Abstract
The author analyzed the words in Kokugo textbooks used in Japanese elementary schools and built a vocabulary syllabus database called "COSMOS" that provides information on words that are useful for the Japanese language support of JSL children.
Specifically, 1) A total of 275,541 words are extracted from the first to fourth grades’ Kokugo textbooks, which are approved by the Ministry of Education and are collectively published by Mitsumura Tosho Publishing, Sanseido, Tokyo Shoseki, Gakko Tosho, and Kyoiku-shuppan. A database of the words was created with the information about the grade, page number, unit name, work title, author, notation in the text, basic word form, pronunciation, meaning, section, and 10 types of parts of speech for each word included. 2) Next, the lexical features of elementary school Kokugo textbooks are derived from the analysis of this database, and the degree of difficulty of the words in elementary school Kokugo textbooks is compared with Japanese Language Proficiency Test Examination Standards [Revised Edition] (2002). 3) Based on the above, the web platform "COSMOS" was created and released as a model of the JSL Kokugo textbook vocabulary syllabus. The platform shows how to support learning when returning Japanese children and foreign children take Japanese language courses entering elementary school.
