International Exchange Activities Outside Class Using the Handbook for Beginners:

Teachers’ Scaffolding for Beginners

Abstract

In the spring of 2020, due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, our institution transitioned to online classes, and we started to develop an online international exchange activities handbook. However, in the spring of 2022, face-to-face classes resumed, and we needed to revise the handbook to ensure its usability for in-person and online modes. This study is a practical report on out-of-class international exchange activities using this handbook coordinated organically with a beginner’s comprehensive Japanese language class. It examines teachers’ scaffolding and beginners’ learning from their feedback on the international exchange activities.