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Report: Pre-dispatch Japanese Language Education Conducted by Organizations in Home Countries

Surveyed: Sending Agencies in China
Conducted by: The Japan International Training Cooperation Organization

I. Preface

1. Purpose
To obtain useful information and enhance JITCO's basic functions by understanding the current condition of pre-dispatch language training education conducted by sending organizations.

2. Study Population
The State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) and the Sino-Japan Trainee Cooperation Organization of China (SJTCOC) authorized 190 sending organizations as of February the 28th, 2006. The organizations mentioned above function as points of contact for China. SAFEA authorized 8 organizations, and SJTCOC authorized 182.

3. Method
Surveys were mailed for data collection on March the 1st, 2006

II. Findings

1. Response Rate
Out of the 190 organizations contacted, 111 organizations participated in the survey, which was a response rate of 58.4%.

2. Results from the Survey

Participation of Participating Organizations
1. Affiliation
  
  The 8 organizations authorized by SAFEA (100%) and 103 organizations authorized by SJTCOC (56.6%) participated in the survey.
2. Location
  
  Three regions had the majority of participating organizations: 18 organizations from Liaoning Province, 17 organizations from Shandong Province, and 16 organizations from the City of Beijing. The remaining organizations represented 17 other areas.
Pre-dispatch Language Training Guidelines
1. Acknowledgement and Utilization
  
  Of 111 organizations participating in the survey 96.4% (105 organizations) of sending organizations knew about the pre-dispatch language training guidelines. 4.5% (5 organizations) did not know. The majority of sending organizations acknowledged the guidelines (see Chart 1).
  
  Chart 1: Do you know about the Pre-dispatch Language Training Guidelines?
  
  94.6% (105 organizations) had used the Guidelines as a reference. All organizations acknowledging the Guidelines used it.
  4.5% (5 organizations) hadn't used the Guidelines as a reference and was the same number that did not know about the Guidelines, (see Chart 2).
  
  Chart 2: Have you used the Pre-dispatch Language Training Guideline as reference?
  
  For sections frequently referred to, among the 105 organizations utilizing the Guidelines: Areas To Be Covered were referred in particular (99.0%); Length of Language Education (94.3%); Performing Final Level Check, (also 94.3%); Conduct Repetitive Oral Practice (90.5%); Reporting to Accepting Organizations (75.2%); and, Issuing Certificates (63.8%), (see Chart 3).
  
  Chart 3: Sections Used as References (Multiple Answers)

Teaching Format and Curriculum

Length of Pre-dispatch Training
An average of 13.1 weeks were spent on the pre-dispatch training. The Guidelines suggest a three-month period (13 weeks) as the desired length for training, and therefore it is assumed that sending organizations will follow the Guidelines for the length of training.
The distribution indicates that a 12-week training period is most often conducted by 49.5% of sending organizations, followed by a 13-week training period at 11.7%. These two lengths of time made up 61.2% (see Chart 4).

Chart 4: Average Length of Pre-dispatch Training

Averages of Total Pre-dispatch Training Hours

The length of all pre-dispatch training averaged at 533.4 hours. The training hours were distributed between: Language Training (346.2 hours); Culture and Customs (49.0 hours); Job Skills and Knowledge (65.5 hours); Physical Training (51.4 hours); and, Others (21.3 hours) (see Table 1).

Table 1: Total Pre-dispatch Training Hours Average

Total Hours Average	533.4 hours
(Breakdown)
Language Training	346.2 hours
Culture and Customs	49.0 hours
Job Skills and Knowledge	65.5 hours
Physical Training	51.4 hours
Others	21.3 hours

(Note: Averages were taken only from organizations providing answers)

The most common distribution of total hours of training fall into two groups: 450-499 hours and 600-649 hours are each provided by 12.6 % of the organizations, followed by 550-599 hours provided by 11.7 % of organizations (see Chart 5).

