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

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.

"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.

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.