Teaching of Japanese Language to Foreigners in a Multilevel Class

本研究旨在为在多层次的课堂环境下对外国人进行有效的日语教学提供一种教学方法。为了实现这一目标，我对巴西日语学校的多层次班级进行了分析，并研究了一个将日本式多层次教学法应用于巴西日语学校的实验案例。本研究的结论是，只有教师把学习者能力和学习风格的多样性作为一个有利因素，多层次的语言课堂才有可能为学习者提供丰富的语言使用经验。只要多样性被认为是一个不利因素，教学将集中在每个人或团体在一个风格的教师为中心的语言形式的教学，典型地看到在课堂上应用了日本风格的多，本研究认为，以任务为基础的活动是克服多样性背后的问题的有效方法的学习者。虽然在TESL的多层次课堂中已经证明了其有效性，但本研究通过在巴西进行的试点研究案例证实了其适用于多层次日语课堂。然而，任务型教学在巴西这样的多层次课堂中的全面应用应该是一个长期的考虑，作为一个过渡过程，希望在现有的教学系统中逐步实施任务活动，例如，作为在课堂结束时的复习活动。

This research is to show a pedagogical direction towards effective teaching of Japanese language to foreigners in a multilevel class setting. To achieve this aim, I have conducted analysis of multilevel classes in Japanese language schools in Brazil and also looked into an experimental case which has applied Japanese style multi-instruction method to those classes in Brazil., both from the viewpoint of the communicative approach to foreign language teaching.The conclusion of this research is that a multilevel language class has a possibility to provide learners a rich experience of using a language only if the teachers look at the diversity of abilities and learning styles of learners as a plus factor in a multilevel setting. As long as the diversity is considered as a minus factor, the teaching will focus to each individuals or groups in a style of teacher centered instruction of language forms typically seen in the classes which have applied the Japanese style multi-instruction method or in the individual instruction type of teaching seen in present Brazil.The research sees task based activity as an effective methodology to overcome the problems underlying the diversity of learners. Although already proved effective in multilevel classes of TESL, this research has confirmed its applicability to a multilevel Japanese language class by a pilot study case conducted in this research in Brazil.However, a full scale application of task based instruction to multilevel classes such as in Brazil should take a long-term consideration and, as a transitional process, it is desirable to implement task activities gradually to the existing teaching system, for instance, as a review activity at the end of the class.