2023 Volume 184 Pages 65-80
In a comparison among five Southeast Asian countries (Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines), the Philippines has been found to have a limited number of Japanese language majors in higher education, and its Japanese language teacher training programs are underdeveloped. A questionnaire and interview survey of Filipino Japanese language teachers who continue to practice teaching was conducted in this regard. These teachers teach in a variety of institutions and settings, including work-related institutions, language schools, universities, high schools, and private instruction, and many teach in multiple institutions and settings. The Japanese language education they have received varies widely, and their background in Japanese-language teacher training is often short-term and fragmentary. However, many enjoy teaching Japanese and continue to receive teacher training on their own initiative. For Filipino teachers who move back and forth between various Japanese-related fields, it is believed that reflection based on the Trinity Model of Professionalism of Japanese language teachers (Tateoka 2021) is important for their growth. Furthermore, it can be stated that it is important to establish teacher training and development programs in public institutions in order to strengthen Japanese language education and improve the expertise of teachers in the Philippines.
