Reflections on translanguaging practices in English education in Japan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25170/ijelt.v16i1.2552Keywords:
translanguaging, bilingual, first language, Japan, EFLAbstract
This study is a reflection on critical incidents (Tripp, 1993) addressing the use and promotion of a learner’s first language (L1) and cultural knowledge as linguistic and cognitive resources for learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Japan. Translanguaging, which was first introduced by Cen Williams (1994) to refer to the practice of interchanging languages in the classroom for productive use, was investigated to provide a deeper understanding of what seems to be relatively common practice across Japan. This paper outlines to fit with the broader study area of a larger collaborative inquiry involving university-based researchers providing English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Japan. This paper outlines the background of English education in Japan and considers its current state to study possible additions and changes in the broader curricula.
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_20160422.pdf
Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute. (2009). Benesse sogo kyoiku kenkyujyo. Retrieved from http://berd.benesse.jp/ berd/data/dataclip/clip0014/index2.html.
Education minister proposes English education for 3rd grade. (2014, November 8). Japan Today. Retrieved from https://japantoday.com/ category/national/education-minister-proposes-english-education-for-3rd-grade.
Farrell, T. S. C. (2013) Critical Incident Analysis Through Narrative Reflective Practice: A Case Study. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 1(1), pp. 79-89.
Carson, E., & Kashihara, H. (2012). Using the L1 in the L2 Classroom: The Students Speak. The Language Teacher, 36(4), pp. 41-48.
García, O. (2009). Education, multilingualism and translanguaging in the 21st century. In Multilingual Education for Social Justice: Globalising the local, eds. Ajit Mohanty, Minati Panda, Robert Phillipson, Tove Skutnabb-Kangas. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan (former Orient Longman), pp. 128-145.
Halquist, D., & Musanti, S. (2010). Critical Incidents and Reflection: Turning Points that Challenge the Researcher and Create Opportunities for Knowing. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 23(4), pp. 449-461.
Hawkins, S. (2015). Guilt, Missed Opportunities, and False Role Models: A Look at Perceptions and Use of the First Language in English Teaching in Japan. JALT, 37(1), pp. 29-37. doi:10.37546/JALTJJ37.1-1
Hesson, S., Seltzer, K., & Woodley, H. (2016). Translanguaging in Curriculum and Instruction: A CUNY-NYSIEB Guide for Educators. 1st ed. [ebook] New York: CUNY-NYSIEB.
Iida, T. (2014). A Study on the Roles of L1 and L2 in Foreign Language Classroom: Language Awareness, Language planning, and Translanguaging. Doshisha Woman’s University Sougoubunkakenkyusyokiyo, 31, pp.1-15.
JET Program USA. (2021). 2021 JET Program Application Guidelines. Retrieved from https://jetprogramusa.org/wp-content/uploads/ 2020/10/2021-Application-Guidelines-Oct-Update.pdf. JET Programme.
Johnson, K. E., & Golombek, P. (2002). Teachers’ narrative inquiry as professional development. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Lin, A. M. Y. (2013). Towards Paradigmatic Change in TESOL Methodologies: Building Plurilingual Pedagogies from the Ground Up. TESOL Quarterly, 47(3), pp. 521-545.
Matsuda, A. (2013). The Ownership of English in Japanese Secondary Schools. World Englishes, 22, pp. 483-496. doi:10.1111/j.1467-971X.2003.00314.x.
Meyer, H. (2008). The Pedagogical Implications of L1 use in the L2 Classroom. Maebashi Kyodai Gakuen College Ronsyu, 8, pp. 147-159.
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Japan (MEXT). (2014). English Education Reform Plan corresponding to Globalization. Retrieved from http://www.mext.go.jp/ en/news/topics/detail/1372656.html.
Nation, P. (2003). The Role of the First Language in Foreign Language Learning. Asian EFL Journal, 5(2).
Nishimuro, M., & Borg, S. (2013). Teacher cognition and grammar teaching in a Japanese high school. JALT Journal, 35(1), pp. 29-50.
Nishino, T. (2011). Komyunikashon apurocchi ni kansuru nihonjin koukou eigo koushi no shinjou to jissen. [Japanese high school teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding communicative language teaching]. JALT Journal, 33(2), pp. 131-156.
Ortega, L. (2007). Meaningful L2 practice in foreign language classrooms: A cognitive interactionist SLA. In R. M. DeKeyser (Ed.) Practice in a second language: perspectives from applied linguistics and cognitive psychology. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, pp. 180-207.
Pavlenko, A. (2003). "I Never Knew I Was a Bilingual": Reimagining Teacher Identities in TESOL, Journal of Language, Identity & Education, 2(4), pp. 251-268. doi: 10.1207/S15327701JLIE0204_2
Tripp, D. (1993). Critical incidents in teaching. London: Rutledge.
Yonesaka, S. (2005). A Proposal to use Classroom Discourse Frames to Investigate Patterns of Teacher L1 use. Hokkai Gakuen University Studies in Culture, 32, pp. 31-57.
Yukawa, E. (2016). Use of the First Language in an Undergraduate English-Medium Seminar Class: An EMI Case in a Japanese Context. Studies in Mother Tongue, Heritage Language, Bilingual Education, 12, pp. 40-76.
Williams, C. (1994). Arfarniad o ddulliau dysgu ac addysgu yng nghyd-destun addysg uwchradd ddwyieithog, [An evaluation of teaching and learning methods in the context of bilingual secondary education]. Unpublished Doctoral Thesis (University of Wales, Bangor).
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2021-05-26
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