Publisher：OnCUE JALT  

This paper examines how critical thinking (CT) and digital literacy (DL) skills were integrated into a Japanese university English for academic purposes (EAP) course. Upon completion of the course, students (n=88) completed a questionnaire and provided written feedback related to the usefulness of the collaborative projects and in-house textbooks at developing CT and DL skills. The results indicated that most of the participants generally held positive views about the course and felt that their CT and DL abilities improved. However, the students also identified several significant obstacles such as busy schedules, procrastination, ‘social loafing’, ‘free riding’, intragroup conflicts, and information and communication technologies (ICT) concerns that can hinder a learner’s progress in an EAP course.

Publisher：CUE SIG, JALT  

This paper outlines the design, development, and implementation of a first-year academic English course at a Japanese university with a focus on designing materials that encourage active learning through project-based learning (PBL). The authors explicate the process of course design and material creation designed to incorporate academic genres into communicative tasks. This paper should be of interest to educators who are involved in curriculum design, course design, and material creation.

Publisher：University of Messina  

This paper presents a narrative review of selected studies related to intercultural communication competence (ICC), foreign language (FL) learning, and anxiety. The objective is to examine the role that anxiety plays in the development of ICC in FL learners in Japan. The author first overviews the state of ICC scholarship and its relevance to the Japanese context. She then looks at the impact of anxiety on ICC development, and examines studies in FL education and behavioral science to investigate the prevalence of anxiety in Japan, and its possible causes. The paper ends with a consideration of the pedagogical implications for FL educators in Japan.

Publisher：ICSAI  

Globalisation and advancements in communication technologies have brought about a dramatic increase in the frequency and complexity of intercultural interactions. In addition to language skills, language learners today also need the ability to deal with cultural differences. This has implications for language learners and teachers. In Japan, the government has in recent years implemented several nationwide "global" projects aimed at reforming the higher education system, and at cultivating in learners the skills necessary to become effective global communicators. While intercultural communication competence (ICC) has been widely researched and discussed over the past thirty years, global communication competence (GCC) remains relatively unexplored in foreign language learning circles. In order to establish effective pedagogies for GCC in foreign language classrooms, it is important to first characterize its component skills or attitudes and consider how those compare with student needs. The researcher undertook a preliminary study (qualitative survey; n=23) to investigate learner ideas and needs related to GCC. Participant responses were coded according to Byram's 1997 model for ICC. Findings showed that participants believed attitudinal factors to be of primary importance in the development of GCC. In addition, several learners identified aspects of ICC development that lay outside the scope of Byram's ICC model. These included issues of language anxiety, confidence and a focus on linguistic accuracy at the expense of communicating meaning. The researcher will discuss student responses, their correlation with Byram's model for ICC, and pedagogical implications for foreign language educators in Japan.

Publisher： Nanzan University  

Autonomous learning has long been recognised as beneficial for language learners, but some question its suitability in Japan where teachers have traditionally been seen as responsible for managing student-learning. The Japanese government has recognised the need to cultivate foreign language learners who are independent and able to think critically, but has provided little guidance to teachers about how to foster those qualities in students. The author sought to incorporate increased student autonomy into an existing university English class syllabus. Students prepared and led a peer-discussion on a topic of their own choice. Feedback after the discussions showed that many of the students were not satisfied with their personal performances and wanted more explicit guidance from the teacher, but ultimately enjoyed the activity and thought that it was beneficial. All students were able to exercise autonomy and complete the activity. Although autonomy in a Japanese classroom may find its expression in a different way to Western ideas of autonomy, it is nonetheless an appropriate and attainable goal.

Publisher：Nanzan University  

Teachers often struggle to bring a communicative approach to the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classroom, yet the fundamental goal of EAP is to cultivate in students the communicative skills they need to study in an English-medium university environment. Curriculum design and course development are essential elements of a successful academic English program. This paper outlines the design, development, and implementation of a 1st-year academic English course at a Japanese university, with a focus on designing materials that encourage active learning. The authors explicate the process of course design from its inception to its implementation and reflective refinement, weaving in the thoughts of the curriculum designer together with those of the teachers responsible for creating the instructional material and teaching the course. The paper concludes with some recommendations for educators who are involved in curriculum development, course design, and material creation.

