On June 20, 2016, a joint class was held for international students and Japanese students who are taking courses of English and Japanese respectively at the TUA’s Training Center for Foreign Languages and Dictation.

The participants included 18 students taking the advanced academic English skills class instructed by Associate Professor Miwa Isobe, as well as 8 international students from the beginner, elementary, and intermediate Japanese language classes instructed all by Project Lecturer Eriko Ishida. The students made presentations on what they had learnt from their regular classes, for which they had prepared over the past few weeks. As the class aimed to have the participants engage in a practical conversation, international students asked Japanese students questions in English, and Japanese students asked questions or made comments either in Japanese or English.

On the day, the class began with self-introduction in groups for the students to get familiarized with one another. The participants looked nervous in the beginning, but soon they made friends. It became a valuable experience to know each other for both local and international students.

Then, the international students took turns to talk about where they are originally from, showing pictures and introducing the famous tourist spots and foods to eat. “Please visit my homeland!” They appealed to the audience.

Later, the Japanese students formed some groups to made presentations in English on topics such as introducing the piano department with a focus on the examination system, lessons and specialized subjects, and the Geisai campus festival, as well as places recommended around the university.

The international students enjoyed the presentations by their Japanese counterparts, as they were able to learn a bit of the local students’ daily activities, which are usually hard to know even though the students all study on the same campus. An international student of architecture raised a question about famous buildings, and the majority of the participants who were on a short-term exchange program were happy to know about the tourist spots recommended by the local students.

The Japanese participants provided feedback such as “I usually get nervous when I speak to a foreigner, but the tendency was less apparent during the class,” “I was very much encouraged by the studious attitude of the international students.”

Also, some international students mentioned ” Thanks to the class, I was able to meet local students” and “Unfortunately, I have to go back before Geisai but it was good to know about the feeling of the campus festival”.

The participants are usually busy with their own study fields but the joint class became a good opportunity for them to see beyond their daily lives and also deepen mutual understanding. The university will continue to offer such opportunities where both local and international students can practice foreign languages they are learning while enjoying socializing with one another.