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Monthly Program

APRIL PROGRAM

Friday, April 22, 2005 19:00-21:00

PROGRAM:
Illiteracy problem in Japan and awareness of "orality"

PRESENTER:
Junko Saruhashi (Ph.D.)

PLACE:
Reitaku University Tokyo Kenkyu Center (Shinjuku i-Land Tower, 4th Floor)

LANGUAGE:
 Japanese

FEE:
Members 1000Yen; Non-members 1000Yen; Students Free

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The literacy rate of Japan is the highest in the world and many Japanese people believe there is no illiteracy problem in Japan. If we recognize the problem of illiteracy, we tend to believe that the problem will be solved by teaching illiterate people how to read and write. Actually certain cultural features of illiterate people ("orality") which we cannot see in literate culture have been observed. I introduce; (1) unique aspects of "orality" culture, and (2) some strategies between "orality" and literacy from my field work at Kawasaki, Japan. (3) Then I would like to discuss together how difficult it is to overcome ethnocentrism for someone who lives in a literate culture.

PRESENTER:
Junko Saruhashi: Lecturer at Tamagawa University and Researcher at The Research Institute of Aoyama Gakuin University. Graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University with Ph.D. in International Communication.

How to get there?:
i-Land Tower can be accessed directly from Nishi-Shinjuku Station on the Marunouchi Line by following the underground path. From JR Shinjuku Station it is approximately a 10-minute walk. Once you get to the building, select an elevator that stops on the 4th floor. After you get off on the 4th floor, walk to the right until you get to the last door on your left.
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