact on Japanese language education. As there are Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji in Japanese, character learning is an important element in learning Japanese, but CEFR does not provide common reference
levels for orthoepic competence. Therefore, Ito (2017 ) has been trying to devise tentative can-do descriptors of orthoepic competence. However, since the method of devising these descriptors was subjective, it is necessary to reconsider the proposed can-do descriptors of orthoepic competence using a more objective method. This paper focuses on the“ basic language user” of CEFR and conducts quantitative text analysis of can-do descriptors of linguistic competences at the A 1 and A 2 levels. Based on the results, the can-do descriptors of orthoepic competence indicated by Ito (2017 ) were modified to the following:
A 1 Level:“ Can read a basic, specific and limited repertoire (e.g. words or expressions) related to personal information that has been studied”
A 2 Level:“ Can read basic vocabulary needed in everyday situations, although repeated reading or reading mistakes occur frequently.”
Furthermore, the number of foreign residents in Japan is currently increasing. Similar to the CEFR concept, this paper considers foreign residents as “social agents” and describes the importance of “pro-active evaluation of what can be done in Japanese.”
Moreover, since not only oral production but also the understanding of the written
language is important for foreign residents, it is necessary to guarantee writing
instruction as basic education. Hence, the can-do descriptors for orthoepic competence
shown in this paper are of great significance.
