Research

The Japanese Language Couse, School of Engineering (JLCSE)　has built “Science and Engineering Spoken Japanese Corpus” from 2007 to 2017 to improve the Japanese language skills required by international students in their field of specialization. The voice data was collected at labs in seven fields including Electrical Engineering, Urban Environmental Engineering, Urban Planning, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Chemical System Engineering, and Information and Communication Engineering. The speeches made in their presentations and question/answer sessions were the primary source (2007-2017: 154 hours of recorded data, 1.9 million morphemes, 15,000 unique morphemes; morpheme analysis software, Chamame, was used).

Based on this data, in 2013 we developed the ‘Science and Engineering Vocabulary and Usage Learning Support System, Rainbow’ to support the learning of vocabulary used in the laboratory, and in 2014 we also launched a course for learning specialized vocabulary and kanji. This enables international students to effectively acquire the Japanese language skills necessary for communication and research activities in the laboratory.

• 岡葉子・菅谷有子・遠藤直子・白鳥智美・森幸穂・伊藤夏実（2020） 「『理工学系話し言葉コーパス』における受身表現の出現傾向」（2020年度日本語／日本語教育研究会口頭発表）
• Yumiko Furuichi・Ayşe Nur Tekmen（2019） 「レジリエンス工学のコーパス構築と語彙分析」トルコ第4回日本語・日本語教育・国際シンポジウムIV. Japon Dili ve Eğitimi Uluslararası Sempozyumu – JADEUS 2019

In recent years, the needs of Japanese language learners have become increasingly diverse and complex, and the environment surrounding Japanese language education has changed significantly. The aim of this research is to respond to the diversity of learners, improve the adaptability of the curriculum and increase the effectiveness of education through a survey of the needs of international students and specialized teachers in engineering.

• 古市由美子・牛山和子・猪狩美保・劉羅麟（2025予定） 「英語で研究する工学系留学生はなぜ日本語を必要とするか－留学生と教員のニーズ調査を踏まえて－」（専門日本語教育学会）

JLCSE conducted an evaluation study of the programme, as it was necessary to identify and improve programme issues and to provide a convincing explanation of the programme to the university and beyond. On the other hand, there is research on the JLCSE Can-do Statements, which allow students to evaluate their ability by themselves. The JLCSE Can-do Statements were created so that we can use the information for placement. As a result, it was found that although they are currently visible criteria of levels identified at the JLCSE, they need to be made more objective by combining Engineering Can-do Statements with other proficiency tests in order to ensure that they actually function as placement tests.

• 古市由美子・伊藤夏実（2014） 「工学系研究科日本語教室CDSの実践報告－海外協定校との共通の評価基準の枠組みを目指して－」ヨーロッパ日本語教育シンポジウム（スロベニアリュブリャーナ大学）
• 古市由美子、伊藤夏実（2014） 「工学系研究科日本語教室CDSの実践報告－海外協定校との共通の評価基準の枠組みを目指して－」『ヨーロッパ日本語教育』19　pp. 349-356

The Japanese Language Couse, School of Engineering (JLCSE)， in collaboration with The Center for Research and Development of Higher Education, created an online teaching video for the Intermediate 1 Reading Comprehension course (SPOC: Small Private Online Course), based on an article from the School of Engineering's public relations magazine Ttime. Furthermore, we developed this MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) by adding videos of interviews with engineering professors, videos of sentence patterns and expressions, and exams.

The Programme for Promoting Employment of International Students is a comprehensive career development support and education initiative commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in 2020. Its goal is to facilitate the retention of outstanding international students in Japanese society. As part of this program, 21 on-demand teaching materials focusing on Business Japanese and Career Education were developed.

• 猪狩美保（2024） 「専門読解」コースにおける反転授業の実践－異なるレベルの分析と比較の試み－ 第63回 日本語教育方法研究会 2024 年9月7日（土）（オンライン）
• 古市由美子・猪狩美保（2023） 「反転授業における教員の専門性－日本語授業実践のリフレクションに基づいて－」東アジア日本語教育 日本文化研究学会

JLCSE holds a weekly "International Lounge" on campus during lunchtime. This event aims to create a space where Japanese and international students, as well as individuals from diverse backgrounds, can engage in casual conversations across nationalities, languages, and social statuses.

A study was conducted to explore how participants perceive the International Lounge. The findings indicated that the use of multiple languages allows participants to fully utilize their linguistic resources, facilitating deeper communication with others and highlighting the value of this initiative.

• 尾辻恵美・熊谷百合・佐藤慎司（編）（2021） 『ともに生きるために－ウェルフェア・リングイスティクスと生態学の視点からみることばの教育』春風社 古市由美子「第7章　ウェルフェア・リングイスティクスを志向する「多言語おしゃべり会　International Café for you」の実践－言語生態学の視座から－」pp. 206-228
• 古市由美子（2017） 「多言語おしゃべり交流会の意味づけ:言語生態学の視座から」全米日本語教育学会（カナダ－トロント）Panel Title:「「ウェルフェア・リングイスティクス」と日本語・日本文化教育：参加者の多様な資源を生かした言語文化教育」

JLCSE aims not only to improve the language operational skills of Japanese students and students from partner universities abroad by participating in Japanese language classes at partner universities, but also to gain awareness of the other's language and culture, as well as their own language and culture, through cultural experiences and on-the-spot communication. The study suggests that Japanese and partner school students in the experiential activities recognized the relativity and diversity of cultures and developed a positive and receptive attitude towards different cultures.

• Vatsala Misra・Yumiko Furuichi（2020） Enhancing Japanese learning among IIT Kanpur students using interactive workshops with U-Tokyo students Japanese Language Education Voices from South Asia The English and Foreign Languages University Press
• Vatsala Misra・Yumiko Furuichi（2019） Enhancing Japanese learning among IIT Kanpur students using interactive workshops with U-Tokyo students, 南アジア日本語教育国際シンポジウムJapanese Language Education in South Asia ’19インド・ハイデラバード英語外国語大学