Empowerment through Early School Support for Children of Multicultural Backgrounds

Focusing on the Awareness of Multicultural Families and Their Supporters

Abstract

There are many children of multicultural backgrounds enrolled in Japanese public schools, and the number of students requiring Japanese language instruction is increasing. Now that coexistence of cultures in Japan is expanding due to the countryʼs policies and economic conditions, it is necessary to reassess the support provided for these multicultural students in order for all students to effectively receive education, and also to re-evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of the currently provided support. Using the empowerment theory, an investigation into the support provided at the time of entering elementary school for a child and her multicultural family found that her school and a community support group cooperated to provide appropriate support, thus providing the child and her family with hope and encouragement for life in Japan. Upon analysis of this specific case through one year of continuous observation, it was confirmed that the child was able to regain her confidence and sense of self through heightened awareness within her family. School teachers also gained self-efficacy in supporting these students, which paved the way toward the realization of a "collaborative society" of multicultural backgrounds. Focusing on awareness of both the supporters and those receiving the support, aspects of empowerment as a result of early school support were clarified, which leads to proposing a continuation model for building public support for students and families of multicultural backgrounds.