What the voices of people living in a multicultural and multilingual environment can tell us

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College of Arts and Sciences
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In College of Arts and Sciences, in addition to the fourth-year 'Graduation Thesis' and 'Graduation Research,' the 'Graduation Service Learning Project' (commonly known as Graduation SLP)*1 will be offered as the fourth-year subject of the 'Inquiry and Practice Subject,' and from the 2024 academic year, students are engaged in various social issues through each Graduation SLP.

In the "Graduation SLP" (Instructor: Maki Kawada), under the theme "Considering Equitable Education and Support for Multicultural and Multilingual Children," we focus on structural issues in Japanese society involving linguistic and cultural diversity, and are engaged in Critical Service-Learning*2. As part of this, the practice of the "Multilingual Philosophical Dialogue" through high school-university collaboration between the part-time course of Tokyo Metropolitan Machida High School and our university was featured in the Asahi Shimbun on June 22. This activity is usually held at Machida High School, but on Saturday, September 12, it was also held at our university as a community event. Below are messages from graduate SLP students who have deepened their learning through these initiatives.

College of Arts and Sciences 4th year: Yuina Kokumi (Major: Language Education, Minor: Psychology & Multicultural Coexistence)

Have you ever tried to listen to the unspoken thoughts of someone else? Have you ever felt frustrated because you were evaluated without being able to demonstrate your true potential? Some high school students from multicultural and multilingual backgrounds are evaluated based only on superficial information such as their Japanese language ability, and feel frustrated thinking, "If only I could speak my native language, they would understand." These students possess inner strengths and abilities such as deep thinking skills and intellectual curiosity, and are equal to high school students in Japan who are native Japanese speakers. How adults and society view these high school students from multicultural and multilingual backgrounds greatly influences whether they can learn in a vibrant way. Furthermore, it also affects whether they can recognize the potential hidden in the cultural and linguistic resources they possess. Therefore, as the first step in our activities, we want to establish a place where high school students from multicultural and multilingual backgrounds can confidently express their thoughts in their own words.

At the International Exchange Circle of the evening division of Tokyo Metropolitan Machida High School, which has a high school-university collaboration agreement, students listen to each other's voices. From left: Yuna Kogumi, Takashi Kashiwazaki, and Michika Tatewaki.

College of Arts and Sciences 4th year: Michika Tatewaki (Major: Language Education, Minor: Psychology & Multicultural Coexistence)

Through my interactions with high school students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, I was shocked to learn that in Japanese-centered schools, multicultural and multilingual high school students are sometimes evaluated solely on their Japanese language proficiency.
Some students may keep their inherent potential (such as their strengths and interests) hidden within themselves, but building trust is necessary to unlock that potential once it has been closed off. And that takes a very long time. Nevertheless, we are willing to dedicate the time to this process because this initiative is a valuable learning experience that will have a significant impact not only on the high school students but also on us university students who are involved.
We strive to create an "equal relationship" where we can share values, inspire each other, and gain new perspectives, thereby drawing out the strengths of high school students. Through these interactions, we ultimately hope that high school students will realize their own potential and build confidence.

College of Arts and Sciences 4th year: Takashi Kashiwazaki (Major: Museum Science & Information Science, Minor: Education & Data Science)

When I was in kindergarten, I had the opportunity to spend time with children from China. Perhaps the kindergarten teacher meant it as a courtesy, saying, "Your parents are from China." We were both children with Chinese roots. However, the language barrier made communication difficult, and I have frustrating memories of struggling to understand each other.
My own Chinese roots and past experiences have taught me the importance of listening to the voices of the heart that lie beyond language barriers. The multicultural, multilingual high school students around us today possess a rich culture, unique values cultivated through their lives, and profound thinking abilities that cannot be measured by superficial Japanese language proficiency alone. What I have come to realize through my seminar is the significance of education as a "hub" that connects diverse talents across national borders. Smartphones are widespread and they all own them, but do they truly have a diverse range of future options before them, and an environment where they can freely choose from them? Can they utilize not only material resources but also linguistic resources to vibrantly forge their future? How can education become a hub that expands their potential, driven by their own roots and originality? We need to continue asking ourselves these questions.

College of Arts and Sciences 4th Year John Yumin (Major: Language Education, Minor: Communication & Linguistics)

"By getting to know others, you can grow as a person."
This is what I realized most strongly while participating in the philosophical dialogues held at Machida High School. The philosophical dialogues at Machida High School are activities that utilize one's native language and experiences in one's home country, and make full use of one's entire linguistic repertoire (including both one's native language and Japanese) to question philosophical themes. For example, on a day when the theme was "What is 'normal'?", various questions arose such as "Is it normal to use polite language with teachers?", "Can one person's opinion be called 'normal'?", and "How many people are needed to call something 'normal'?". Through these questioning sessions, we were able to hear about the cultures of other students' countries and share what things are like in our own countries.
Despite being born and raised in different countries and cultures, I was surprised to find common ground and experienced situations that challenged my preconceived notions. Through these experiences, I was able to enjoy both empathy for shared interests and new discoveries from different perspectives. I believe that cherishing one's own culture and language in this way can be an opportunity to re-evaluate and positively assess one's own inherent abilities while living in Japan.

J. F. Oberlin University Held at the Machida Campus for multicultural and multilingual high school students Events 'Multilingual Philosophical Dialogue Thinking in Your Language' (September 12, 2026). Hosted by John Yumin (left) and Yuina Kogumi (right)

College of Arts and Sciences 4th year: Tasuku Kakamimi (Major: Psychology, Minor: Multicultural Coexistence)

We have been conducting activities using philosophical dialogue at Machida High School. Through these activities, we learned that in Japan, the voices of multicultural and multilingual students can sometimes be obscured by structural disparities. In our regular activities, we engage with students through dialogue to help them develop rich thinking by utilizing their diverse cultures and languages.
In philosophical dialogues, I am often made to think by the students' innovative opinions. For example, in response to the question, "When did 'normal' begin?", one student suggested, "Perhaps 'normal' began when there were two people?" If I had forced them to think and speak in Japanese, I might not have received such an opinion. From this experience, I believe that culture and language are not limitations, but rather enrichment of thought and expression. I hope to continue this activity so that all children, not just those from multicultural and multilingual backgrounds, can reach their full potential.

Activities at a career guidance session for high school students with international connections (July 18, 2026). From left: Yu Kagami, Yumin John, and Yuina Kogumi.

Japanese society is experiencing a rapid increase in children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Why are these children facing difficulties? These difficulties are generally perceived as problems with children's acquisition of Japanese language, but who is defining them this way? Furthermore, what is the purpose of Japanese language education, which is attracting attention as a solution to this problem, and for whom is it a solution? What should language education (Japanese language education) be like for "children"? Students critically re-examine the "taken-for-granted" assumptions of Japanese society that emerge from these questions, and while listening to the voices of multicultural, multilingual high school students and children, they continue to explore and think about how to implement these practices every day.

*1 College of Arts and Sciences About the 4th-year assignment inquiry and practical subject: 'Graduation Service Learning Project'

*2 Critical Service-Learning: In Service-Learning (SL), which involves learning through the interplay of theory and practice, this refers to a particular approach to SL practice that seeks to explore the root causes of social structural problems, critically questions the nature of volunteering itself, and works toward the realization of a just society while building better relationships with the people involved.

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