On Communicative Competence and Intercultural Understanding through the Lens of the Japanese Government-Approved English Language Textbook
Abstract
It has been more than decades since English education in Japan started focusing on communicative competence. Textbooks and lessons in public schools are chosen based on a government-made Course of Study (Guideline). The Guideline puts emphasis on communicative competence and intercultural understanding in terms of English language education. The Government’s efforts to enact reform measures have failed, and the outcomes of various international assessments of Japanese English proficiencies are unsatisfactory. It implies that despite great effort the goal set by the Guideline has not been achieved yet. Students are motivated to learn English not for communication purposes but for test taking. This study examines a government-approved textbook for high school students’ required course from Sanseido Press to see how the Guideline’s objective is reflected in it. Since it is important to raise cultural awareness, this study tries to figure out how this textbook helps students understand other cultures. This study uses Alptekin’s model of intercultural communicative competence and analyses the content of this textbook. This model is best for figuring out what makes effective intercultural understanding for nonnative English learners, which requires knowing about different cultures and being able to use that knowledge appropriately in any situation. The findings revealed a clear bias towards Japanese cultures and US citizens. It is assumed that American English is considered an ideal model for English education in Japan. It is recommended that textbooks accept the concept of World Englishes, include a more diverse culture, and get nonnative speakers involved.
Keywords: English education in Japan; intercultural understanding; cultural awareness; World Englishes; intercultural communicative competence
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Alptekin, C. (2002). Towards intercultural communicative competence in ELT. ELT journal, 56(1), 57-64.
Aspinall, R. W. (2011). Globalization and English language education policy in Japan: External risk and internal inertia. Reimagining Japanese education: Borders, transfers, circulations, and the comparative, 127-146.
Banjongjit, B., & Boonmoh, A. (2018). Teachers’ perceptions towards promoting intercultural communicative competence in the EFL classroom. Reflections, 25(2), 76-97.
Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute (2020). Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://berd.benesse.jp/up_images/research/all4.pdf
Butler, Y. G., & Iino, M. (2005). Current Japanese reforms in English language education: The 2003 “action plan”. Language Policy, 4(1), 25-45.
Butler, Y. G. (2015). English language education among young learners in East Asia: A review of current research (2004-2014). Language Teaching, 48(3), 303-342.
Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied linguistics, 1(1), 1-47.
Celce-Murcia, M. (2008). Rethinking the role of communicative competence in language teaching. In Intercultural language use and language learning: Springer, 41-57.
Centinavci, U. R. (2012). Intercultural communicative competence in ELT. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 3445-3449.
Chomsky, N. (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press
Educational Testing Service. (2021). TOEFL iBT Test and Score Data Summary 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.ets.org/content/dam/ets-org/pdfs/toefl/toefl-ibt-test-score-data-summary-2021.pdf
Ethnologue: Languages of the World. (2021) Twenty-fourth edition. English. https://www.ethnologue.com/language/eng
Graddol, D. (2006). English next. London, England: British Council. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/pub_english_next.pdf
Glasgow, G. P., & Paller, D. L. (2014). MEXT-approved EFL textbooks and the new Course of Study. In JALT2013 conference proceedings (pp. 113-122).
Hymes, D. (1972). On communicative competence. In Pride, J. B. & Holmes, J. (Eds.), sociolinguistics (pp. 269-293). Harmondsworth: Penguin Books
Jenkins, J. (2006). Current perspectives on teaching world Englishes and English as a lingua franca. TESOL quarterly, 40(1), 157-181.
Jones, B. A. (2019). The Role of English Education in Japan. Memoirs of Learning Utility Center for Konan University Students (4), 21-31.
Kachru, B. B. (1986). The alchemy of English: The spread, functions, and models of non-native Englishes. University of Illinois Press.
Kamiya, M. (2008). Nihonjin wa Dare no Eigo wo Manabu Bekika World Englishes to iu Shiten Kara no Eigo Kyouiku. (Whose English should Japanese learn? English Education from the perspective of World Englishes.) Sophia Junior College Faculty Journal, (28) ,41-71.
Kato, R., & Kumagai, Y. (2020). Translingual practices in a ‘Monolingual’ society: discourses, learners’ subjectivities and language choices. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 1-16.
Ke, I. C. (2015). A Global Language without a Global Culture: From Basic English to Global English. English as a Global Language Education (EaGLE), Journal 1(1), 65-87
Krish, P., & May, O. C. (2020). A case study of L1 interference in speech acts among Chinese L2 students. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 26(1), 106-118.