Chart 5: Total Hours of Pre-dispatch Training

Classification of the Training Curriculum
1. Language Training
  The average length of pre-dispatch language training was 346.2 hours. 18.0% of organizations allocated 200-249 hours, while another 18.0% allocated 440-449 hours. 17% of organizations allocated 300-349 hours of training time, and two groups, allocating 250-299 hours and 350-399 hours respectively, made up 11.7% each. These four categories made up more than three-quarters (76.5%) of respondents (see Chart 6).
  
  Chart 6: Hours Spent on Language Training
2. Culture and Customs
  The average time spent studying Japanese culture and customs was 49.0 hours. In the analysis, the responses were somewhat polarized, where 16.2% of the organizations spent between 20-24 hours, while 12.6% allocated more than 100 hours (see Chart 7).
  
  Chart 7: Hours Spent Studying Japanese Culture and Customs
3. Job Skills and Knowledge
  The average length of time allocated for job skills and knowledge was 65.5 hours. The distribution shows that 11.7% of organizations allocated 30-34 hours with the remainder allocating close to this length of time. However, 25.2% of organizations reported that they allocated more than 100 hours for this type of training (see Chart 8).
  
  Chart 8: Hours spent on Job Skills and Knowledge Training
4. Physical Training
  On average, 51.4 hours were spent on physical training. Most organizations allocated between 20-24 hours and 60-64 hours on this kind of training. The number of non-responding organizations, however, made up unusually high 15.3 % (see Chart 9).
  
  Chart 9: Hours Spent on Physical Training
5. Others
  An average of 21.3 hours were allocated for other kinds of training. The details of the training included: Laws and Labor Related (16.2%); Etiquette (13.5%); Propaganda and Discipline (9.0%); Japanese Culture and Manners (9.0%); and Language Self-Study and Presentations (9.0%), (see Chart 10).
  
  Chart 10: Hours Spent on Other Training (Multiple Answers)
Pre-dispatch Learning Environment
75.7% of organizations have their own training facilities. 10.8 % use facilities provided by other organizations, while 9.0% outsource their entire training program (see Chart 11).

Chart 11: Does Your Organization Own The Training Facility?
Instructors Providing Pre-dispatch Training
As for Japanese Language Instructors, 90.1% of organizations provide their own. 68.5% of organizations utilize employees from language training organizations in China, while 11.7% rely on other sources (see Chart 12).

Chart 12: Who Does the Japanese Language Training?
1. Employees at Organizations
  A distribution of 100 organizations that use their own employees for language training includes: Chinese Who Studied Japanese in China (74.0%); Returned Former Technical Interns (62.0%); and, Chinese Who Studied in Japan (62.0%).
  Only 23.0% of organizations utilized Japanese With Specific Knowledge In Language Training (see Chart 13).
  
  Chart 13: Distribution of Japanese Teachers Among Organizations Providing In-Company Language Training
2. Instructors from Language Training Organizations
  Of 76 organizations that utilized instructors from language training organizations, 94.7% use Chinese instructors while 26.3% use Japanese Instructors (see Chart 14).
  
  Chart 14: Distribution of Japanese Teachers from Language Training Organizations
3. Others
  13 organizations use different sources to provide language instructors. Among those, 84.6% of organizations have accepting organizations provide instructors, while 30.8% of organizations utilize instructors from Japan via language training organizations.
  Those who answered otherwise (61.5%) generally utilize Japanese friends who frequently visit China on business, or Japanese students studying in China (see Chart 15).
  
  Chart 15: Other Sources of Language Instructors (Multiple Answers)
Curriculum
1. Japanese Characters
  When writing a curriculum, hiragana reading and writing are widely taught, along with katakana reading and writing (both at 98.2%), followed by numeral reading (97.3%) and basic kanji reading and/or writing (95.5%). All surveyed subjects were taught in most organizations (see Chart 16).
  
  Chart 16: Curriculum: Expressions [Japanese Characters]
2. Vocabulary
  In their curriculums, 97.3 % of organizations covered basic vocabulary for living, followed by health and safety (96.4%), job related (96.4%), risk-avoidance (93.7%), and illness related (91.9%) vocabulary (see Chart 17).
  
