Pedagogical Theories and Approaches to Teach Young Learners of Japanese as a Heritage Language

Abstract

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for the development of curricula for Japanese heritage language schools. Although these schools provide most of the Japanese heritage language (JHL) instruction available to elementary and secondary school pupils, they have received little attention or support from the academic community. Specifically, they are in need research-based knowledge as well as models for teaching methodology, developing curricula and instructional materials, and providing teacher training. This paper examines recent theories and approaches in the fields of heritage language education, bilingualism, and instruction that is developmentally appropriate to young learners. The paper then proposes a process of curriculum design that integrates and applies these theories and approaches. The curriculum proposed here could also be used in heritage language schools for other languages.

Best practices for working with heritage language learners in the K-12 language classroom

“…Educators are encouraged to get to know HLLs in their classroom by administering informal surveys to learn about their backgrounds and experiences (Douglas, 2005), and macro-based approaches to instruction are recommended for leveraging HLLs existing abilities in the language (Carreira & Kagan, 2018). In recent years, the multiliteracies approach, the community-based service-learning approach, and the critical language awareness approach have been increasingly referenced in the literature on heritage language teaching and learning (Parra, 2014), and elements of these pedagogical approaches may be helpful to include when teaching HLLs the less commonly taught standards of Cultures, Comparisons, Connections, and Communities.…”

Complementary schools in the global age: A multi-level critical analysis of discourses and practices at Japanese Hoshuko in the UK

“…Against this background of internationalisation, the bulk of US-based research has focused on aspects of curriculum development and pedagogical practice that would improve the quality of JHL education at hoshuko (e.g. Chinen et al, 2013;Douglas, 2005), while questions concerning the tension between centralised government policies and local realities have largely remained unaddressed. One important exception in this respect are the ethnographic studies carried out by Doerr and Lee (2009, 2012, 2013Lee & Doerr, 2015).…”