Matsuda, A. (2002). Representation of users and uses of English in beginning Japanese EFL textbooks. JALT Journal, 24(2), 182-200.
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). (2011). Basics of the Course of Study. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/new-cs/idea/index.htm
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). (2018). High school Course of Study. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.mext.go.jp/content/1384661_6_1_3.pdf
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). (2019). Announcement. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.mext.go.jp/component/a_menu/education/micro_detail/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2019/11/15/1397734_19.pdf
Mitchell, C. (2017). Language education pressures in Japanese high schools. JALT Shiken, 21(1), 1-11.
Morizumi, F. (2012). Nihonjin ni totte Eigo towa Nanika: Eigo Kyouiku to Gengo Seisaku. (What does English mean to Japanese?: English Education and Language Policy). Review of Asian and Pacific Studies (37), 139-151.
Morrow, P. R. (2004). English in Japan: the world Englishes perspective. JALT Journal, 26(1), 79-100.
Naigaikyoikuhenshubu. (2021, March 2). Naigai Kyoiku. (Education of inside and outside of Japan). Status of accepted textbooks for high schools in 2021. No 6896. Jiji News Agency.
Nambiar, R., Hashim, R. S., & Yasin, R. M. (2018). Impact of integrating local culture into language materials on communicative ability of Malaysian lower secondary learners. 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature, 24(4), 13-26.
Nishino, T., & Watanabe, M. (2008). Communication‐oriented policies versus classroom realities in Japan. Tesol Quarterly, 42(1), 133-138.
Okuno, H. (2007). Nihon no Gengoseisaku to Eigokyouiku: ‘Eigo ga Tsukaeru Nihonjin’ wa Ikusei sarerunoka? (Japanese language policy and language pedagogy), Tokyo: Sanyuusha Shuppan.
Ookawa, K. (2015). Koutou gakkou Eigo Kentei Kyoukasho Communication English I ni mirareru Bunka daizai no Bunseki. (Analysis of Cultural topics in the Approved Textbook Communication English I) Shikoku Eigo Kyouiku Gakkai Kiyou (Review of Shikoku English Education conference) 35, 25-34.
Putra, J. R., & Musigrungsi, S. (2022). Indonesian EFL Teachers' Beliefs about Incorporating Cultural Aspects in Their Multilingual and Multicultural EFL Classrooms. 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature, 28(1), 75-89.
Ronci, M. (2020). Mixed-Approach Analysis of Foreign Language Textbooks of English and French in Japan. In Papers from the Lancaster University Postgraduate Conference in Linguistics & Language Teaching (p. 30).
Sakurai, N. (2007). Changes in high school English education: A comparison of popular English textbooks. CTA Humanistica Et Scientifica Universitatis Sangio Kyotiensis Humanities Series, 36, 131-144.
Samimy, K. K., & Kobayashi, C. (2004). Toward the development of intercultural communicative competence: Theoretical and pedagogical implications for Japanese English teachers. Jalt Journal, 26(2), 245-261.
Shimozaki, M., Imoto, Y., Iwasa, Y., Kuroiwa, Y., Kono, T., et al. (2019). CROWN English Communication I New Edition, Tokyo: Sanseido
Smith, L. E. (1976). English as an International Auxiliary Language. RELK Journal, 7(2), 38-42.
Takeda, A., Choi, E. S., Mochizuki, N., and Watanabe, Y. (2006). Analysis and comparison of the junior and senior high school level English textbooks for Japan and Korea. Second Language Studies, 25(1), Fall, 53-82.
Trudgill, P. (2000). Sociolinguistics: An introduction to language and society: Penguin UK.
Turnbull, B. (2020). Beyond bilingualism in Japan: Examining the translingual trends of a “monolingual” nation. International Journal of Bilingualism, 24(4), 634-650.
Yamanaka, N. (2006). An evaluation of English textbooks in Japan from the viewpoint of nations in the inner, outer, and expanding circles. Jalt Journal, 28(1), 57-76.
Yuzar, E., Rahmiaty, Rahman, F. (2022). “Am I Being Rude”: Exploring Indonesian Students’ Intercultural Communicative Competence in Inner Circle Countries. Lingual: Journal of Language and Culture, 13(1), 18-26.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/3L-2023-2901-05
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
eISSN : 2550-2247
ISSN : 0128-5157