The Program

In Summary

The program in question involves the assessment of a one-semester course in the Spanish and Portuguese Language Department at Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba, Japan. The aim was to develop a small-scale model for a more inclusive Japanese society. Involving both Spanish heritage speakers and non-heritage speakers, the course was focused on "expanding their knowledge of the Spanish language at the same time they learn academic content or specific topics" (Becski, 2021). Through this, the hope was to learn more about heritage language speakers and to address steps toward their visibility within Japanese society.

The course itself, Supeingo Kenkyu IV: Heritage Languages and Speakers in Japan (Spanish Studies IV: Heritage Languages and Speakers in Japan), was (and still is) only for Spanish majors in the Spanish and Portuguese Language Department. The course is taught entirely in Spanish. 14 students joined during the assessed course, all of varying backgrounds. These included Nikkeijin (Peruvian, Filipino, Chinese), half-Japanese native students (Peruvian, Korean), those with Okinawan roots, as well as native Japanese with only Japanese roots. The topics of Nikkeijin, Nihonjinron theories, language policy in Japan, treatment of the native Ainu and Okinawan peoples, heritage languages in Japan, as well as Japanese as a heritage language abroad were explored, among others. Assessment of the learning was done through group discussions using specific vocabulary, discussions on real cases (in newspapers, articles, etc.), essays, and a final presentation.

Two surveys were taken during the course: one at the beginning and one at the end. In analyzing them, as well as the coursework throughout the semester, it was found that there was not only an increased awareness and understanding of the issues regarding heritage inclusion in Japan, but also an increased maturity in contemplating and articulating the details of such topics with the intent for practical application. In other words, the program was successful in its goals.

In Detail

Background

In describing the course in detail, some background is necessary. The following is from a journal description on the creation of the program:

At Kanda University of International Studies there is an elective class for Spanish heritage speakers regardless of the degree they study. It started in the 2019-20 school year as a pilot project, and the following school year, it became a regular class from which students can earn one credit for each semester they attended. It is a two-semester course called Spanish III B: Spanish for Heritage Speakers. Students in the aforementioned class take lessons that are tailor-made for their linguistic and cultural needs, and are given the opportunity to reinforce their identity as a whole. For the moment, this is the only class of this type, with credits, at the university level in Japan. For a year it was the only academic endeavor aimed at recognizing the importance of helping Spanish heritage students develop their linguistic skills and fulfill their cultural and identity needs. In order to prevent this important step in education from being an isolated academic endeavor within the university, for the 2020-21 school year a complementary class was created. The class is named Supeingo Kenkyu IV: Heritage Languages and Speakers in Japan (Spanish Studies IV: Heritage Languages and Speakers in Japan). (Becski, 2021)

This elective course was originally designed in the same vein as Spanish III B: Spanish for Heritage Speakers in that it was supposed to be a two-semester course. Because of the nature of students not always signing up for a second semester elective, the focus of the study was limited to the first semester only. As a reference, however, the second semester is described thus:

...the syllabus revolves around Spanish as a heritage language in Japan and, during the second semester, an introduction to its didactics. It includes an end-of-semester assignment (an informative video) that involves raising awareness amongst classmates, teachers and those interested in the subject, on a topic they chose from those discussed in the [Supeingo Kenkyu IV: Heritage Languages and Speakers in Japan] class. They also have to plan and teach a 10 [minute] lesson aimed at students in the [Spanish III B: Spanish for Heritage Speakers class] at the same university. (Becski, 2021)

It seems natural that a follow up attempting to inform others about the topics taught in the first semester would be a practical way to approach the issue of inclusion for heritage languages and cultures. This is something that could be built upon for the future.

Methodology

The methodology behind the course was in support of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), defined as “a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both content and language" (Becski, 2021). A big challenge for many heritage language teachers is that there exists a general "search for appropriate pedagogical methods to teach heritage language speakers because of the nature of their diversity" (Becski, 2021). The program was focused on implementing CLIL because of the positive results it has seen elsewhere, specifically towards heritage language speakers and learners. According to a study done in the UK for a Greek supplementary school, “the most significant finding was that the approach facilitated the building of linguistic and cognitive bridges between the students’ linguistic heritage and their mainstream education" (Charalampidi et al., 2017). In following this trail, the course Supeingo Kenkyu IV: Heritage Languages and Speakers in Japan would "like to show it can help build a bridge between heritage and non-heritage students towards an inclusive mainstream education and society" through the use of CLIL (Becski, 2021).

