This study presents a follow-up investigation of a learner-centered “Survival Japanese” curriculum, designed to support ASEAN graduate students with no prior knowledge of Japanese who participate in short-term research placements in Japan. The course equips learners with essential linguistic and cultural tools for navigating both laboratory and daily life contexts. The curriculum, developed using a flipped classroom model, comprising 12 on-demand and 3 real-time online lessons, emphasizes practical vocabulary, essential phrases, and socio-cultural expressions tailored for academic lab settings and everyday interactions. While the previous study focused on course design and preliminary post-course feedback, the current research expands the scope by analyzing newly collected data from post-course surveys and follow-up interviews. In addition to measuring students' perceived confidence and real-life language application, this phase introduces new analytic dimensions: students’ learning motivation, their engagement with the blended format, and their ability to adapt within Japanese academic and social environments. Primary findings reaffirm the curriculum’s effectiveness in fostering communicative confidence, contextual language use, and cultural adjustment. The flexible structure and needs-based design were found to support learner autonomy, though time constraints due to academic workloads posed challenges for some students. A second-level course has also been implemented to extend foundational skills; however, uptake and completion rates remain limited, reflecting the practical difficulties students face during their research stays. Ultimately, this study contributes to curriculum design for short-term international learners and offers insights into the role of blended language programs in promoting academic participation and intercultural competence.

Authors:
Sathida Kanjamapornkul, The University of Osaka, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Sathida Kanjamapornkul is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for International Initiatives, The University of Osaka. Her research expertise focuses on Japanese linguistics and language education in international and intercultural contexts.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sathida-kanjamapornkul-014b492b4/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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