As English language education becomes the focus of great concern in recent years due to demand for globally competent workforce, teaching methodologies developed abroad are increasingly being adopted and incorporated into English language instruction in Japan. These methodologies imported from foreign countries call for more active interaction in the target language than previous methods. This caused a shift away from the traditional way of teaching English in Japan, which is based on teaching English grammar in Japanese. This new approach increases the opportunities for English teachers to perform their English in front of their students. However, despite the fact that active use of English is strongly recommended, the number of English teachers conducting classes mostly in English is much lower compared to classes where English is not used for instructions by the English teachers (MEXT, 2018). This study focuses on the psychological aspects of English teachers to explore the potential causes that may prevent English teachers from using English in front of their students.

Four Japanese teachers of English at junior high schools or high schools were interviewed for the study. Their ages ranged from 24 to 58 (M=39.5 years). The years of working as an English teacher ranged from 1 to 36 (M=16.25 years). Also, two of the teachers work at private combined junior high school and high schools whereas the other two teachers work at a public junior high school. Interviews were conducted in Japanese and lasted approximately for one hour each. They were recorded and transcribed verbatim.

Preliminary research has revealed the following three themes: (1) Native-speakerism, (2) fear of making mistakes, and (3) length of experience of matters. First, Native-speakerism was seen where the focus is put on how native-like the speech of the teachers should be, rather than accepting English to have less native-like accents. Second, fear of making mistakes was common in new teachers who have worked as an English teacher for less than 4 years. Their view can be summarized as, “Teachers should not make mistakes”. Lastly, experienced English teachers who have been working as English teachers for more than 25 years had more tolerant views toward various themes such as Native-speakerism and fear of making mistakes than new teachers. Discussions will include how English teachers should perceive English in order to control their language anxiety to make English classes more effective.

Reference Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. (2018). Heisei 30 nenndo “Eigo-kyoiku jisshi jokyo chosa” gaiyo. Retrieved from https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20200710-mxt_kyoiku01-100000661_2.pdf.

The experience of studying abroad does not only improve foreign language skills, but also provides a valuable opportunity for personal growth. In fact, Japanese students who have experienced long-term study abroad mention that it has broadened their perspectives and changed their way of thinking (Koyanagi, 2002). However, previous studies on long-term study abroad experience have been conducted mostly on study abroad during college and very few studies have explored the impact of study abroad experiences during high school. In most cases, high school students who study abroad experience homestay and attend a local high school. They often find themselves to be the only Japanese student in the entire high school. What kind of impact does suddenly finding themselves a racial minority in a different country far away from Japan have on these students?

This study examined how four Japanese college students narrate their experiences from their one-year study abroad during high school. Each interview took about one to one and a half hours, and the interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim.

Preliminary results have revealed three themes; 1) Sense of fellowship among international students, 2) breaking away from the “national filter,” and 3) rediscovering Japan and Asia. The participants for the most part appear to have been able to build good relationships with local people. However, when they felt the difficulties of their “outsider” status, they shared their feelings with other international students and Japanese students who were in similar circumstances. The realization that could confide in non-Japanese students was reported as a meaningful experience, possibly allowing them to become less concerned with race or nationality. Participants experienced been seen as Asians by people in their host country, which made them rethink and reaffirm their “Asian” identity.

References: Koyanagi, S. (2002). Japanese international students in Australia in the age of popularisation of study overseas : Their motivation and outcomes. Ryuugakusei Kyouiku. (7). 27-38.

The Japanese phrase “kawatterune” (“you are a bit different or odd”) appears to be a unique term that is often used as a compliment, but may be disguised as a microaggression (Sue, 2010) or a hidden negative meaning that may work to exclude the recipients from the group. I personally experienced being told I was “kawatterune” from my college classmates that made me feel uneasy and isolated. This led me to my research question which is how the phrase “kawatterune” is experienced by other Japanese people, and how being told this influenced or affected them. This study explores the relationship between oddness and identity in the context of Japanese society through my own and others’ experiences. In this research, I adopted a qualitative method called autoethnography which is a method that uses the researcher’s personal experience as a main source of research object to investigate further understanding of cultural, political, and social meanings (Christopher, 2021). I recruited five interviewees whom I personally know and with whom I had personal relationships. My preliminary research revealed three themes: oddness as an identity, unawareness of being odd and oddness as one’s reputation. Interviewees were often unaware of their ‘oddness’ even though they easily were able to recall or identify someone they knew as ‘odd’. Their unawareness comes from the ‘oddness as their identity’. These two themes were influenced largely by the third theme, ‘the oddness as one’s reputation’ from others. In Japan, the term ‘oddness’ (kawatterune) were used as a complement in most of the cases, that made people to be blind and deprive a chance to realize that it has an unconscious hidden meanings behind it. Referring to this preliminary research, I will be including discussion of microaggressions and the relationship between oddness and identity in the context of Japanese society.

In this digital society, Emoji are widely used worldwide. The advent of Emoji was revolutionary in that they completely transformed online communication. However, besides their convenience of use, problems occur when using them in international communication. Since Emoji were originally created from the Japanese point of view, it means that they may cause misunderstandings in international communication. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the differences in Emoji interpretation between Americans and Japanese, and to find a way to eliminate misunderstandings in communication using Emoji.

