The Nga Manu Speech Contest has grown to be one of the biggest and most positive events for New Zealand secondary school students where competitors articulate their thoughts and aspirations in both Maori and English. The contest is acknowledged as an avenue that enhances language and cultural development amongst Maori youth, yet no formal…

This essay is a history that relates the Japanese tradition of accepting and adapting aspects of foreign culture, especially as it applies to the learning of foreign languages. In particular, the essay describes the history of English education in Japan by investigating its developments after the Meiji era. The author addresses the issues from the…

In 2001, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) released the "Rainbow Plan" as the educational reform plan for the twenty-first century. As part of the plan, MEXT will make English education activities compulsory at Japanese public elementary schools beginning in 2011. The purpose of the Rainbow Plan is to…

In this article, the author shares how she uses Chinese film in her Chinese language and culture classes. She demonstrates how Chinese films can help students "navigate the uncharted universe of Chinese culture" with reference to several contemporary Chinese films. She describes how intensive viewing of films can develop a deeper and more nuanced…

For a number of years, Kent Sakoda has been teaching at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa in the Department of Second Language Studies. His course, "Pidgin and Creole English in Hawai'i," is popular among students on campus. He has also taught at Hawai'i Pacific University. Because of his expertise on the grammar of Pidgin (Hawai'i Creole),…

In this article, the authors examine "the complex processes of identity formation among Asians in America" by means of a narrative self-inquiry that explores the formation of their own multilayered identities. They do this by telling a story of becoming Asians and/or Asian Americans. They start with Heekyong Teresa Pyon's narrative of becoming an…

In this article, the authors explore the representational practices found in online curriculum policy discourse from three private English language programs in Hawai'i. These representational practices attempt to position students "so that they are prepared for uncritical admission into sociocultural conditions discursively constructed well in…

Discussed the difficulties of learning Japanese and the recognition that only certain goals are realizable in learning the language. (RK)

Discussed the development of Japanese language study in Hawaii, the teaching techniques and educational facilities. (RK)

Described the difficulties of reading and appreciating Japanese literary studies . (RK)

Describes the foreign language program and the language laboratory at the University of Hawaii. (RK)

This article describes how the system for coordinating the teaching of its beginning languages works at the Department of European Languages and Literature at the University of Hawaii. As well, it describes how some of its procedures have involved and affected the local high school and college community. (Author/RK)

Article considers two approaches for developing listening comprehension and outlines studies concerning the evaluation of teaching effectiveness. (Author/RK)

Foreign language study and culture study are two important complementary subjects which have the outward direction of interest and human value necessary for students to develop their personal growth. Article describes a program for such growth. (Author/RK)

Examines three myths about bilingual education and issues related to them. Topic areas include: types of bilingual education; maintenance, enrichment, and transitional programs; language choice in the bilingual classroom; second language development; and criteria for mainstreaming, the goals of bilingual education, and the linguistic…