Teaching Cross-Culture Understanding to Japanese Primary Students Using American Picture Books

This two-year project, funded by the Japan Foundation's Center for Global Partnership (CGP), will develop and pilot test curriculum materials that use picture books to expose lower primary (grades 1–3) Japanese school children to present-day American culture and all of its diversity. EDC, in partnership with Iwate University's Faculty of Education, will create teaching materials based on American picture books and design hands-on, highly experiential activities to complement the books. These curriculum materials will be pilot tested by primary school teachers in at least five Japanese schools in order to inform future initiatives and experts about their implementation in a classroom setting. As part of the pilot test, Japanese lower primary school teachers will be trained in the use of this new curriculum. This project is being developed in response to the Japanese Ministry of Education's plan to expose children to foreign languages and help them become familiar with foreign life and culture. It also answers a challenge put forth by the ministry to improve teacher training efforts at universities and to support prefectural training programs for new and experienced teachers, especially in underserved areas.

Project Duration

2006–2008

Project Directors

Alejandra Bonifaz

Primary Funders

Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership

For More Information

http://main.edc.org/newsroom/features/japan.asp

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