Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it.
Now I understand why the old poets of China went so far
and high into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
"The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver

Scholars from UP Asian Center, Osaka University Discuss Language Education for Migrants in Japan

Details

Delegation from The Global Collaboration Unit, Center for Global Initiatives of Osaka University, and UP Asian Center faculty members

A research group headed by Professor Gyo Miyahara from The Global Collaboration Unit, Center for Global Initiatives of Osaka University, had a dialogue with UP Asian Center faculty, students, at the UP Asian Center on 1 September 2016 about a research project entitled “Reframing the Learning of Children in-between: from the Perspective of Language Acquisition in a Multilingual Setting.”

The project looks at Filipino-Japanese children who lived in Japan and later returned to the Philippines. The purpose of their study is to examine how living in an environment of multiple languages may hinder children’s ability to develop linguistic skills and fully participate in their home societies; and to develop and/or improve policies that can help address the situation.

The researchers also wish to study how the issue is perceived and handled in the Philippines, and set a meeting with UP Asian Center faculty, along with several students and alumni. The delegation from Osaka gave a video presentation featuring an elementary school in Michigan, United States where subjects are taught in both English and Japanese.  They explained how the school has been going about its bilingual education initiatives, shared their findings, and stressed, among other things, the importance of developing a mother tongue as a stronger foundation for learning a second language.

Following their presentation was an exchange with Dean Joefe Santarita, Dr. Henelito Sevilla, Jr., Assistant to the Dean for Administration and Public Affairs; Associate Professor Rolando Talampas; Allen Villota, alumni; Angelo Arriola, student; and several staff of the UP Asian Center, all of whom shared their insights, suggestions, and recommendations. National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera also took part in the discussions. Accompanying Professor Gyo Miyahara was Dr. Shizuyo Yoshitomi of The Global Collaboration Unit, Center for Global Initiatives of Osaka University,  Frieda Joy Angelica Ruiz of Osaka University Graduate School of Human Sciences,  Masaki Hashimoto and Keitaro Murakami, both of World Kids Community

The findings of the project would be shared with families living or planning to relocate to Japan. This project is led by Dr. Shizuyo Yoshitomi, and is financially supported by the Toyota Foundation.  

The UP Asian Center offers M.A. programs in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. The Center offers a Ph.D. program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. Get an overview of these programs. The Asian Center also houses a peer-reviewed, open-access journal, Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia. It has published several books and monographs, and hosts or organizes various lectures and conferences.