Editor’s note: Chinese Association for International Understanding (CAFIU) established relations with government of Hiroshima Prefecture of Japan in 1999. Two programs, namely Overseas Technology Research Workers and Short-time Training Course for Overseas Japanese Teachers were launched in 2000. Each year CAFIU recommends one Japanese teacher for a two-month study in Hiroshima since 2003. During that period of time, teachers are not only trained in teaching methodologies, but also get to know Japanese culture and life through various activities. So far, CAFIU has recommended about ten teachers from higher learning institutes and secondary schools in Tianjin, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shenyang, Jiangxi to study in Japan. Last year, CAFIU recommended Ms. Li Ou, a young Japanese teacher from Beijing Yuetan Secondary School to study in Hiroshima. She came back in November and handed in a study report to CAFIU, which talks about her study experience and impressions in Japan.

 

 

Recommended by CAFIU, I participated in a two-month training program for overseas Japanese teachers in Hiroshima International Plaza (HIP) from October 1 to November 26, 2014. The program aims to train Japanese teachers in developing countries in Asia-Pacific regions and other friendly regions, further promoting friendly exchanges between Hiroshima Prefecture and target countries and regions.

 
The training is consisted of two parts that press ahead simultaneously. One is the Class Design Feature to improve teachers’ teaching ability, while the other is the Study Promotion Feature to deepen understanding of Hiroshima. Besides, it also offers interesting local culture experience programs for teachers. I have benefited a lot in the two months. 

Class design feature

In order to improve the language ability and teaching skills, teachers in HIP design lessons based on our practical levels, namely teaching design, conversation, oral expression, fast reading and pronunciation.

 

I have learned many practical classroom design skills through simulation class, discussions, and lectures, which is conducive to motivating students’ involvement. Meanwhile, I have broadened my thinking in teaching in the process of preparing model lessons and observing other teachers’ demonstration, which prompts me to rethink my ways of teaching. We should avoid from indulging in teaching grammar and test skills, rather we should put more emphasis on the application, putting the teaching of grammar in a specifically-set situation so as to get a deeper understanding of the cultural background. 

 

Besides, in classes like dialogue, oral expression and fast reading, the experts transformed the abstract training into a systematic and visual model, which is quite effective for guiding my students.

 

Although it is difficult to solve all problems in our daily teaching through several lectures, still they bring new thinking and concept, providing an opportunity for me to reflect on how to explain to my students the purpose of learning foreign language and how to achieve their goals.

Study promotion feature

With the aim of deepening understanding of Japan in terms of international study, besides improving our teaching skills, we also accept guidance on promoting study in Japan. 

 

At present, Japan is advancing Top Global University Project. With the advancement of it, Japan will come up with corresponding policies to promote international studies, enrich the curriculum and strengthen support for international students in life and study, which is no doubt good news for those studying Japanese.

 

We have in-depth discussions with related educational institutions in Hiroshima Prefecture on systems concerning studying in Japan, students, study promotion and get valuable information and material. I hope that the study could provide a broader platform for those students who want to study in Japan and engage in international exchanges.

 

During my stay in Japan, we have also made inspection tours to educational institutions, cultural facilities in Hiroshima Prefecture, visited enterprises and International Students Support Center. Based on these visits I got a deeper understanding of Japanese society, culture as well as the environment for international students in Hiroshima.

 

The visit to Hiroshima University left me a deep impression. We were shown around by volunteers on the campus, witnessing arches of Department of Science and Engineering that being destroyed by atomic bomb during the World War Ⅱ. I did feel the weight of history at that moment. In the University Museum, fossils of prehistoric species that being evacuated from the campus were on display. We were even allowed to touch them. The outside world only knows that Hiroshima University is renowned for its education, however, the tranquil campus hidden in the hills is of a unique appeal.

 

We have also visited well-known local enterprise Advance Machinery and had the opportunity to talk with a Chinese employee. She is the only Chinese employee in Advance. I asked her several questions such as the enrollment examination, thoughts in working in a Japanese company, how to come along with Japanese colleagues, the problems arisen and moving moments she encountered. All these have enriched my understanding of Japanese companies and could serve as materials for guiding students to interact with Japanese people.

Cultural experience

Besides lectures at HIP, what impressed me is that we could experience colorful culture. At Saijo Matsuri, I joined the team of foreigners in traditional costume to parade on the street beating Taiko. When we were in school, we taught kids there to play game of eagle and chickens and had a lot of fun. What surprised me most is that when they heard that I came from China, dozens of kids said hello to me loudly in Chinese. I felt friendship and the charm of Chinese language in foreigners’ minds. We cut wheat in the fields stricken by typhoon, enjoying the happiness of harvest. We experienced tea ceremony at tea house, feeling the beauty of tranquility of Uedaryu. We parade in local festival traditional costume, bringing exotic performance to local residents. One can experience all these different events only here in Saijo and Hiroshima. I will bring what I have learned in terms of culture back to China and pass on to each of my students, hoping that they could understand real Hiroshima, Japan and Japanese people at large.

I have learned a lot in terms of teaching skills, environment for international students and related policy from the two-month study. I have built contacts with several universities, which helped me to lay a solid foundation for future study in Japan.

 

As a student, I come to know Hiroshima people’s friendship and what peace means to them. The guide who showed us around Hiroshima University had once studied in Beijing Language and Culture University as an exchange student. He had won a prize in a nationwide speech contest with a speech titled Smile Promoting World Peace, showing his aspiration for world peace. I was deeply moved. At that moment, I realized how beautiful it is to go abroad and make new friends. You could express yourself, listen to others, see the world with your own eyes and experience life you have not had before to find the differences. This is what exchange really is about.

 

In conclusion, thanks to CAFIU again for providing such a valuable opportunity for me.