  Chart 17: Curriculum: Expressions [Vocabulary] (Multiple Answers)
3. Daily Expressions
  For Daily Expressions, 99.1% of organizations taught easy self-introduction and basic greetings, and 97.3% covered basic expressions for shopping. Nearly all organizations taught the surveyed subjects (see Chart 18).
  
  Chart 18: Curriculum: Expressions [Daily Expressions]

Top

Textbooks
1. Currently Used Materials
  58.6% of organizations use Standard Japanese published by Mitsumura Tosho Publishing. 45.0% of organizations use Revised Basic Japanese published by the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarships. Both are used due to their availability in China.
  
  22.5% of organizations use in-house materials while 18.9% have accepting organizations provide original textbooks.
  
  Of JITCO-developed textbooks, 30.6% of organizations use the Glossary of Japanese Quotidian Terms for Trainees, and 28.6% use the Guide to Life in Japan. Other texts are not utilized as prevalently, with Nice to Meet You being used by 12.6% and Atarashii Jissen Nihongo by 9.0% (see Chart 19).
  
  Chart 19: Main Textbooks (Multiple Answers)
  
  Other Textbooks Available in China:
  In-house textbooks developed by sending organizations
  In-house textbooks developed by accepting organizations
  Others
  
  The reasons for choosing the textbooks as mentioned above included the following options: Relevancy (88.3%); Availability (48.6%); Request From Accepting Organizations (43.2%); and, Long Term Usage (38.7), (see Chart 20).
  
  Chart 20: Reasons for Choosing Textbooks (Multiple Answers)
2. Dictionaries
  82.9% of organizations instruct trainees to acquire dictionaries. 16.2% of organizations do not instruct trainees about dictionaries (see Chart 21).
  
  Chart 21: Does Your Organization Instruct Trainees to Acquire Dictionaries?
  
  For the 18 organizations that do not instruct trainees to acquire dictionaries, the reasons include: Instructors Can Explain The Vocabulary in Class (88.9%); Using Original Word Lists (61.1%); and Others (see Chart 22).
  
  Chart 22: Reasons for Not Requiring Dictionaries
3. Supplementary Materials
  97.3% of organizations have supplementary materials for pre-dispatch training while 0.9% of organizations have no additional materials (see Chart 23).
  
  Chart 23: Supplementary Materials
  
  Of 108 organizations that incorporate additional materials 86.1% use Japanese alphabet charts in hiragana and katakana. 76.9% use lists of technical terms, and 74.1% use a map of Japan (see Chart 24).
  
  Chart 24: Supplementary Materials Used
Evaluation and Testing
1. Japanese Proficiency Tests
  99.0% of the organizations conduct proficiency tests to evaluate trainees' language skills (see Chart 25).
  
  Chart 25: Does Your Organization Conduct Proficiency Tests to Evaluate Trainees' Language Skills?
  
  Of the 110 organizations that conduct a Japanese proficiency test, 53.6% chose "about 80%" as the passing score, 23.6% chose " about 70%" and 21.8% chose "about 60%" (see Chart 26).
  
  Chart 26: Passing Score for Proficiency Tests
  
  In case trainees do not attain the set passing score, 54.5% of the 110 organizations conducting the test would still consider sending them based on personality and skills. 51.8% would conduct make-up tests, while 22.7% answered that those below the passing score would not be chosen (see Chart 27).
  
  Chart 27: How would not reaching the passing score affect the selection process? (Multiple Answers)
2. The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) Conducted by the Japan Foundation
  72.1% of organizations acknowledge and also encourage their trainees to take the JLPT. 23.4% of organizations acknowledge the JLPT but do not encourage their trainees to take it. 3.6% of organizations were unaware of the test (see Chart 28).
  