Method

The logistics of this course were a 90-minute course once a week for an entire semester: 15 meetings in total. There was vocabulary related to heritage languages and speakers given before each unit, during which time the students would slowly build up in proficiency to be able to discuss the topics thoroughly. Brainstorming allowed for personal experiences to be integrated into the future discussions. Using Spanish, they could grow not only in the language, but also in the cultural and social content they were learning--a focus of CLIL. The students were asked thought-provoking questions to "generate a natural environment for interventions and opinions" (Becski, 2021). The instructor then gauged the students on their Spanish ability, as well as whether they were using the right vocabulary or explaining the content properly. The students were given time to formulate their thoughts beforehand, with some Japanese usage being allowed in groups to articulate their thoughts and then translate into Spanish. Concerning assessing the learners proficiency, "Data collection included a survey, activities in Google Classroom with shared documents, short vocabulary tests for self-evaluation, class discussions, in class group activities reports, presentations and essays" (Becski, 2021).

Participants

During the assessed course, there were 14 students enrolled. These students were third and fourth year undergraduate students majoring in Spanish with, at minimum, an intermediate proficiency in the language--around B1-B2 based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Students from other degrees, however, who spoke intermediate Spanish could sit in and audit each class. Starting in 2021-2022, a year after the initial launch of the program, "students from [Spanish III B: Spanish for Heritage Speakers] who don’t major in Spanish can join and get credits too" (Becski, 2021). Initially, the department thought there wouldn't be any students enrolled in the course. Additionally, a multitude of different students signed up for the course, to the surprise of the department:

It was also a surprise to see that the students who had signed up included not only those with a heritage language (Filipino-Japanese, Peruvian-Japanese, Chinese-Japanese), or cultural heritage (a Peruvian-Japanese girl who learned Spanish at university), but also students who were interested in the topic (a student whose undergraduate dissertation is on Japanese as a heritage language in Mexico and a student that was writing his thesis on bilingualism in Puerto Rico), and also a girl of Korean descent and another of Okinawan descent. The other participants were Spanish as a second language students with no heritage language. (Becski, 2021)

Relevant student information such as heritage language, culture, and background is listed below (Becski, 2021):

Goals and Content

As previously stated, the goals of the program were to "create critical awareness and enable students to carry out research, read and discuss heritage languages in Spanish" and to eventually "expand [the Japanese education system's] reach to benefit that part of society that has been quite invisible and neglected" (Becski, 2021). In pursuit of these goals, key foci of the program were:

-Raising awareness on the issue of heritage languages and heritage speakers in Japan

-Generating constructive critical thinking in students through discussions and debates among classmates

-Creating a comfortable environment where opinions and experiences can be shared between students, considering that heritage language students from several backgrounds could join this lesson too

In pursuit of these foci, the course deliverables were that students will:

-Conduct sociolinguistic group discussions about heritage languages in Spanish, using the specific vocabulary

-Discuss contemporary real cases

-Investigate and write a final essay raising critical awareness on a chosen topic of heritage languages and heritage speakers studied in class, with an accurate and appropriate vocabulary

-Present for the class the principal points of the essay

Course content included the following topics:

-Introduction to the topic of heritage languages and historical social context

-Language policy in Japan

-Heritage languages in Japan

-The absence of the heritage speakers and languages in the available teaching materials

-Specific vocabulary

-Some linguistic theories related to heritage languages

-Heritage speakers: immigrants and returnees

-Identification of the different characteristics of heritage speakers

-The current situation regarding Nikkei

-Children who have the “heritage” but not the language

-The theories of the Nihonjinron

-Language Shyness

-Japanese as a heritage language, including migrations to the USA and Latin America

Examples of final essay topics were:

"Tagalog as a heritage language in Japan: The difficulties faced by Filipino students"

"The importance of active help for minority languages in Japan: The case of the Ainu"

"The teaching of Japanese as a heritage language in Mexico"

"The link between Nihonjinron and education in Japan"

"Guaraní as the heritage language of the Paraguayan Nikkei in Japan"

According to the study (Becski, 2021), the depth with which the students were able to understand topics related to heritage languages and cultures, evaluate their relationship to Japan, and appropriately articulate their thoughts at the end of the semester was a decided growth in ability and maturity compared to the beginning of the semester. "This could mean a positive change in the short term for the future education of heritage speakers" (Becski, 2021).

Challenges and Limitations

Throughout the program, there existed multiple challenges. One of them included the troubles of teaching Spanish linguistics in Spanish to heritage and foreign learners. The pace had to be properly assessed, because any gap in understanding vocabulary and context would make future discussions difficult to participate in. Additionally, since many of the resources that were used to facilitate proper discussions were papers and articles written primarily in English, they would have first needed to be translated to Spanish. In doing this, there was great effort and time spent getting the materials for each class ready. While this can be addressed in repeat courses using similar materials, it does not address the challenge of future, potentially more developed materials needing to also be translated into Spanish.

Regarding limitations, the small class size is an obvious one if any future meaningful and impactful structural change will take place. There are only so many students with access to this course, because enrolled students need to have intermediate Spanish proficiency. On top of this, if the instructor is replaced for any reason, the content could potentially change drastically, as this is still an elective part of the Supeingo Kenkyu IV branch of courses. Each teacher has control of what specific topics can be chosen, so they perhaps might decide against the inclusion of heritage languages and cultures as part of the course design.