Teaching of Japanese Language to Foreigners in a Multilevel Class

本研究旨在探讨如何在多层次的课堂环境中，有效地对外国人进行日语教学。为了实现这一目标，我对巴西日语学校的多级课堂进行了分析，并研究了一个将日本式多级教学方法应用于巴西日语学校的实验案例。从交际教学法的角度对外语教学进行探讨。本研究的结论是，只有当教师将学习者的能力和学习风格的多样性视为多层次设置的一个有利因素时，多层次语言课程才有可能为学习者提供丰富的语言使用体验。只要考虑到多样性是一个负面因素，教学就会以教师为中心的语言形式的教学方式关注每个人或群体，这种语言形式通常在应用日本式多教学方法的课堂上看到，或者在目前巴西看到的个人教学类型中看到。该研究认为基于任务的活动是克服学习者多样性潜在问题的有效方法。虽然本研究在TESL的多级课堂中已经被证明是有效的，但通过本研究在巴西进行的一个试点研究案例，证实了本研究在日语多级课堂中的适用性。然而，在巴西这样的多层次课堂中全面应用任务型教学，应该有一个长期的考虑，作为一个过渡过程，应该逐步将任务型活动引入到现有的教学体系中，例如，作为课后的复习活动。

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.