Integrated Discussion: Innovation via Cross-Cultural Engagement

Abstract

The pressure to internationalize across the higher education sector in Japan continues. Significant effort has been directed at the expansion of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) departments, and degree programs, combined with efforts aimed at increasing the attractiveness of Japanese universities for rising numbers of international students. This complex setting has direct implications for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs that seek to ready Japanese students for such challenging environments. This chapter describes one such pilot research project involving the controlled introduction of international students to a Japan-based EAP speaking and listening class in an attempt to (a) gauge the academic, communicative, and related study benefits for the EAP students involved, (b) reveal any indications that the program could assist in efforts to improve the campus culture and relationships between Japanese and international students, and (c) ultimately determine the potential worth of implementing such a program across the EAP curriculum.

The findings from the pilot study suggest that, overall, the introduction of international students to a preparatory EAP program provided a range of benefits to the participating Japanese students who were all preparing to enter an EMI environment in Japan. In addition, despite limited feedback, international students also responded very positively regarding their experiences in the program. Although reporting and displaying high levels of anxiety, all of the EAP participants expressed a clear desire to continue onward and expose themselves to further challenge during the program. The study produced a number of key findings showing that the EAP participants, despite being highly motivated to actively interact and share ideas with international students, (a) initially struggled to freely engage in cross-cultural academic discussions but (b) could eventually do so in an effective manner when given time and targeted instruction and that they (c) found their integrated discussions to be an excellent motivator and informer for not only their communicative development but also the progressive evolution of their academic skills. This small pilot study also uncovered findings that may require sober reflection for those engaged in preparatory EAP programs in Japan, especially those that precede EMI curriculums featuring multicultural student populations.