Abstract
Functional foreign language proficiency among workers is essential for Japanese companies to succeed on a global scale. However, many Japanese professionals face challenges in international communication due to limited foreign language skills. This paper aims to highlight the challenges faced by a Japanese working adult studying business English skills independently. One year's worth of interview data, email exchanges, and session notes were analyzed through thematic analysis to gain a deeper understanding and compared with the survey results from the Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC) (2019, 2023). The findings reveal the struggles faced by the Japanese self-directed working adult learner, which complement the IIBC’s survey results. Particularly, the study highlights the challenges of studying outside a traditional classroom setting and learning limitations imposed by social contexts. Additionally, the study underscores four key considerations for the learning of self-directed working adult learners in an EFL context.
