Expression Activities Utilizing Naikan in a Japanese Language Class − Focusing on the Theme of “Love” in Poetry and Tanka −

Abstract

  Naikan has been applied basically to homeroom activities in schools, but here I give a report of experimental practice bringing Naikan into classes of the Japanese language. I'm sure that this method can cultivate learners' ability to think and create. In fact, I got the students to create original poems and tanka（a Japanese poem of thirty-one syllables）, believing that they must be helpful in developing communication skills, a goal emphasized in the current "Course of Study" in Japan. After this practice, introducing this method in the classes enabled most of the students to introspect and cultivate their interests in personal tasks. As a result, they have begun to attend the classes more enthusiastically. Naikan is an effective way to teach how to create original poems.