Foreign Language Education Programs through the Center for Foreign Language Education

The Center is continually developing its curriculum in English and other foreign languages such as German, French, Chinese, and Korean to better meet both students' and society's needs for global citizens. The Center encourages students to develop their communicative abilities so they have a better understanding of the world around them, an awareness of cultural differences, and an appreciation for those who are not from Japan. In this endeavor, the Center provides assistance both during and outside of classes.

The Merits of the English Education Program

1. Measuring Progress

The Center administers the Listening and Writing portions of the TOEIC-IP (Test of English for International Communication – Institutional Program) twice a year, at the beginning and end of the Freshman year. This allows students to concretely measure their progress and to realize how the curriculum has allowed them to not only learn the fundamentals of English but also useful English that can be practically used.

2. Courses that Match Individual Interests

The English curriculum allows students to match their interests with elective courses throughout their stay at the university. Furthermore, some freshmen are allowed to select portions of their mandatory English education.

3. Classes that Fit Individual Abilities

Students are classified according to their proficiency levels. At the same time, they are guaranteed to learn English effectively in small-sized classes: around 20 students in practical English courses learning with native speakers of English, and around 35 to 40 students in other courses such as reading courses or e-learning courses.

The Merits of Learning a Second Foreign Language

1. Education for an increasingly global society

To become a truly international person, it is important to deepen one's understanding of many cultures, but at the same time, to have a rudimentary knowledge of how languages work. By learning how to learn, students not only learn these things but also the process of obtaining specialized knowledge. Furthermore, students' overall educational ability is raised through their study of other foreign languages.

2. Studying with Native Speakers

The Center's non-English language courses have native speaker instructors. The courses focus on all four skills, thereby developing students' overall ability to use the language. This balance is essential in providing practical training in a new language.

3. Implementing the Systematic Education

The Center provides almost the same level of second foreign languages by programming them uniformly in the following 10 respects: 1) learning in small classes, 2) making a common weekly schedule, 3) setting the same achievement goal based on an outer certification exam, 4) grading based on the common criteria, 5) providing a common syllabus, 6) using an original unified text, 7) making unified "menu" classes in the second semester, 8) unifying the class contents, 9) providing a systematic learning support, and 10) establishing a PDCA cycle for improvement.