DEVELOPING JAPANESE

CHILDREN’S LITERACY AT HOME

A. B.

MY STUDY: What do I want to know?

How Japanese children develop literacy at home?

What role a mother plays in this development?

What kinds of books?What morals these books teach?Who decides the books the children read?How mothers view literacy development

and education in Japan?

THE RESEARCHERAMY BUSH (20)

Major: Japanese Language and LiteratureMinor: Chinese Language and Civilization

Currently working on a thesis revolving around how cultures differ in values based on children’s literature

BACKGROUND Japanese literature:

Morals of harmony, empathy, loyalty, and patience

Expectations of Mothers“A good mother not only sacrifices all for

her child, but educates her child as well” (Stuery pg. 36)

Sunao and how it relates to education and literacy in the home*

METHODOLOGY Case Study of Host Family

Formal and Informal InterviewsObservationParticipants: HM, HB1, HB2

Interview with other families Interviewees: AJM, AM

Participants selected by convenience- Must be mothers with child(ren) age 6-12

CASE STUDY PART 1: OBSERVATION

Home Environment: Full of materials to support literacy

- posters- classroom- book shelves

When do the children read?

Where do they read?

What do they read?

How is the mother involved?

RESULTS: WHAT DID I NOTICE? Time: Random (Reading to HM just

before or right after dinner) Place: Kitchen hallway, dining room,

living room

RESULTS CONTINUED: Children’s behavior during reading:

FidgetyRushedConscientious of accuracy

Mother’s behavior:Busy—usually multi-taskingAttentive CoddlingMother vs Teacher

CASE STUDY PART 2: INTERVIEW

Formal Interview: HM Informal: HM, HBs

CASE STUDY: PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVATION

INTERVIEWS AJM

Bicultural FamilyWants her children to enjoy readingProvides her children with ample materials

to improve their literacyFeels the need to teach them English

Only one in their environment with that ability Wants to share herself—childhood stories

OFFERING SOME PERSPECTIVE

AM Australian Family When did they start reading

together? A few months “Reading is a warm, cuddly

thing to do” Still part of the bedtime routine

Always a supply of books—$200 book budget

“Hate giving books back” so they tend to buy rather than borrow

Introducing them to other cultures/genres

Salman Rushdie

MORALS AND VALUES?Choices are difficultMaking the right choice

is not always obviousStand up for what you

believe inBe strongViolence is not

necessarily the best answer but sometimes it is the only answer

CONCLUSIONSJapanese mothers feel the need for their

children to succeed Provide extra materials Library Teach English Prepare them for their future

Book Reading is used as a bonding activity Creates stronger dependency Allows mother to share her childhood and

culture

CONCLUSIONS CONTINUED Books tend to be folktales in Japanese

Other cultures (Australia, America, etc.) have specific books that all children read

Mothers often allow children freedom in how they pursue literacy, yet reading books still plays a big role in their literacy development

Juku, Calligraphy lessons, among others, are supplemental to the children’s literacy yet are often expected

REFERENCES AJM. (2013, December 12). Interview by A B. Bicultural

Family. AM. (2013, December 12). Interview by A B. Perspective. HM. (2013, November 10). Interview by A B. Japanese

mothers. Holloway, S. (2008). Determinants of parental involvement

in early schooling: Evidence from japan. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 10(1), Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v10n1/holloway.html

Stuery , J. (1993). Working mothers in japan and the effects on children and society. Intercultural Communication Studies, Retrieved from http://www.uri.edu/iaics/content/1993v3n2/04 Jill Steury.pdf

**