Small-Group Literacy Activities for Introducing Japanese Culture

Abstract

Literacy through reading and understanding simple Japanese texts is an effective way to learn Japanese characters while introducing Japanese culture in schools. Learning Japanese as a foreign language should not focus only on linguistic aspects, but also include understanding and knowledge of cultural values and daily habits found in Japanese society. Through small-group literacy activities, students are expected not only to learn how to read but also to develop cultural awareness, tolerance, self-discipline, and good daily habits. Observations were conducted with students working in small groups. The activities included reading simple Japanese texts, assessing the groups’ ability to identify main ideas and process information, and observing their overall responses to the activity. The reading materials were simple illustrated texts written in Japanese, depicting the daily life of a small family consisting of parents and children, with their respective roles and routines from morning until night. The overall results of the small-group literacy activities showed that students were highly enthusiastic about reading Japanese texts. They took turns reading furigana, hiragana, and katakana in short paragraphs. Afterwards, students learned to identify the main ideas of the paragraphs they understood. At the end of the session, group representatives presented their comprehension results to other groups. The groups’ ability to extract important information was rated excellent 88,3,and students showed a very positive response (95%), as the activity allowed them to gain insight into Japanese family life and everyday cultural practices.