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Language Policy in Asian Tertiary Institutions: Focus on Japan

Language Policy in Asian Tertiary Institutions: Focus on Japan. James W. Tollefson International Christian University. Indigenous Languages. Okinawan (Ryukyuan): 1.3 million in the region Ainu: 25,000 300,000 elsewhere in Japan 300,000 outside Japan.

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Language Policy in Asian Tertiary Institutions: Focus on Japan

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  1. Language Policy in Asian Tertiary Institutions: Focus on Japan James W. Tollefson International Christian University

  2. Indigenous Languages • Okinawan (Ryukyuan): • 1.3 million in the region • Ainu: 25,000 • 300,000 elsewhere in Japan • 300,000 outside Japan

  3. Changes in the number of registered foreign nationals by major nationality (place of origin) 607,419 Korea China 487,570 Brazil 286,557 Philippines 199,394 Peru

  4. Changes in the number of registered foreign nationals and their percentage of the total population in Japan Percentage of Population

  5. Policy Changes: 1998 • Foreign language classes required • Higher proportion of total hours • Shift to communication skills • Extend to primary schools

  6. “Japanese with English Abilities” • Three levels of ability • Basic communication in elementary schools • Conversational ability in secondary schools • English for employment in tertiary education

  7. Implementation • Motivation for oral language • “Super-English language high schools” • Raise teachers’ English ability • 1000 additional assistant teachers • Promoting Japanese culture

  8. Population Decline • 2006: 126.12 million • 2040: 100.05 million • 2050: 88.33 million

  9. Population of 3 Major Age Groups: 1884-2050 TOTAL 15-64 65+ 0-14

  10. Sophia University: Faculty of Liberal Arts • For many, those careers will involve working for international companies or companies with international business dealings, where postings away from the home country and interaction with colleagues of different nationalities will be daily occurrences. The university must prepare its students to live in this globalized world. . .(Sophia University, 2006).

  11. Tama University: Faculty of Global Studies • The goal of the Faculty of Global Studies is not to foster specialists who might make an immediate impact in their field, but rather to provide sound general education grounded in an interdisciplinary approach. . .Not only the classes but all announcements and paperwork will be in English. . .more than 60% [of the faculty] will be non-Japanese native speakers [of English]. All staff members will be bilingual. (Tama Univ., 2006)

  12. Examples of code-switching among students (intrasentential) • I just haven’t been full of genki-ness lately. [I just haven’t been full of energy lately.] • What are we sawagi-ing about? [What are we all excited about?] (Source: Nakamura, 2004)

  13. Examples of code-switching among students (affective) • I have two midterms…Ita! (bumps into table) [I have two midterms…ouch!] • He’s choo cool. [He’s so cool.] (Source: Nakamura, 2004)

  14. Number of Japanese Students Studying Abroad USA46,810(59.9%)

  15. Number of Foreign Students by Region and Country of Origin (2004) China 59,406 65.1%

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