ABSTRACT
Written by leading English-language educators in Japan, this Handbook provides an in-depth guide for the new generation of teachers at Japanese universities. In clear, accessible prose, it offers practical and detailed advice on effective classroom pedagogy, student motivation, learning styles, classroom culture, national language policy, career opportunities, departmental politics, administrative mindset, and institutional identity. Its four sections—The setting, The courses, The classroom, and The workplace—examine issues faced by university language teachers as well as challenges confronted by the increasing number of scholars teaching English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) courses. Firmly grounded in contemporary teaching method and theory, the Handbook’s 23 chapters also acknowledge the influence of diverse movements such as World Englishes, global issues, gender, and positive psychology. Its three appendices contain information on organizations, books, journals, and websites particularly useful for Japanese university educators; explanation of types and rankings of schools; ways to learn more about individual institutions for job-hunting; and detailed information on the structure (and Japanese titles) of faculty and non-teaching staff at the typical university. This Handbook is an invaluable resource for anyone teaching, or aspiring to teach, at a Japanese university.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part 1|40 pages
The setting
chapter 2|14 pages
Making a career of university teaching in Japan
chapter 3|7 pages
The ronin teacher
part 2|81 pages
The courses
chapter 5|11 pages
Tearing down the wall of silence
chapter 6|10 pages
The blind spots of reading
chapter 7|11 pages
Mandatory ‘sentencing’
chapter 11|6 pages
Teaching subject content through English
chapter 13|7 pages
Homework in the Japanese university classroom
part 3|34 pages
The classroom
chapter 14|12 pages
Nails that still don’t stick up
chapter 17|7 pages
English language policy in Japan and the Ministry of Education (MEXT)
part 4|45 pages
The workplace