Special issue:Current Situation and Problems of Japanese Language Teaching
Toward the Exporting of Japanese First-Language Education
A Case Study in Myanmar
2016 Volume 58 Issue 3 Pages 122-132
Details
2016 Volume 58 Issue 3 Pages 122-132
The purpose of this study is to examine, based on a case study in Myanmar, the challenges to be addressed in exporting Japanese first-language education to countries overseas. The author visits Myanmar for around 30 days every year as an adviser on first-language education for the Japan International Cooperation Agency's (JICA) “Project for Curriculum Reform at Primary Level of Basic Education in Myanmar”. Through these visits, the following strengths of first-language education in Japan have been identified: the first-language education system is well established; there is an accumulation of expertise; and the Japanese language has a unique nature. On the other hand, the following challenges need to be addressed in order to transfer the first-language education of Japan to overseas countries: translation of literature into English; construction of research databases; opportunities for international meetings and discussions; multilingual and multicultural research; and human resource development in the field of international contributions.
