著者

中川 康弘

出版者

Center for Global Communication Strategies, College of Arts & Sciences, The University of Tokyo

雑誌

Eruditi : The CGCS Journal of Language Research and Education

巻号頁・発行日

no.4, pp.3-16, 2020-08

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In the field of Japanese language education, there is still a strong tendency to depict culture as a singular phenomenon. People and things, in particular, are often explained in educational materials using stereotypes. In this study, I conducted an open-ended questionnaire using Japanese language teaching materials with a small class of international students, the majority of whom are from Western countries. The purpose of the study was to examine how stereotypes contained within the teaching materials, such as those relating to gender and nationality, were perceived by beginner-level exchange students. The results revealed a mixture of neutral and negative opinions and responses. The findings indicated that although adult learners recognize the stereotypes, they tolerated them, sifted through the information, and proceeded with their learning, accepting the sentences as typical examples for the purpose of learning Japanese grammar and expressions. Regarding the question of whether teachers should discuss the topic of stereotypes, many students agreed, but some believed that it was not necessary. However, another concern arose between the attitude that teachers should not discuss stereotypes at all in class and the attitude that they should be employed excessively and whether such would invite students to scrutinize grammar rules and usage. Based on these findings, teaching materials should not be viewed only objectively as material for intellectual consumption; it is also important to consider them as a chance to present the various stereotypes that people encounter in everyday social situations in Japan. Accordingly, it is important to determine to what extent should stereotypes be used in time-limited courses that are focused on grammar learning.Guest Article