Teaching language as a culture: using the Japanese writing system as a target of cultural research

Abstract

Within the context of a Language Curriculum Reform at the University of Melbourne, an attempt was made to create a curriculum that allows students at lower-intermediate level to discover culture embedded in the use of Japanese language, with special focus on the Japanese writing system. Studying Japanese challenges non-native students in many ways; coping with the increasing number of kanji is one of them and needs to be addressed appropriately, The resulting curriculum systematically focuses directly and indirectly on various aspects of the Japanese writing system as a target of learning, in addition to other learning. Students not only develop a better understanding of Japanese language an..