Publisher：JALT  

The authors implemented a project-based university course aimed at developing students’ global communicative competence through a collaborative project with local businesses. Students worked in teams to interview a business and create promotional articles in a variety of languages for different target audiences. This paper outlines the project and uses student survey responses to examine its effectiveness in fostering global communicative competence.

Publisher：JALT  

The researcher examines what global communicative competence entails and why intercultural competence is important, and proposes an “inside-out” approach to English education. The paper describes a Japanese university course based on the inside-out approach and specific tasks and methods employed to foster intercultural competence.

Publisher：Aichi Prefectural University  

Collaborative projects that link the classroom with the wider world foster autonomous learning and enable students to use their language skills for genuine communication. This paper details three such projects implemented by the researcher in her classes and looks at the benefits and challenges of communicative projects in the language classroom.

Publisher：愛知県立大学  

Publisher：JALT  

The researcher looks at a classroom approach that allows students to choose their own listening materials and create listening exercises for their classmates.

Publisher：Aichi Prefectural University  

The researcher implemented a university course designed to help students develop the skills necessary to talk openly and clearly about Japan. This paper describes the course and identifies successes, challenges and ways to improve.

Total pages：80 p.  

Total pages：96 p.  

Total pages：103 p.  

Total pages：74 p.  

Total pages：131 p.  

Book type：Report

A report outlining work on a project to formulate achievement goals for five language majors and minors. The researchers used the CEFR as a starting point and expressed the goals in terms of what students should be able to do with language.

Language：English   Presentation type：Oral presentation (invited, special)  

Country：Malaysia  

“Global” buzzwords have become ubiquitous in Japan, but global competence is often ill-defined in education policy and programs. Frameworks for global competence are prolific, but most hail from the Global North and are underpinned by Western cultural norms. This presentation reports the results of an exploratory mixed methods study that aimed to address the lack of a Japan-specific framework for global competence. The research integrated Q-methodology into a modified Delphi study to collect, refine and analyze stakeholder and expert opinions, and determine (a) what global competence in Japan constitutes, (b) the primary challenges of global competence development for students, and (c) the role of FL education in global competence development in Japan. The researcher proposes a framework for global competence in Japan based on her findings and suggests implications for FL education in Japan.

In recent years, the cultivation of globally competent graduates has become a primary aim of tertiary education worldwide. In Japan, the government has introduced nationwide projects and policies that emphasize the cultivation of global human resources (GHR). Yet, the concept of GHR is widely criticised for being vague and difficult to operationalise; and the efficacy of programs to foster globally competent graduates in Japan remains vastly unexplored. This symposium aims to present several perspectives from Japan on the concepts of global and intercultural competence and GHR-oriented education.

The Japanese government has launched numerous initiatives to encourage universities to cultivate gurobaru jinzai and “global competence” has become a buzzword in university curricula. Yet there is a lack of consensus as to exactly what gurobaru jinzai need. Policy documents focus on quantifiable foreign language goals and describe other elements of global competence only in vague terms, making them difficult to target and teach. Many researchers and educators adopt models for intercultural competence or global competence found in the literature, but these are overwhelmingly Western-centric and their applicability in the Japanese context is underexplored.
This session reports on a research study investigating the specific nature and challenges of global competence in Japan. The researcher conducted a Delphi study involving global professionals, researchers, and university students and teachers. Participants articulated, revised and refined their opinions regarding what it means to be globally competent in Japan, and the challenges that need to be addressed to help university students in Japan to develop global competence. By integrating multiple perspectives this study aimed to map out what a Japan-specific framework for global competence might look like, and shed light on how university educators can effectively cultivate global competence in their students.

The global jinzai construct has been criticised for its emphasis on English language skills, and its failure to adequately define less quantifiable components of global competence. Research-based frameworks for global competence do exist, but these are largely Western-centric and their applicability in Japan is uncertain. This presentation reports on data collected from four stakeholder groups (FL learners, FL teachers, researchers and global professionals) to examine what really matters for global competence in Japan.

