This study aims to describe the process by which high school students make the decision to participate in an exchange program to a non-English-speaking country, focusing on the series of interactions between these students and those they come in contact with. The study found that students <<find value in an exchange program to a non-English-speaking country>> when they realized, with the help of returnees or their family, that the exchange experience would <make them/me different from everyone else>.

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As more people realize that Japanese Sign Language (JSL) is fundamentally different from Japanese, the number of university-level JSL courses has been gradually increasing. This article discusses the current situations and challenges of JSL courses offered at universities in Japan. Though much improvement is called for in terms of the hiring process, securing sufficient budgets, developing teaching materials and evaluation metrics, it is highly beneficial to have knowledgeable deaf instructors with a substantial understanding of JSL and deaf culture.

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This paper reports on challenges, problems and results of a classroom experiment in an attempt to introduce plurilingual education into a Japanese university. After discussing major challenges of diversifying foreign language education in Japan where English is overwhelming, this paper describes how the classroom experiment changed the students’ attitudes of learning a new language. The results suggest that even a short-term course of 8 weeks focusing on plurilingual education reinforced the interest, motivation and self-confidence of learning a new language. However, students continue to attach high importance to English. On the other hand, their sense of difficulty to learn a new language formed by past experience of learning English decreased.

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Persian is one of the Indo-Iranian languages of the Indo-European language family and is spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and some other surrounding countries. Termed as 'French in the Middle East' in European countries, it had traditionally been the lingua franca or the literary language in the so-called 'Greater Persia' or 'Persianate World' containing West and Central Asian lands, and it has been renowned for its long history of literature during the Turko-Mongolian dynasties. The purpose of this paper is 1) to provide the overview of the tradition of Persian literature by introducing major translation works into Japanese, and 2) to show the current state of the Persian studies and Persian language education in Japan.

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In the era of new globalization, teachers cannot tell which language their pupils are interested in learning in the future. To provide pupils with opportunities to find their favorite language, they should be exposed to various foreign languages during their activities. However, for the majority of Japanese people, English is the only foreign language that they learn at school. In this practical report, pupils enjoyed researching and creating their own name cards while exploring a variety of foreign languages. This project motivates pupils toward learning foreign languages, through fun learning experiences that draw their interest and teach them basic self-study skills. Through “My Name Project”, the pupils gradually began to think and realize the fundamentals of letters, characters, languages and why people use written text.

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This is a report on a project aimed at compiling a textbook for students studying Russian as a second foreign language at Kansai University, Japan. The salient feature of this textbook is the correspondence of each lesson to the subject matter of annual commemorations and other functions associated with Russian language and culture, which are actively organized at the university. The authors also examine the achievements in the making of the textbook, the impediments faced in the process, and the limitations of the textbook with reference to comments and feedback from students.

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The International Pupils Resource Room at Aichi University of Education created information booklets that give information about Japanese kindergarten, elementary school, and Junior high school in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, and Tagalog. The primary purpose was to assist international pupils by educating their parents/guardians on Japanese schools, and in addition to get the teachers to realize the importance of conveying such information to them. For the latter purpose, each booklet was written in a foreign language on one side and in Japanese on the other side. In this article, we discuss the background of this project, the contents of the booklets, and what is needed to foster teachers with multi-cultural awareness.

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In this report students' English writing was subject to analysis based on quantity and quality. A cumulative total number of 211 writing samples were collected from collaborative lessons conducted three times in 2017. The students had improved their expression skills in regular lessons and achieved higher writing skills. By fostering independent attitudes, students were able to use many more words, and the content of their writing had improved by the end of the year. This can be attributed to collaborative learning as well as the cumulative results of their daily efforts.

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The purpose of this article is to understand what effects high school Spanish classes had on students’ consciousness of foreign language learning. To analyze, we conducted one-on-one interviews with students who studied Spanish in high school. The results show that these students developed a better understanding of the importance of learning not only Spanish, but also of English as well. Also, the survey provides a clearer picture of how their respective views about language have taken shape.

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This paper aims to illustrate how a second foreign language course begins at a high school in Japan. In a boy's school in Tokyo, Jiyugaoka Gakuen high school, where there were no second foreign language courses before, it was decided to have a French and a Chinese class starting from 2019. The author, a French teacher, has been teaching French as a club activity, as the school curriculum did not have any second language courses. Following the reforms on education promoted by the government, the school chose French and Chinese as the second foreign languages they teach. With employment of internet and digital devices, a new way of education will commence.

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A joint project between industry, government and academia involving a language activity such as self-introductions and presentations about the local area by high school students for foreign tourists at a hotel was conducted. Post survey results proved the cultural and educational effectiveness of the project for not only the students, but also the tourists. In the future, such activities would be encouraged with or without the ability to secure public funding or assistance by governmental agencies.

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Gyosei Elementary School gives students the opportunity to study French, particularly in the Stella French Club, as extra-curricular activities. In order to continuously improve itself, the Stella attempts to actively collaborate with several other institutions, such as Shirayuri Gakuen Elementary School and the French Institute of Tokyo. This report shows some of the plans and practices at the Stella, and the merits for children's development that take place by becoming familiar with French language and culture. The author finalizes by expressing her strong wishes to continue these practices, with the aim of keeping alive French education as one of various traditions and characteristics of the school.

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This paper reports on the practice of the second foreign language education in a private elementary school. The Spanish class in Koen Girls’ Elementary School is attended by many students who experience Spanish language and culture. This class will impact the students by encouraging them to experience languages and cultures other than English. This paper is based on a lecture from a sister of our convent. It shows some practices and the characteristics of our Spanish class.

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This study examines issues peculiar to international appreciation activities often held in elementary and middle schools in Japan. Specifically, this research explores how such activities, which often reinforce stereotypical beliefs about cultural or national similarities and differences, can be transformed through programming that emphasizes individual experiences and perspectives rather than generalities such as country, ethnicity, or status (“international student”). Such activities could also entail an opportunity for self-conscious reflection by the Japanese student participants.

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