Language Learning Advising in Community-based Japanese Language Classes : A Consideration of the Problem of the Word “Daijobu”

チイキ　ノ　ニホンゴ　キョウシツ　ニ　オケル　ゲンゴ　ガクシュウ　アドバイジング　ガクシュウシャ　ノ　ダイジョウブ　ト　イウ　コトバ　カラ　ノ　モンダイ　テイキ

セイ, ヨウコ

Sei, Yoko

Center for International Education and Exchange, Osaka University

言語学習アドバイジング

共生社会

ボランティア

Article

Community-based Japanese language classes play a crucial role in Japanese language education for foreign residents. Most of these classes rely on volunteers, and they face challenges such as a lack of human resources and heavy workloads. Discussions about community-based Japanese language classes often revolve around the objectives of classroom activities, including fostering an intercultural society and improving Japanese language skills. However, new approaches that do not focus solely on one or the other are being explored. These approaches involve language learning advising, which considers the learner’s autonomy, establishes a learning environment through negotiation with the learner, focuses on the learner’s social context, and listens to the learner’s voice. The author introduced language learning advising in a course for volunteers working in local Japanese language classes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven of them to understand how language learning advising could be integrated into their activities. Several interviewees discussed situations in which they encountered difficulties. Therefore, this paper conducts a thematic analysis describing the difficulty of discerning the learner’s true feelings. The results, which highlight the necessity of being cautious with the word “daijobu” (roughly meaning “okay”), raise issues in the activity.