In recent years, a call for more globally competent graduates has led to changes in tertiary education worldwide. In Japan, the government has introduced nationwide projects and policies that emphasise the cultivation of “global human resources” (GHR) with foreign language (FL) skills. Yet, the concept of GHR is ill-defined, and the impact of internationalisation programmes on the development of global competency remains vastly unexplored. This colloquium aims to present several perspectives on the impact of internationalisation on FL education in Japan and discuss the implications for successful programme development. The first presenter will discuss data results from a questionnaire administered to educational stakeholders (n=200) regarding necessary attributes of GHR and implications for FL education in Japan. The second presenter will discuss the results of a mixed methods study with students at three universities (n=285) to find whether they felt they were becoming more global-minded as a result of their university education. The final presenter will discuss results from a longitudinal survey and interviews with students at two Top Global universities (n=164) regarding the impact of intercultural extracurricular initiatives on FL skills, and the factors either fostering or hindering their development.

Universities worldwide are under pressure to produce global citizens capable of navigating the demands of life in the twenty-first century. In Japan, numerous government initiatives intended to internationalize universities and foster globally competent graduates have been launched over the past decade. Related policy documents focus on quantifiable foreign language (FL) goals and describe other elements of global competence only in vague terms, making them difficult to target and teach. It is largely up to individual institutions or educators to interpret exactly what the less quantifiable aspects of global competence look like, and how to cultivate and measure them. In many cases, this results in FL education that focuses on measurable linguistic targets (often based on test scores) and avoids addressing other aspects of global competence entirely. Yet FL mastery alone is not a good predictor of global communicative success. For FL educators in Japan to be able to effectively cultivate global-ready graduates, an understanding of target outcomes to strive for is needed. Extant research in global competence is overwhelmingly Western-centric and most global competence frameworks have been developed on a foundation of Western cultural norms. This is problematic for their application in the Japanese context.
This exploratory study aims to address the need for a conceptual framework for global competence that can be applied by FL educators in Japan. The researcher used a bilingual qualitative questionnaire to collect opinions from students, teachers, professionals and researchers (N=130) regarding what it means to be globally competent in Japan, and the challenges that need to be addressed to help university students in Japan to develop global competence. By integrating multiple perspectives this study aims to explore the concept of global competence in Japan and begin to map the terrain of what a Japan-specific framework may look like.

This presentation will highlight ten twenty-first century professional development (PD) strategies. The researchers will discuss the data that emerged from an intensive three-day PD workshop for in-service English teachers (n=17) as well as their creation of a professional learning network (PLN) for Japanese secondary school EFL educators.

The literature claims that effective education for intercultural competence is process-oriented, experiential, collaborative and student-centered. The presenter proposes that these pedagogical approaches may also be an effective way to manage disparate student language proficiencies and personal histories, and that they can be implemented even in large class groups. The presenter launched an EMI (English Medium Instruction) course in intercultural competence in 2018 that incorporates process-oriented, experiential, collaborative and student-centered approaches. In this presentation she elaborated on implementation of the course in a Japanese University and provided examples of specific activities used. Student reflections were interwoven throughout the presentation to offer some insight into their IC journey through the course.

It is essential in our hyper-connected, globalized world that twenty-first century English language learners (ELLs) are able to adequately process the digital content they receive and scrutinize it with a critical eye. Unfortunately, many commercially produced English language teaching resources are often saturated with predictable exercises and neoliberal ideas that do little to enhance ELLs’ critical thinking abilities. The presenters were cognizant of this reality and thus created customized content for a Japanese university academic English course which fostered first-year students’ critical thinking, digital literacy, autonomous learning, and presentation skills. An active learning environment was established through a project-based and ‘flipped classroom’ approach. This presentation started with a brief overview of the instructional materials that were created for the course. The data gathered from this action research project challenges the deeply entrenched notion that Japanese students are either uninterested or unable to discuss ‘deeper’ topics in their English language classes. The presentation concluded with several practical strategies for educators to integrate criticality and digital literacy into their own instructional contexts.

Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) has become a central aim of foreign language (FL) education. Government policy in Japan advocates the integration of intercultural education into FL study, but there is a lack of literature documenting effective pedagogies for ICC development in Japanese contexts. Seeking to address this deficit, the researcher conducted an action research study that explored ways to facilitate the development of ICC in an academic English program at a Japanese university. Taking an approach suggested by Richards, Heather, Conway, Roskvist and Harvey (2011) in their Intercultural Language Learning (IcLL) Framework, she implemented an opportunity-oriented module which emphasized self-discovery rather than explicitly “teaching culture.” Data collection methods included a reflective diary, interviews with students, and student self-evaluation tasks. In this presentation, the researcher briefly described the module content and pedagogy, discussed the efficacy of the approach, and ended with broad recommendations for education practitioners seeking to cultivate ICC in FL learners.

Globalization is leading to an increasingly interconnected world, and there is a worldwide push for universities to produce globally competent graduates who are capable of effective intercultural communication. The Japanese government has introduced various "global" projects that support the growth of EMI (English Medium Instruction) programs, in the hopes of (a) encouraging more international students to study in Japanese universities, and (b) producing more home-grown globally competent graduates. In teaching EMI courses in Japan, teachers often face the dilemma of how to teach classes with students who have low English proficiency. In 2018, the presenter launched a new EMI course about intercultural communication competence (ICC) at a private university in Japan. In this presentation she introduced the course from its conception through to individual classroom activities, and discussed ways that she has sought to develop students' ICC, while accommodating their different English proficiency levels. Student reflections were interwoven throughout the presentation to offer some insight into their ICC journey through the course. The presenter ended with her own reflections on the successes and challenges that arose in the first year of implementation.

Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) has become a central aim of foreign-language (FL) education. Government policy in Japan advocates the integration of intercultural education into FL study, but there is a lack of literature documenting effective pedagogies for ICC development in Japanese contexts. Seeking to address this deficit, the researcher conducted an action research study that explored ways to facilitate the development of ICC in an academic English program at a Japanese university. Taking an approach suggested by Richards, Heather, Conway, Roskvist and Harvey (2011) in their Intercultural Language Learning (IcLL) Framework, she implemented an opportunity-oriented module which emphasized self-discovery rather than explicitly "teaching culture." In this presentation the researcher outlined the module content and pedagogy, and applied data collection via student self-evaluations and interviews to examine the efficacy of the approach.

This paper discussed the creation and implementation of an academic English course at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. The authors outlined each stage of the course design and highlighted the issues that need to be considered before, during, and after the creation of any academic English course. The paper concluded with some recommendations for educators who are involved in curriculum development, course design, and material creation.

Autonomous learning has long been recognised as beneficial for language learers, but some question its suitability in Japan, where teachers ahve traditionally been responsible for managing student learning. The presenter conducted an action research study that explored ways to introduce learner autonomy into an existing university English class syllabus in Japan. Second-year English-language majors at a Japanese university (n=40) worked in pairs to prepare and lead 20-minute group discussions. The researcher briefly introduced the discussion activity, then considered student responses to the task and ended with recommendations for educators seeking to facilitate learner autonomy in FL classes in Japan.

In Japan, the past ten years have seen a push for foreign language (FL) educators to produce graduates who are competent global communicators, and several “global” projects have been launched by the government towards this end. There remains however, little guidance for FL educators in Japan as to how to effectively cultivate intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in students.
The researcher conducted an action research study that explored ways to facilitate ICC development in the FL classroom. She developed a first-year university English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course based on the Intercultural Language Learning (IcLL) Framework suggested by Richards et al. (2011). The framework is process-oriented, and focuses on providing opportunities for learners to develop their own ICC, rather than on the transmission of specific skills or knowledge. The authors of the framework identify five types of learning opportunities that encourage development of ICC: 1) making connections; 2) comparing and contrasting; 3) linking culture and language; 4) reflecting on one’s own culture through the eyes of others; and 5) interacting in the target language across boundaries. Following this framework, the EAP course avoided “teaching culture” and focused instead on providing opportunities for students to develop their own ICC, with a focus on attitudinal aspects such
as empathy and awareness. A qualitative classroom-
based study was carried out on one course unit (8 classes) using an action inquiry methodology to examine the teacher’s educational practice and student responses to the unit. The researcher kept a reflective diary and analyzed it together with student classwork and survey responses, using the K-J Method to allow categories to emerge from the data. In this presentation the researcher will discuss her own observations and student reactions to the unit, and will present recommendations for FL educators seeking
to cultivate ICC in Japanese learners.

