A Study of Reading and Writing Instruction in the United States to Improve Japanese Language Teaching in Japan: An Observational Analysis of K-12 Schools in Florida

Abstract

This study examined how English teachers in the United States teach reading and writing to gain insights into how Japanese language teaching in Japan can be improved. This study adopted a case study method and observed English lessons at K-12 schools in Bay County, Florida. After classroom observations, I conducted interviews with teachers and emailed follow-up questions to understand the context of teachers’ practices. The approaches of “literacy center,” “reading a chapter book,” and “guided reading” were chosen for further analysis because these teaching approaches are uncommon in Japanese language lessons. In addition, a particular teacher’s daily lessons were chosen for further analysis to examine how they balanced the acquisition of language knowledge, skills, and creative activities. The analysis revealed that the following three points are suitable suggestions for Japanese language teaching: (1) allowing students to select how to learn reading and writing by themselves, (2) deciding reading materials and the level of support to suit students’ reading and writing abilities, and (3) considering balancing the acquisition of language knowledge, skills, and creative activities.