Japanese Language Proficiency Research Articles

Effectiveness of Content-Based Instruction (CBI) Model Based on Multimedia Presentations for Improving the Japanese Language Learning Outcomes of STIKES Bethesda Tomohon Students

This research aims to examine students' learning outcomes using the Content-Based Instruction (CBI) model facilitated by Multimedia Presentations, and to assess the efficiency of this approach in enhancing students' proficiency in Japanese. This study's background indicates that numerous students struggle with learning Japanese due to pedagogical approaches that prioritize memory and are predominantly traditional in nature. This research employs a pre-experimental design utilizing an Intact-Group Comparison methodology. Data acquisition Observation and test administration (Pretest-Posttest). Statistical analysis: Descriptive and inferential statistics. Forty pupils from STIKES BETHESDA were sampled. This study demonstrates that the Content-Based Instruction (CBI) learning approach utilizing Multimedia Presentations enhances Japanese language proficiency among students. The result is that the Content-Based Instruction (CBI) paradigm utilizing Multimedia Presentations is demonstrably beneficial in enhancing students' Japanese language learning outcomes.

A Comparative Study of Chinese/Korean Faculty and British/American Faculty in Japanese Universities

Purpose The study aims to explore the demographics, perceptions, and predictors of job satisfaction of Chinese/Korean faculty and American/British faculty at Japanese universities. Design/Approach/Methods The data from a national survey of these faculty conducted in Japan was analyzed. Findings The study suggests that Chinese/Korean faculty tend to be distributed across all the disciplines with senior positions and have higher scientific achievements and Japanese language proficiency, contributing to their better recognition and engagement at Japanese universities. Their job satisfaction was more inclined to be influenced by the intangible factors from the environmental conditions. Whereas American/British faculty were mainly hired in Humanities and Social sciences at mid to high positions, having lower Japanese proficiency and scientific achievement, which results in their perceived lower recognition and participation at Japanese universities. However, they tend to have a higher evaluation of working conditions at Japanese universities and express higher job satisfaction. Their job satisfaction was predicted by various factors, including intangible factors and tangible factors. Originality/Value The study was the first attempt to explore international faculty's job satisfaction in Japan. The key findings shed light on the situation of international faculty in Japan and help to better support international faculty practically.

The Role of Self-Efficacy and Competence in International Student’s Sociocultural Adaptation

This study examines the role of self-efficacy in intercultural communication as a mediator between competence perception and sociocultural adaptation among international students in Japan. The research uses a quantitative approach with convenience sampling technique, and obtains 92 international student participants. Several validated questionnaires are utilized, namely the Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (SCAS), a = 0.874 by Ward & Kennedy (1999) adapted by Simic-Yamashita & Tanaka (2010); Self-Efficacy in Intercultural Communication (SEIC) a = 0.914 by Peterson et al., (2011); Japanese Proficiency by Iwao & Hagiwara (1988); and Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC), a = 0.691 adapted by Gonçalves et al. (2020) from Arasaratnam (2009). A hypothesis model is constructed with competence perception as the predictor, self-efficacy as the mediator, and sociocultural adaptation as the dependent variable. Competence perception is a latent variable measured by two manifest variables: intercultural communication competence and Japanese language proficiency. Data analysis is conducted using Path Analysis, a form of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), with results indicating that the hypothesis model has an acceptable fit index. Although the proposed hypothesis model as a whole can be confirmed, a significant effect is found in the direct path between competence perception and sociocultural adaptation, while the indirect path is not significant. This means that self-efficacy does not act as a mediator, but rather as a predictor in sociocultural adaptation. The practical implications of this study emphasize the importance of stakeholders, such as international offices at universities, paying attention to the role of language proficiency, intercultural communication competence, and self-efficacy in international migrant students, especially in taking preventive or curative actions for adaptation problems.

