On June 28th and July 4th, 2018, international students learning Japanese language in the class taught by Project Lecturer Eriko Ishida participated in a special class with Japanese students who are taking the Advanced English Academic Skills class taught by Associate Professor Miwa Isobe at the Training Center for Foreign Languages and Diction.

First, the students formed small groups. Although it was the first time for them to meet each other, they quickly got along and enjoyed free conversation in a relaxed atmosphere. Many students later commented that they enjoyed this session the best in the class. It was a good opportunity to check their own language ability and get more motivated to improve their speaking skill.

After the free conversation, the international students gave speeches in Japanese, introducing the best points of their hometown, such as tourist spots, nature, events and local foods. They appealed to the audience to visit their hometown and then answered questions about their interesting presentations.

Following the speeches by the international students, the Japanese students made presentations in English. They introduced Japanese artists working on a global scale. They talked passionately about their love for the artists. “By getting to know about famous Japanese artists, we also learned about Japanese culture and art,” an international student said.

The Japanese participants provided feedback such as: “It was a great opportunity to try my communication ability in English, as we seldom have a chance to interact with international students on campus,” “I was excited to talk with the international students in various fields. They shared their works of art with us,” “I wish to know more about international students at Tokyo Geidai.”
The international students also commented: “I enjoyed making friends,” “I will definitely speak more in Japanese language next time.”

This experience will lead the participants to cultivate friendships, as well as to study more about their target languages.