2025 Volume 28 Issue 2 Pages 278-285
[Purpose]
Against the background of an increasing number of students refusing to attend school in Japan, Adjustment Guidance Classes (AGCs) were originally established to facilitate students’ returning into the school environment. Until the revision of official guidelines in 2019, returning to school remained the primary objective of these classes. However, studies have repeatedly noted that AGC instructors are often reluctant to actively promote students’ returning to school. Meanwhile, even as support for school reentry has waned, collaboration between AGCs and schools remains a key priority. To address this paradox, this study qualitatively examines the reasons behind instructors’ lack of proactiveness in promoting students’ return to school, as well as why collaboration with schools continues to be emphasized.
[Methods]
Drawing on data from a national survey conducted in 2023, criterion sampling was employed to select six AGC instructors working in City X. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed using NVivo.
[Results]
The results yielded two themes for RQ1: “Ensuring a safe and secure space distinct from school” and “Restoring students’ autonomy and vitality.” A total of three themes emerged for RQ2: “Guaranteeing basic academic skills and career choices,” “Maintaining students’ self-esteem through fair assessment,” and “Fostering students’ interest, motivation, and social skills.”
[Discussion/Conclusion]
These findings suggest that instructors’ reluctance to promote school returning is rooted in the desire to establish a supportive setting in which students’ choices and well-being take precedence. Simultaneously, they remained committed to collaborating with schools out of a sense of responsibility and a conviction that students should not be marginalized from formal education.