Readiness of the 4th Semester Japanese Grammar Syllabus in Accomplishing the Learning Targets on MBKM Curriculum at Jakarta State University

This study aims to find out how the suitability between the Bunpo IV syllabus is currently used with the language learning target in the Japanese Language Education Study Program at Jakarta State University which is based on the MBKM curriculum also known as Merdeka Belajar Curriculum. The curriculum is following the MBKM Curriculum listed in Permendikbud No. 3 of 2020. The regulation said that students have the right to study outside of the campus after completing 4 semesters. Therefore, students can choose internship programs abroad or in the country, as well as participate in student exchange programs The offers for internships are numerous, so it raises the interest of students to join it. But behind the enthusiasm of students for this Merdeka Belajar program, there is a concern that the learning targets of students who take part in the internship program, especially language courses, will decrease and not meet the target of learning study program itself. The main goal of the graduation requires students to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test ( JLPT) level N3, before taking the thesis exam. Bunpou IV is a course that contains grammar level IV or equivalent intermediate level, this course is quite related and has become the foundation of other language courses. The material provided up to Bunpo IV is equivalent to the Japanese language skills in JLPT N3 which is the requirement for graduating from the study program. This study is part of research and development (R&D) with a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach. Especially for the first year of research, the approach used is a qualitative approach through document analysis currently used in the Bunpou IV course. The technique used in collecting data is records and archival review of syllabus, teaching materials, and JLPT N3 simulation results. From the JLPT simulation results, it was found that student readiness to pass JLPT N3 had only reached 23.5%. Of the respondents who did not pass, it was found that 9.8% did not pass the Moji Goi section (letters and vocabulary), 47.06% did not pass the Bunpo Dokkai section (grammar and reading comprehension), and 23.53% did not pass the Choukai section (listening comprehension). From this result, we know that it is necessary to re-evaluate and conduct the development study of syllabus of the Bunpo IV course based on the Merdeka Belajar Curriculum in the Japanese Language Education Study Program, FBS UNJ.
 Keywords: MBKM curriculum, Bunpo IV, JLPT N3

A Japanese Language Proficiency and Business Japanese Competence: What do Malaysian Japanese Companies Expect?

A Japanese Language Proficiency and Business Japanese Competence: What do Malaysian Japanese Companies Expect?

Research and practice of credit-based cross-school study models for Japanese language majors

The National Standards for Teaching Quality in Foreign Languages and Literature states that foreign language majors are an essential part of China's higher education in the humanities and social sciences. Each university needs to formulate reasonable training objectives based on its own educational practices and talent development goals. Additionally, the Guidelines for Teaching in Foreign Languages and Literature Majors issued in recent years put forth various competencies that Japanese language majors should possess, including Japanese language proficiency, information technology application skills, self-directed learning abilities, and practical skills. In light of these guidelines and the policy of improving the credit recognition system for online open courses, promoting the mutual recognition of credits, and advancing the construction and sharing of high-quality resources, Liaoning Province has been developing high-quality teaching resources and collaborative commissioned projects, continually deepening the reform of higher education teaching. This paper takes cross-school credit-based study in Japanese language majors as an example, summarizing the current credit teaching model, analyzing the issues that have arisen during practical implementation, and providing recommendations for the reform of teaching in Japanese language majors' high-quality resource construction and sharing projects.

Prospects of integration of virtual assistants in the process of teaching speaking to the beginner learners of the Japanese language

Problem statement . Most Japanese textbooks and methodical materials do not contain enough exercises for training productive skills of the students. Japanese Language Proficiency Test also does not include parts dedicated to writing and speaking abilities, which leads to teachers not paying attention to the development of these skills and students not being able to properly evaluate their level of performance. As a method of simplifying and making this training more engaging and motivating, virtual assistants, or intelligent personal assistants (IPA), can be introduced. The purposes of this research are to explore the ways of using the technology of virtual assistants to reenforce speaking performance of the beginner students in Japanese as a foreign language and to evaluate the technology’s readiness for integration. Methodology . In a pedagogical experiment took part 12 first-year students (10 female and 2 male), who attended a Japanese language class at the School of Young Philologist at the Faculty of Philology of Lomonosov Moscow State University, where they used Google Assistant for studying Japanese from December 2021 to April 2022 and then in September 2022. The analysis of theory and methodology, generalization of crucial scientific papers on the studied problem, processing of results were applied. Results. Personal assistant Google Assistant can be advised for training speaking among beginner learners. It can be applied in the form of four main types of exercises: asking for data, giving instructions to IPA, express desires (“wishlist”), conducting a dialog with a robot. Issues that can cause difficulties to students were listed. The results of the questionnaire revealed that students were grateful to have an opportunity to train speaking with a Japanese native speaker in a form of a virtual assistant and could easier track their progress. Conclusion. The use of the Google Assistant in the process of teaching speaking to the beginner learners of the Japanese language at the initial level is seen as highly promising and can be recommended for implementation in the educational process.

