Minorities and Education in Multicultural Japan<\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nAuthor:<\/strong><\/td>\nRyoko Tsuneyoshi, Kaori Okano, & Sarane Spence Boocock (Eds.) (2010)<\/td>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/tesl-ej.org\/ej60\/rpix\/minorities.jpg\")
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPublisher:<\/strong><\/td>\nRoutledge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPages<\/th>\n ISBN<\/th>\n Price<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n272 pages<\/td>\n 9780415559386<\/td>\n $44.95 USD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nMinorities and Education in Multicultural Japan <\/em>is a fascinating look at the Japanese public education system and its response to several diverse groups of students whom it serves.<\/p>\nWhile Japan is often viewed as a monoethnic nation, the authors who contributed to this volume discuss many multicultural groups that coexist with those who they term \u201cmajority Japanese\u201d.\u00a0 According to the authors, the long-embraced Japanese school goal of \u201ceducation for international understanding\u201d (kokusai rikai ky\u014diku<\/em>) is insufficient because it implies that the Japanese are an ethnically and culturally homogeneous people and approaches multiculturalism as temporary intercourse with foreigners both inside and outside of Japan.\u00a0 A newer educational mission of tabunka ky\u014dsei ky\u014diku<\/em> (\u201ceducation for multicultural coexistence\u201d) or d\u014dwa ky\u014diku<\/em> (\u201cequalitarian\/assimilation education\u201d), has begun to teach students that Japan itself is indeed a multicultural nation.\u00a0 This discussion may be of great interest to American educators who are looking for ways to promote multiculturalism or global education in their own schools.<\/p>\nDespite the obvious differences between U.S. and Japanese societies, many of the issues discussed in the book are shared concerns.\u00a0 In both countries, there are many children in danger of being underserved by the public school system, such as those of foreign ancestry, those with low socio-economic status, and recent immigrants. Additionally, all students must learn the skills necessary to succeed in a multicultural world.\u00a0 Learning about the ways in which Japan deals with these challenges can be very informative to American educators.<\/p>\n
The book is divided into two parts, \u201cLong-existing minorities\u201d, which focuses on people whose ancestors have lived in Japan since before the 1970s, and \u201cNewcomer groups\u201d, which focuses on people who arrived in Japan in the 1970s-80s or more recently.The first part includes chapters on buraku<\/em> (low caste), Okinawan & Amerasian, and ethnic Korean children.\u00a0 Since these students were born in Japan, they do not generally require Japanese language or cultural classes, and thus by American standards, they would not generally be classified as TESOL students.\u00a0\u00a0 In many places in Japan, however, these students are provided with services rarely seen in U.S. public schools, such as instruction in the language of their ancestors and cultural study time, which teaches them about their ancestors\u2019 native land and culture.\u00a0 One common approach shared by many U.S. schools is offering an extracurricular club for these purposes, similar to a club for Hispanic children that would celebrate their cultural and linguistic heritage.\u00a0 Other goals for these students discussed in the book are to increase school attendance rates, decrease bullying towards these students, and to increase high school graduation and college entrance rates amongst these populations.<\/p>\nThe second part of the book presents information on \u201cNewcomers\u201d, including Brazilian, non-Japanese Asian, and ethnic Japanese children who were raised overseas, known as \u201creturnees\u201d.\u00a0 American and European children who live in Japan temporarily are not included in this volume, since according to the editors, they rarely attend public schools.\u00a0 The goals of the Japanese education system in regards to these populations are to provide Japanese language and culture classes and to help preserve the language and culture of the students\u2019 home countries, as this is viewed as a crucial component of the students\u2019 identities. \u00a0\u00a0These missions are very similar to the goals that most American TESOL teachers would have for their own students.<\/p>\n
The editors\u2019 concluding remarks also discuss the significant role of the individual teacher in encouraging other students to either embrace or shun diverse members of their classes.\u00a0 This is an important reminder to all educators that students take their cues on multicultural understanding and global education from us, and so we must practice what we preach in terms of inclusion and cross-cultural understanding. As a medium for considering issues of multiculturalism, global education, and TESOL challenges, this volume is a welcome addition to the existing literature.<\/p>\n
