TINA BROWN (KANDA UNIVERSITY OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES)
CHRISTINE PEMBERTON (Kanda University of International Studies)

PROMOTING INCLUSIVITY THROUGH PROJECT-BASED PROSOCIAL LEARNING WITH CLIL LGBTQ+ COURSE TAKERS : EQUITY AND LEARNER DIVERSITY

Japan’s LGBT boom in the 1990s and 2010s created an environment in which it was more common for LGBTQ+ people to openly discuss their experiences (Pei-fen Dale, 2016). Insufficient or inauthentic media representation of LGBTQ+ people obfuscates the LGBTQ+ experience, so exposure to more LGBTQ+ content seems beneficial to students (Thelen, 2021). To increase awareness about LGBTQ+ issues, an elective course called “LGBTQ+ Studies: Defining LGBTQ+, LGBTQ+ rights movements, and current LGBTQ+ issues” was created at a Japanese university. Course takers applied the knowledge learned by designing and implementing projects to improve the accessibility of the university’s Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) for LGBTQ+ users. This aligned with the SALC’s mission to provide supportive and inclusive spaces, resources, and facilities and promote prosocial behavior. The researchers (the instructor and two learning advisors in the SALC) monitored and guided course takers throughout the process. Upon the projects’ completion, students presented them, reflected on the process, and conducted peer evaluations. The instructor and LGBTQ+ staff members also evaluated the projects’ relevance and impact. Qualitative data collected in group discussions and individual written reflections was analyzed thematically. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings indicated that course takers were able to learn about LGBTQ+ issues and identify several needs of the LGBTQ+ community in their projects. While students learned about implementing changes at an institutional level and introduced some effective ideas to help support the LGBTQ+ community, the most valuable lesson may be how to effect real-world change and overcome institutional barriers.

Tina Brown is a lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies in the English Language Institute. Tina has a wide range of research interests but is currently focusing on global issues in language education, particularly integrating disability and queer issues into English language classrooms.

Christine Pemberton is a learning advisor at Kanda University of International Studies. She holds a master’s degree in TESOL, a RILAE advisor certification, and has more than a decade of teaching experience. Her research interests are learner autonomy, self-directed language learning, inclusion, and mindfulness in language learning.