OVERCOMING STUDENT APATHY TOWARDS ENGLISH: HOW CAN JAPANESE UNIVERSITIES PREPARE THEIR STUDENTS FOR AN INCREASINGLY DIVERSE WORKPLACE?

Back to Page Authors: Jane O`Halloran

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Keywords: motivation, content and language integrated learning, core subjects, academic collaboration

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Abstract: Japanese university students have traditionally shown an antipathy towards English due to a generally unsatisfactory language-learning experience at secondary level with the focus on grammar and translation rather than communication. The situation has become urgent however due to the rapid decline in the Japanese population which will present both difficulties and opportunities as employees will increasingly be forced to use English in the workplace. For university lecturers the challenge is to overcome the students` apathy and convince them of the need for English in the increasingly diverse workplaces they will be entering. This article will illustrate how English teachers and content teachers at a private science university came together to address this quandary.

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