Closing the Gap: Automated Distractor Generation in Japanese Language Testing

Recent advances in natural language processing have increased interest in automatic question generation, particularly in education (e.g., math, biology, law, medicine, and languages) due to its efficiency in assessing comprehension. Specifically, multiple-choice questions have become popular, especially in standardized language proficiency tests. However, manually creating high-quality tests is time-consuming and challenging. Distractor generation, a critical aspect of multiple-choice question creation, is often overlooked, yet it plays a crucial role in test quality. Generating appropriate distractors requires ensuring they are incorrect but related to the correct answer (semantically or contextually), are grammatically correct, and of similar length to the target word. While various languages have seen research in automatic distractor generation, Japanese has received limited attention. This paper addresses this gap by automatically generating cloze tests, including distractors, for Japanese language proficiency tests, evaluating the generated questions’ quality, difficulty, and preferred distractor types, and comparing them to human-made questions through automatic and manual evaluations.

Kajian Psikolinguistik dalam Penguasaan Kosa Kata Bahasa Jepang Mahasiswa Program Studi Sastra Jepang Universitas Udayana

Psycholinguistics is related to three things, namely language comprehension, language production, and language acquisition. One of the goals of language acquisition studies is to facilitate the process of language acquisition, including foreign languages, for example Japanese. The dimension of acquiring Japanese is closely related to learning Japanese and mastering it. One of the basic things in mastering Japanese is vocabulary mastery. Vocabulary mastery reflects mastery of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. This study describes an evaluation of students' Japanese vocabulary mastery, as well as the potential for mastery associated with the six dimensions of language acquisition by Klein (1986).
 The main subjects of this research are all active students of the Japanese study program at Udayana University starting from the 2018 to 2021 class, totaling 258 people. Data were collected by the test method, where students worked on questions about knowledge of Japanese vocabulary which included competency components according to international standards of Japanese language skills, namely on the fulfillment of eight indicators of vocabulary knowledge tested, namely: reading Kanji; write Kanji characters; determine vocabulary according to context; determine synonyms; use words in sentences; determine the correct form of the word; compose sentences; and determine connecting words in a discourse. 
 Data were analyzed descriptively qualitatively. The research resulted in an evaluation that the level of students' Japanese language proficiency was 54%. It is necessary to hold reading and writing exercises as a follow-up step. Regarding the potential for students' mastery of Japanese, the propensity and access factors are very important to improve.

Students' Learning Autonomy: A Case Study of Undergraduate Course of Japanese Language Program.

This research aimed to determine the impact of the effectiveness in the application of an independent method of teaching students on their progress in achieving a certain level of Japanese. The study used key methods that implied the experimental involvement of 60 3rd- and 4th-year American and Chinese students with the N3 and N2 levels of Japanese to pass a simplified version of the international JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) after applying the autonomy learning methodology. The analysis and processing of the experimental exam results were performed using the Microsoft Excel program and derivation of the average statistical percentage of the number of points scored at each stage of the N3 and N2 exams. The results of the study and the test scores led to the conclusion that the most difficult tasks for American students are those in writing and reading. On the other hand, Chinese students have difficulties in listening and speaking Japanese over linguistic phonetic differences and complex grammar compared to Chinese. Referring to the N2 group of American and Chinese students, their scores are somewhat equal due to the total complexity of this level, which requires utmost care for all four skills of foreign language learning. The present findings can serve as auxiliary material for the educational sphere in terms of an individual approach in autonomy learning to more effectively study Japanese and obtain positive results when passing the JLPT test.

