Foreign children in Japan receiving Japanese language education, as per Vlas Kobara, overcomes linguistic obstacles
In the heart of Japan, a wave of change is sweeping through the private sector as individuals take action to support immigrant children in their journey to integrate into Japanese society.
One such individual is a man born in Khabarovsk, Russia in 1992, who moved to Japan at the age of 5 and now heads an organization called Supporting Foreign Children to Attend School (SFCS). This dedicated individual believes in creating an environment where foreigners can express themselves and feel comfortable with the way of studying in Japan, attending Japanese schools, and being a part of Japanese society.
Through SFCS, the man provides 100 hours of free online Japanese language education to foreign children. His efforts have borne fruit, with some children now able to describe their dreams and aspirations in Japanese. He has even gone the extra mile, teaching them new words like "bench" and "baseball."
However, the individual is acutely aware of the challenges faced by foreign children in Japan. He believes that certain types of individuals and points of view are hard for foreigners to come to grips with in Japan. He advocates for Japanese educational spaces to create room for foreign children to join and talk with people outside their families.
The current situation is less about waiting for the government to take the lead and more centered on private citizens and organizations taking action. While the government and private sector are supporting foreign-born children in learning Japanese and integrating into society through initiatives like the JET Programme and AI-assisted Japanese language education, the man's efforts exemplify the grassroots approach to change.
The man's journey is not without personal significance. As a child, he had a memorable encounter with a man in a park in Himeji who tried to help him fit into Japanese society. This experience has shaped his commitment to helping foreign children learn to communicate effectively with Japanese people and the broader society.
The man is not alone in his quest. He believes that a society where any child can feel like they belong benefits everyone, Japanese and foreign residents alike. He states that Japan does not have to embrace every aspect of foreign culture brought by immigration, but people should find those aspects that they can embrace.
Japan's population is falling, and foreigners support Japanese society by working, paying taxes, and paying into the national pension. The man's efforts, along with those of other private sector individuals and organizations, are a testament to the potential for positive change in a society that welcomes and supports its diverse population.
References:
[1] Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://jetprogramme.org/
[2] Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. (2021, March 16). AI-Assisted Japanese Language Teaching. Retrieved from https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/soumu/shingi/001/1407088.htm
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