Academic English courses, broadly speaking, aim to equip students with the skills they need to study in an English-medium environment. The presenters developed an academic English course that aimed to help first year university students in Japan develop critical thinking skills, autonomy, information literacy, English language skills, communication skills, and the ability to deliver informative and interesting presentations. They took a project-based approach and focused on designing materials that encourage active learning. This presentation will begin with a brief explanation of the process of course design and an overview of the syllabus and teaching materials that were created. The presenters will then discuss student survey responses and instructor observations to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the course and how it could be improved. The presentation will conclude with some recommendations for educators who are involved in curriculum development, course design, and material creation.

Global communicative competence, broadly speaking, refers to the abilities needed to achieve effective and appropriate communication as a global citizen. As well as linguistic ability, GCC requires such skills and attitudes as adaptability, problem solving skills, communication skills and an international outlook. The presenter introduced an inside-out approach to GCC. Rather than seeking to teach students about specific external cultures, this approach challenges them to consider their own cultures and how those shape their perspectives on the world. A greater awareness of their own cultural filters makes students more able to understand and appreciate other perspectives, and enables them to predict and prepare for potential communicative challenges in intercultural interactions. The presenter introduced specific classroom activities and resources that can be adapted to suit a wide variety of curriculums and classroom environments.

Globalization has made intercultural interactions more frequent and complex than ever before. Language learners today need not only linguistic skills, but also the ability to deal with cultural differences. The Japanese government has in recent years implemented numerous "global" projects aimed at cultivating in learners the skills necessary to become effective global communicators, but little research has been conducted into what those skills are and how to teach them.
The concept of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) has been widely discussed over the past 30 years, but the concept of global communicative competence (GCC) is relatively new. In order to create effective pedagogical approaches for cultivating GCC, it is important to characterize its component skills/ attitudes and to consider how those compare with student needs.
This study aimed to investigate student perceptions on GCC in order to better understand student motivations and needs, and how those correlate with current models of ICC. Ultimately the researcher hopes to devise an updated working model for GCC and practical guidelines for how its component parts can be cultivated in language learners. This information will be a useful resource for educators seeking to incorporate GCC into their language courses in a way that is effective and motivating for learners.
The researcher took a mixed-methods approach (surveys, interviews & focus-group discussions) to collect data from first year university English-language majors. In this presentation the researcher discussed the resulting student data with reference to established models for ICC, and considered implications for teaching practice.

Teachers often struggle to bring a communicative approach to the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classroom, yet the fundamental goal of EAP is to cultivate in students the communicative skills they need to study in an English-medium university environment. Curriculum development and course design are essential elements of a successful academic English program. This poster outlined the design, development, and implementation of a 1st-year academic English course at a Japanese university. The presenters took a project-based approach with a focus on designing materials that encourage active learning. The poster overviewed the process of course design and provided examples of two communicative group projects which incorporated academic genres. Specific examples of course material and student output were shown. The presenters concluded with some recommendations for educators who are involved in curriculum development, course design, and material creation.

The presenters discussed the importance and nature of global communicative competence, and introduced a project-based course designed to cultivate GCC in language majors.

Many university language learners in Japan struggle to apply their linguistic knowledge in authentic communicative interactions. A lack of confidence and a tendency to focus on using "correct" language rather than achieving fluid communication can be seen as contributing factors. The presenter discussed her strategies for enhancing students' communicative abilities by reducing classroom anxiety, encouraging students to access and apply their existing linguistic knowledge, and challenging students to focus less on using "correct" English and more on achieving successful communication.

An examination of the benefits of a project-based learning approach. The presentation described the use of this approach in a university course implemented as part of the Project for Promotion of Global Human Resources, outlining course methods and considering how a project-based approach facilitated the development of intercultural communication skills.

Effective communication in today's global society necessitates more than simple mastery of linguistic forms. The researcher examined what global communicative competence entails and why intercultural competence is important, and proposed an "inside-out" approach to English education.

A presentation detailing the activities of a working group towards establishing language-specific learning goals. Researchers explained the process and rationale used to formulate the objectives and outlined future plans to develop can-do statements and e-portfolios based on the goals.

A keynote speech describing a university Global Human Resource Development Project and detailing the different ways in which teachers approached the problem of cultivating global human resources.