Advanced Japanese Language Study Funded by Japan-US Friendship Commission

Monday, September 11, 2000

The National Foreign Language Center and the Association of Teachers of Japanese (ATJ) are jointly undertaking a study to analyze the state of advanced level Japanese language training in the United States.

Dr. Richard D. Brecht, director of the NFLC, and Dr. Laurel R. Rodd, president of ATJ and professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Colorado-Boulder, are conducting this collaborative study with the support of the Japan-US Friendship Commission (JUSFC). The three main foci of the study are (1) to ascertain the language proficiency of advanced US graduate students, who comprise the nation's future supply of Japanese language experts, (2) to assess study abroad and other experiential programs in Japan that contribute to the development of this crucialexpertise, and (3) to assess Japanese language graduate programs at US institutions of higher education.

This major JUSFC-funded project supports the NFLC's mission of sustaining the US capacity in the critical, less commonly taught languages by highlighting the role of all sectors, both domestic and overseas, that contribute to that capacity.

More information: Victor Frank, vfrank@nflc.org