Abstract
The Japanese-language 6 education program at International Christian University in Tokyo includes a first-year special course mainly for native speakers who have been educated overseas or in international schools and lack proficiency at reading and writing. It is divided into three levels. The intermediate level focuses on (1) mastering commonly used kanji, (2) reading news stories, entry-level academic texts, and novels and writing reports on them, and (3) composing a substantial essay. In the light of the first-year objective of fostering logical thinking and ability to express oneself, along with the overall goal of promoting international understanding, the course needs to be improved so as to further enhance students' communication proficiency.
