How Globalism is Represented in English Textbooks in Japan
This paper explores the portrayal of countries and cultural elements in Japanese EFL high school textbooks, which may contribute to students' awareness of the varieties of English and understanding of other cultures. Based on Kachru's three concentric circle model of English in the world, I examined three textbooks from Japan in order to identify the extent to which English language varieties and cultures are presented to EFL students. The textbooks used were approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in 2013 and have been used in Japanese high schools since April 2014. The findings reveal that these three textbooks are likely to emphasize mostly Inner Circle countries at the expense of Outer Circle countries, and to a lesser extent, Expanding Circle countries. This suggests that certain changes to English textbooks in Japan should be implemented in order to increase students' awareness of the varieties of English spoken in Outer and Expanding Circle countries. Introduction Materials used in the classroom, including textbooks, are influential gateways to learning a language and understanding other cultures. This paper explores the portrayal of the countries and cultural elements in Japanese EFL textbooks used in high schools, which contribute to students' awareness of the varieties of English as well as students' understanding of international cultures. I will analyze three textbooks used in Japan in order to demonstrate how English language varieties and cultures are presented to EFL students based on Kachru's three concentric circles model. Diversity of English in The World As English spreads as a dominant international language, countries can be categorized into three groups: Inner Circle countries, Outer Circle countries, and Expanding Circle countries (Kachru, 1992) According to Mckenzie (2008) "each of the three circles represents different types of spread, patterns of acquisition and functions of English in a diversity of cultural contexts" (p. 267) In Inner Circle countries, such as Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, English is acquired and spoken as a first language by the majority of people (Matsuda, 2002) The Outer Circle refers to countries such as India, Kenya, the Philippines, and Singapore, which "represent the institutionalized non native varieties (ESL) in the regions that have passed through extended periods of colonization" (Kachru, 1992, p. 356) ______________________ Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivs CC BY NC ND Hanashiro, K. (2016) How globalism is represented in English textbooks in Japan. Hawaii Pacific University TESOL Working Paper Series 14, 2 13. Website: http:/www.hpu.edu. Email: khanashi@my.hpu.edu. Address: 5 2 20 Hiyagon Okinawa City, Okinawa, Japan. Zipcode: 904 2173 Hawai`i Pacific University TESOL Working Paper Series In Expanding Circle countries such as Russia, Korea, China, and Japan, "English is learned as a foreign language (EFL) and is used for international communication, such as in business, diplomacy and tourism" (Mckenzie, 2008, p. 269) As Figure 1 and Figure 2 illustrate, the total number of English users categorized in the Outer and Expanding Circles exceeds that of the Inner Circle. This means that the number of English users is rising around the world and the number of non native speakers of English exceeds that of native speakers. The increasing number of non native speakers of English suggests the need to expose Japanese EFL students to many varieties of English other than the English spoken in Inner Circle countries. From this perspective, Matsuda (2003) stated, "even if one variety is selected as a dominant target model, an awareness of different varieties would help students develop a more communicative view of the English language" (p. 721) In other words, it is very important for English language learners to be aware that there are many varieties of English and to know that understanding these variations would be beneficial for international communication. Figure 1. The Three 'Circles' of English (Adapted from Crystal, 2003, p. 61)