国語教科書にのぼる月

文化リテラシーとしての「伝統的な言語文化」

抄録

The purpose of this study is to review educational content in the teaching of “traditional language culture” based on the concept of Cultural Literacy (E. D. Hirsch), and to show the requirements to foster a literacy that is necessary to the understanding of traditional Japanese culture. To execute the purpose, an investigation and an analysis of the vocabulary, which should be acquired for understanding culture in Japanese language textbooks, were performed. The subject of the former was how the basic vocabulary appeared in textbooks, and the later was what cultural concepts the vocabulary represented. Moreover, this study selected words relevant to “Moon”, which was a one of key words in understanding traditional Japanese culture, and extracted them from the Japanese language textbooks (H. 23rd edition) for elementary schools.

Four conclusions were drawn from the results of this investigation;

1) Whereas the numbers of appearances of words relevant to “Moon” were 11 individual words occurring a total of 94 times in the textbooks of H. 18th edition, they were 28 individual words a total of 261 times in the H. 23rd edition, which, due to the matter of guidance for the education of Japanese language in Elementary schools, had “traditional language culture” implanted as a design focus.

2) The appearance rate of the words was approximately 16% of the whole (42 words) in classics, approximately 19% (50 words) in poetry, and approximately 65% (169 words) in stories and non-fiction that were written in modern language.

3) “Moon” is commonly considered symbolic of the autumn season, however, in the present elementary schools' Japanese language textbooks the vocabulary is used in relation to all seasons.

4) The vocabulary relevant to “Moon” represented feelings of loneliness and symbolized the item of leading to a fantastic world as well as symbolizing seasons and representing elegance. The next point is implied by the previous conclusions.

The vocabulary relevant to “Moon” in elementary schools' Japanese language textbooks appears throughout various types of texts. The vocabulary is uniquely symbolic of natural beauty in Japan across all for seasons, and has a symbolic character, which looms over those living in loneliness and isolation. These cultural concepts should be acquired through the learner-centered collaborative education by focusing on vocabulary relevant to “traditional language culture” embedded in various types of texts and learners' lives.