The resurgence of eibungaku in Japanese ELT: A critical reflection on whitewashing in recently published eibumpō textbooks

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recently, a number of eibungaku [English and American literature]-based eibumpō [English grammar] textbooks have been published in Japan. Historically, teaching English by using eibungaku materials at university level was mainstream or at least common in Japanese English language teaching (ELT) up to the 1990s. However, the government-led educational reforms over the past couple of decades shifted the focus from eibungaku to practical English. Against the grain of this shift, scholars of eibungaku are now trying to reintroduce English and American literary texts as ELT materials. While following the historical trajectory of English education in Japan, this article attempts to make sense of this resurgence of eibungaku in Japanese ELT. Findings reveal that these textbooks canonize whitewashed English. The article points to the importance of rethinking eibungaku in the ELT context from the perspectives of World Englishes to bring out the potentiality of literature as an ELT material.