"What Was Lying Behind What We Were Learning": Discussing Diversity Critically in Foreign Language Classrooms

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 35
  In Roundtable Session: Factors in the Success of Multilingual Learners

Abstract

Foreign language teaching materials often fall into essentialism or liberal multiculturalism; in other words, they present culture either as monolithic or as multiple cultures without discussing the lived experiences of diverse people critically. In an action research study in Advanced Japanese courses at a U.S. college, I incorporated authentic texts written from minority perspectives (e.g., resident Koreans, indigenous groups) and guided students to read not only for its literal meanings but also its textual features and social discourses. Following the literature review that frames the study, I report the students’ perspectives of the courses, gleaned from the interviews. The findings show students discussed social and emotional effects of identities, making connections with their experiences in Japan and in the U.S.

Author

• Keiko Konoeda, Bates College