Religion in the ELT Classroom: Japanese University Students' Perspectives

Author : Kenneth Foye

Abstract :Following up on a study on teachers’ perspectives (Foye, 2014), this paper reports on a survey of nearly 500 university students in Japan to ascertain their views on discussing or mentioning religion in the language classroom. Respondents were questioned about their feelings regarding discussing or mentioning religion in class. In particular, the students were asked if mentioning of religion in class was acceptable or appropriate; they were also queried regarding the appropriateness of the study of (a) a dialogue in which attendance at a religious service was mentioned in passing, and (b) a dialogue in which religious practice was discussed somewhat more deeply. The participants’ responses to these questions were cross-analyzed with their indicated religious beliefs. In addition to gathering quantitative data in the form of multiple-choice opinion questions, the survey asked respondents to expand on their answers by providing written commentary, which was examined for emerging themes and trends of thought.

Keywords :language education, religion in the classroom, cultural sensitivity, student perspectives, Japanese university students, language learning, intercultural communication, educational policy, classroom discussions, qualitative research.

Conference Name :International Conference on English Learning and Teaching (ICELT-25)

Conference Place Taipei City, Taiwan

Conference Date 17th Jan 2025