In this study, a mixed methods approach of qualitative and quantitative research was employed to investigate the interpretations of Emoji. An online questionnaire-based survey was conducted for 50 American nationals and 50 Japanese nationals to collect their Emoji interpretations. The researchers asked the participants to describe their interpretations of four Emoji representing certain objects (🗼, 🎡, 🗻, etc.), and seven Emoji representing facial expressions (😬, 😡, 😒, etc.). In addition, the researchers set a multiple-choice question about the use of Emoji and a descriptive question, to which the participants could freely respond regarding their experience of miscommunication when using Emoji. Moreover, interviews were employed to ask participants’ opinions about Emoji. The results revealed that, cultural backgrounds could influence the interpretations of Emoji.

The spread of COVID-19 has prevented people from having face-to-face interactions, and the business field has been no exception to this situation. Consequently, it is assumed that people are required to adapt to a new way of business communication and working style. Additionally, many university students have suffered from insufficient information in online communication, leading to confusion.

In fact, very little work has been done on online communication. In a previous study, a researcher mentioned that the foundations of online and offline communication skills are the same. However, no specific methods have been provided. Therefore, this study suggests an effective online communication style using suitable skills. Moreover, university students who have experienced online classes are assumed to lack competence of proper online communication in the business field. To avoid misunderstandings between new graduates and other generations, this study aims to propose an effective way to use those skills, especially in the business environment.

In this study, a mixed methods approach of qualitative and quantitative research was employed. By analyzing the gap between the insights of university students and those of people in the business field, this paper suggests “The effective online communication style in the business field.” The questionnaires were distributed online and over 100 responses each from both university students and businesspeople were collected. Furthermore, some of the respondents were interviewed. Such studies may reflect a new business communication style and culture that will soon be needed in Japan.

In Japan, mixed-race children are called ハーフwhich means either of the parents is ethnically Japanese. Approximately, twenty thousand ハーフare born in Japan every year (MEXT, 2020 ). In a society where conformity and homogeneity are strongly emphasized, ハーフare also expected to fit in with their respective groups. Although it is possible to influence behavior, and achieve conformity, it is impossible to change someone’s physical appearance to blend in with the majority. This is one of the reasons why bullying occurs in school settings. Asahi Shimbun reported that close to 60% of 170 Tokyo public high schools require hair color proof certificate (Asahi Shimbun, 2020). In 2020, a high school student in Osaka was forced to dye her hair black causing her to drop out of school (BBC, 2021). I interviewed 20 mixed-race children to understand their experiences. Eighteen of the twenty subjects confirmed they were subject to one or more of the following; ハーフだからyou are good looking, you run fast, your skin is really white, and you can speak English. ハーフだから 」is derived from deep-rooted stereotypes in society. It undermines the person’s individual effort and creates unnecessary stress and anxiety. I would like to recommend a book entitled “ ほくはイエローでホワイトでちょっとブルー” by Mikako Brady. It offers valuable insights into the struggles of mixed-race children. I would like to end my presentation with the following words; there is only one race which is the human race. We give ourselves the best opportunities when we embrace diversity and collaborate with one another. Thank you for listening.

With the increasing number of foreign students in Japan, the universities’ ability to provide adequate support in intercultural adaptation must be discussed. However, this topic has rarely been addressed in previous studies. Hence, this study examined the academic and sociocultural adaptation challenges faced by international students, along with the condition of international student adjustment programs offered in the Japanese universities. It aims to make recommendations for improving the existing adjustment programs and to give suggestion for future adjustment programs in Japanese Universities. A mixed methods research design was applied in this study. The researchers used a quantitative survey of international students studying in Japanese universities, followed by semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire was divided into four sections: 1) International students’ personal information; 2) International students’ adjustment in Japan; 3) International Students’ adjustment programs in Japanese universities; and 4) Suggestions for the future. The questionnaires were distributed to international students studying in universities in Japan, and 155 usable responses were gathered from students from 20 countries. The findings show that most of the international students have difficulty making friends with native speakers due to lack of opportunities and confidence in their knowledge of the Japanese language. When they encounter difficulties, they are more likely to seek help from other international students rather than from Japanese students. Furthermore, 52.9% of the students stated that their university provides sufficient support while another 47.2% did not entirely agree with this statement. Moreover, 62.4% of students still prefer to receive monthly or weekly support after they get used to university life. In conclusion, there is still room for improvement in the university support. One of the most important ways is to increase the opportunities and platforms for the international students to communicate with Japanese students.

Iwasaki (2011) explored Japanese L2 learners reflective experiences in Japan, and found that learners are active agents in their identity formation, and this work includes adhering, or not adhering, to the language norms of the L1. For advanced learners of Japanese, they have agency to make conscious linguistic moves that will project the social identities they define for themselves. In Japan, where not being Japanese is often stereotypically assumed before the speaker utters a single word (contextualization cues based on racial appearance), the advanced Japanese L2 speaker knows the identities that are being assigned to them, and will make moves to regain control of the identity they want to project for themselves. This may include language work that, while accepting their "foreign-ness" apriori, attempts to define themselves within the limited expectations (of linguistic ability) by the dominant culture. In this way, Japanese L2 speakers gain ownership of the stereotype, while at the same time exhibiting exceptional Japanese language skills. They show that even though they comprehend (and can competently maneuver within) the sociolinguistic expectations of Japanese culture, they choose not to do so. The ongoing research presented here shows how American Japanese L2 speakers studying in a Japanese university establish, maintain and display their identities as non-native Japanese speakers. While previous research has looked mainly at reflective self-reporting or interviews to collect data, this study uses conversation analysis (CA) to uncover how these identities are co-constructed in authentic classroom discourse settings.