Reviewed by<\/strong>
\nCyndi Mottola Poole
\nUniversity of Central Florida
\n<clpoole<\/span>![\"atmark\"](\"http:\/\/www.tesl-ej.org\/atmark.png\")
knights.ucf.edu<\/span>><\/p>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\nMinorities and Education in Multicultural Japan <\/em>is a fascinating look at the Japanese public education system and its response to several diverse groups of students whom it serves.<\/p>\n While Japan is often viewed as a monoethnic nation, the authors who contributed to this volume discuss many multicultural groups that coexist with those who they term \u201cmajority Japanese\u201d.\u00a0 According to the authors, the long-embraced Japanese school goal of \u201ceducation for international understanding\u201d (kokusai rikai ky\u014diku<\/em>) is insufficient because it implies that the Japanese are an ethnically and culturally homogeneous people and approaches multiculturalism as temporary intercourse with foreigners both inside and outside of Japan.\u00a0 A newer educational mission of tabunka ky\u014dsei ky\u014diku<\/em> (\u201ceducation for multicultural coexistence\u201d) or d\u014dwa ky\u014diku<\/em> (\u201cequalitarian\/assimilation education\u201d), has begun to teach students that Japan itself is indeed a multicultural nation.\u00a0 This discussion may be of great interest to American educators who are looking for ways to promote multiculturalism or global education in their own schools.<\/p>\n Despite the obvious differences between U.S. and Japanese societies, many of the issues discussed in the book are shared concerns.\u00a0 In both countries, there are many children in danger of being underserved by the public school system, such as those of foreign ancestry, those with low socio-economic status, and recent immigrants. Additionally, all students must learn the skills necessary to succeed in a multicultural world.\u00a0 Learning about the ways in which Japan deals with these challenges can be very informative to American educators.<\/p>\n The book is divided into two parts, \u201cLong-existing minorities\u201d, which focuses on people whose ancestors have lived in Japan since before the 1970s, and \u201cNewcomer groups\u201d, which focuses on people who arrived in Japan in the 1970s-80s or more recently.The first part includes chapters on buraku<\/em> (low caste), Okinawan & Amerasian, and ethnic Korean children.\u00a0 Since these students were born in Japan, they do not generally require Japanese language or cultural classes, and thus by American standards, they would not generally be classified as TESOL students.\u00a0\u00a0 In many places in Japan, however, these students are provided with services rarely seen in U.S. public schools, such as instruction in the language of their ancestors and cultural study time, which teaches them about their ancestors\u2019 native land and culture.\u00a0 One common approach shared by many U.S. schools is offering an extracurricular club for these purposes, similar to a club for Hispanic children that would celebrate their cultural and linguistic heritage.\u00a0 Other goals for these students discussed in the book are to increase school attendance rates, decrease bullying towards these students, and to increase high school graduation and college entrance rates amongst these populations.<\/p>\n The second part of the book presents information on \u201cNewcomers\u201d, including Brazilian, non-Japanese Asian, and ethnic Japanese children who were raised overseas, known as \u201creturnees\u201d.\u00a0 American and European children who live in Japan temporarily are not included in this volume, since according to the editors, they rarely attend public schools.\u00a0 The goals of the Japanese education system in regards to these populations are to provide Japanese language and culture classes and to help preserve the language and culture of the students\u2019 home countries, as this is viewed as a crucial component of the students\u2019 identities. \u00a0\u00a0These missions are very similar to the goals that most American TESOL teachers would have for their own students.<\/p>\n The editors\u2019 concluding remarks also discuss the significant role of the individual teacher in encouraging other students to either embrace or shun diverse members of their classes.\u00a0 This is an important reminder to all educators that students take their cues on multicultural understanding and global education from us, and so we must practice what we preach in terms of inclusion and cross-cultural understanding. As a medium for considering issues of multiculturalism, global education, and TESOL challenges, this volume is a welcome addition to the existing literature.<\/p>\n Reviewed by<\/strong>
\nCyndi Mottola Poole
\nUniversity of Central Florida
\n<clpoole<\/span>knights.ucf.edu<\/span>><\/p>\n