Tokyo College, The University of Tokyo
Language and Identity Workshop Series
Workshop III: Language and Identity in the Classroom: Policy and Education
Keynote Lecture
Date: Monday, 17 April 2023, 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm (JST)
Location: Zoom

Abstract:

The embedded notion of the inseparable relationship between nation, language, and people has shaped Japan’s language policy. This notion has had a tremendous impact on the way language teaching is planned, promoted, and delivered, and in the era of transnational migration, it is a notion that seems to prevail in Japanese society. The latest revision of the Courses of Study for secondary schools continues to be based on the dichotomy of Japanese versus foreigners in relation to language learning. The instrumental view of English as a tool to promote Japan’s distinctiveness to the rest of the world appears to mirror the way Japanese language teaching has been promoted.
In this talk, I will discuss how learners’ identity has been constructed in so-called “English education” in Japan and how learners’ identity has been assumed in the promotion of Japanese language teaching in Japan and overseas, by analysing relevant policy documents. I will also reflect on how such practices present contradictions and problems for successful policy implementation.
In conclusion, I shall share one of my current projects on Japanese language learners in Australia and Vietnam to illustrate how individual learners with linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds are empowered by critical engagement in Japanese language learning.

For more information including registration: https://www.tc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/ai1ec_event/8766/

Linguistic Field(s): Applied Linguistics
General Linguistics
Language Acquisition

Subject Language(s): English (eng)
Japanese (jpn)