Pengaruh Strategi Kerja Kelompok Berbantuan Media Crossword Puzzle Terhadap Kemampuan Bahasa Jepang SMAN 1 Nusa Penida

The goals of this study were to investigate how employing the Crossword Puzzle media-assisted group work strategy affected the Japanese language abilities and motivation of class XI students at SMAN 1 Nusa Penida and to gauge the reactions of the students after they had used the approach. Quantitative research using a Quasi Experimental Design was employed for this study. 198 students from SMAN 1 Nusa Penida's 11th grade comprised the sample for this research. Thirty students from Class XI IBB 1 served as the study's experimental group, while another 30 students from Class XI IBB 2 served as the study's control group. Various forms of testing and surveying were employed to glean the necessary information. The results demonstrated that the experimental class, which was assigned the crossword puzzle media-assisted group work method, outperformed the control class in terms of Japanese language proficiency and motivation. The Sig. (2-Tailed) posttest result of 0.000 < 0.05 from the Independent Sample T-Test hypothesis test provides supporting evidence for this. According on the survey data, pupils who used the Crossword Puzzle medium gave an overall favorable answer of 93.6% in the Strongly Agree/Good/Satisfied/Like category. As a result, we may infer that the method of group work aided by the Crossword Puzzle medium can have a beneficial effect on the development of students' Japanese language competence and motivation.

Metody prepodavaniya yaponskogo yazyka v vuzah Kitaya: istoriya voprosa

Japanese is one of the most popular languages and one of the most popular foreign languages in China. Despite the fact that many students have a fairly high level of Japanese language proficiency at the time of admission to the university, effective methods of teaching Japanese in Chinese universities are still an open question. This article discusses the methods of teaching Japanese in Chinese universities and identifies the most effective.

Structure of test scale for measuring Japanese language proficiency: Analysis of measurement items using Item Response Theory

Structure of test scale for measuring Japanese language proficiency: Analysis of measurement items using Item Response Theory

THE INFLUENCE OF ANIME ON JAPANESE LITERATURE STUDENTS AT BUNG HATTA UNIVERSITY

This research aims to determine the influence of anime on the cultural knowledge and language proficiency of Japanese Literature students at Bung Hatta University. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques in the form of questionnaires and interviews. The results of the study indicate that watching anime can have a positive influence on students, especially in terms of knowledge and understanding of Japanese customs, traditions, religion, values, and norms that are part of Japanese culture, as well as improving Japanese language proficiency such as vocabulary, conversation, and listening skills.

The Use of TikTok as Japanese Learning Media

In this technological era, social media has an important role in all fields. Various types of social media are used by the public, one of which is TikTok. TikTok's diverse video content provides benefits for its users. One type of video content that can be found on TikTok is learning video content that can be used as an alternative learning resource or learning media. One of the many learning video content found on TikTok is language learning video content. For example, Japanese language learning video content. The learning video content needs to be sorted first so that its use can be maximized. For this reason, this study aims to determine the type of learning and the level of Japanese language profiency contained in the Japanese language learning video content on TikTok. The method used in this study is a qualitative descriptive method which is providing detailed and factual data interpretation. Based on the research, there are 7 types of Japanese language learning (Aisatsu, Bunka, Bunpou, Goi, Kaiwa, Linguistics, and Moji) that can be found on TikTok video content. Meanwhile, the level of Japanese language proficiency that be found is level A1 to level B2 and level N5 to level N1.

Pelatihan Penguatan Kemampuan Berbahasa Jepang Level Chukyu bagi Guru Bahasa Jepang di SMA dan SMK Kabupaten Buleleng Bali

The purpose of this community service is to strengthen the Japanese language skills (Chukyu level) of Japanese High School/Vocational High School Teachers in Buleleng Regency so that their abilities increase and can pass the Teacher Professional Education/PPG. The method used in this activity is the Technical Assistance Model in the form of Training which is carried out by providing training and assistance to improve Japanese language skills. The partners in this activity were 20 (twenty) High School/Vocational High School Japanese language teachers in Buleleng Regency. The evaluation instrument for this activity is a test to determine the teacher's understanding of the material provided, as well as an assessment questionnaire by the teacher to evaluate the implementation of the activity. The results of tests and questionnaires were analyzed descriptively. The results of this activity show that through training and mentoring, the teachers’ skills in reading discourse, knowledge of Japanese culture, and Japanese language proficiency increased. A good score on the test as well as a positive response given by the teacher shows the success of this activity.

Perception of Japanese singleton and geminate contrasts: A case of Chinese learners with different dialectal backgrounds.

It is widely accepted that the Japanese language is mora-timed, and the geminate obstruent, one of the three special morae in the Japanese language, forms one independent mora. Many studies have shown that perceiving Japanese geminates accurately is especially problematic for learners of Japanese. This study examines the perception of Japanese singleton and geminate contrasts by Chinese learners of Japanese (CLJ) from different dialectal backgrounds and contrasts their perception with Japanese native speakers (JNS). This study conducted two experiments. First, non-synthesized stimuli were used to test each group of participants' perceptual sensitivity of Japanese singletons and geminates. Second, the categorical perception was accessed by adopting stimuli in which the ratio of constriction duration to entire word duration (CD/EWD) was synthesized from 15 to 60%. Results show that, although learners of Japanese had significantly lower perception levels compared to JNS regardless of their group differences (e.g., L1 background, Japanese language proficiency, etc.), they still experienced some positive transfers of L1 to achieve better perception performance. The results also suggest that CD/EWD can be considered a reliable local cue for both JNS and CLJ in categorizing Japanese singletons and geminates. In addition, the results demonstrate that variables such as medial consonant type and the learner's Japanese proficiency affect the perception of Japanese singleton and geminate contrasts.

Student Motivation in Learning Japanese Language Subjects at NCIPS Senior High School Kupang

This study analyzes the factors that influence students' motivation in learning Japanese at SMAS NCIPS Kupang. Japanese plays an important role in international relations, and understanding students' motivation is key to improving the effectiveness of learning. This research uses a quantitative approach with a survey method. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 23 students of class XII SMAS NCIPS Kupang, and classroom observation was conducted to complete the data. The results showed that there is a high enthusiasm for learning Japanese in class XII NCIPS Kupang. Factors such as enjoyment of learning, interesting learning methods, and classroom learning culture contribute to students' motivation. However, there are several factors that need to be improved, such as note-taking habits, time allocation for independent learning, and the role of parents and peers. Efforts to improve these factors can help maximize students' learning potential and improve their Japanese language proficiency.

'Stay away from home': The role of social networks for the adaptation process of Indonesian trainees in Japan

This study aims to analyze the challenges faced by Indonesian trainees, especially the participants of Technical Intern Training Program (TITP), in the process of adapting to Japan's socio-cultural system. Furthermore, this study finds out how the role of social networks in the process of adapting the lives of the trainees. Social network theory and social capital will be used as a perspective to analyze the existing phenomena. Data collection process and analysis of findings will be carried out based on qualitative research methods. Primary data sources were taken by using in-depth interviews towards three Indonesian trainees, complemented by secondary data from related research and articles. The results of the study show that the challenges faced by Indonesian trainees include difficulties in adapting to work, limitation of Japanese language proficiency, lack of opportunities to practice prayers regularly, and difficulties to build social relationships. In dealing with these problems, trainees receive moral assistance and information about the way of life in Japan from the Indonesian networks. The adaptation process of Indonesian trainees in Japan is supported by social networks that are formed informally, and plays a role in maintaining the continuity of the migration pattern of Indonesian workers to Japan.

Mapping Japanese Language Proficiency Test Needs for Vocational Students Based on Industrial World Demand

Currently, it is hoped that the Indonesian government will be able to meet the industry needs for vocational graduates at the university level. This study aims to map the need for Japanese language proficiency tests for vocational students based on the demands of the industrial world. In addition, this study also investigates how the industry demands the Japanese language skills of vocational students. The data was collected through a survey conducted on eight foreign companies that employ employees with Japanese language skills. This research shows that the industry's need for Japanese language proficiency tests is still very high. Specifically, the industry requires graduates with business communication skills in Japanese and graduates who have mastery of the vocabulary of industrial terminology. It is a challenge for vocational graduates, so there is continuity between vocational graduates and the needs of the industrial world. In addition, English language and soft skills, the ability to work in teams, and high integrity are still needed in the industrial world.