  Chart 28: Do you know about the Japan Foundation's Japanese Language Proficiency Test?
Expenses
1. Averages of Total Expenses for Pre-dispatch Training
  Total expenses for pre-dispatch training averaged at about 3120.5 yuan. Language training cost about 1330.5 yuan on average, and room and board similarly cost about 1398.1 yuan on average. Other expenses averaged at about 311.9 yuan (see Table 2).
  
  Table 2: Averages of Total Expenses for Pre-dispatch Training
  
  Total Expenses Average About 3140.5 yuan
  
  (Breakdown)
  
  Language Training About 1330.5 yuan
  
  Room and Board About 1398.1 yuan
  
  Others About 411.9 yuan
2. Total Expenses for Pre-dispatch Training
  The average total of expenses for training was 3140.5 yuan. 9.9% of organizations spent 2000 - 2199 yuan on training with two groups of 8.1% spending in the 1400 - 1599 yuan and 3000 - 3199 yuan. The remaining organizations had a variety of expense totals falling between 1200 yuan and 3199 yuan (see Chart 29).
  
  Chart 29: Total Expenses for Pre-dispatch Training
3. Breakdown of Pre-dispatch Training Expenses
  1. Language Training
    The average amount allocated for pre-dispatch language training expenses was 1330.5 yuan. 11.7% of organizations spent 1000-1099 yuan on pre-dispatch language training. 9.0% spent 2000-2099 yuan, followed by two groups of 7.2% for 800-899 yuan and 900-999 yuan each, and 6.3% of organizations spent 1200-1299 yuan (see Chart 30).
    
    Chart 30: Expenses for Japanese Language Training
  2. Room and Board
    Total cost of living expenses such as accommodation averaged at 1398.1 yuan. 14.4% of the organizations spent 1000-1099 yuan, followed by 1500-1599 yuan at 11.7%, and 1200-1299 yuan at 9.0% (see Chart 31).
    
    Chart 31: Room and Board
  3. Others
    Other expenses averaged at 411.9 yuan. 21.6% of the organizations spent their budget on items related to Japanese language training, and 19.8% on miscellaneous items (see Chart 32).
    
    Chart 32: Other Pre-dispatch Expenses
4. Funds
  For pre-dispatch language training expenses, 52.3% of organizations generated funds in cooperation with participating trainees and sending organizations. 21.6% of organizations had the trainees cover all the expenses themselves while 15.3% of organizations cover the entire costs themselves. 1.8% of the organizations had all expenses covered by accepting organizations, and 0.9% generated funds in cooperation with trainees and accepting organizations (see Chart 33).
  
  Chart 33: Who Funds the Pre-dispatch Japanese Language Training? (Multiple Answers)
Training Coordination with Accepting Organizations
1. Training Coordination with Accepting Organizations
  91.0% of sending organizations coordinated language training with accepting organizations while 7.2% did not. Combined with the 1.8% that did not provide answers, 9% of sending organizations indicated that they do not coordinate with accepting organizations (see Chart 34).
  
  Chart 34: Does Your Organization Coordinate Training with Accepting Organizations?
  
  Coordination details on training include: Requests are made by Accepting Organizations for Language Training Curriculums (89.1%); Selected Trainees are interviewed by Accepting Organizations for Skills Evaluation (76.2%); Accepting Organizations Visit During or After Training (75.2%); Training Reports are Submitted to Accepting Organizations (74.3%); and, Training Reports are Provided by Accepting Organizations (67.3%), (see Chart 35).
  
  Chart 35: In What Aspect Does Your Organization Coordinate with Accepting Organizations? (Multiple Answers)
Other Remarks, Opportunities, and Requests for JITCO
1. JITCO Composition Contest
  86.5% of organizations indicated that they were aware of the composition contest organized by JITCO, while 11.7% indicated they were not (see Chart 36).
  
  Chart 36: Do you know about the Japanese composition contest?
  
  Of the 96 organizations that acknowledged the contest, 83.3% had read the Selection of Outstanding Works from past entries, and 8.3% had never read the works (see Chart 37).
  
  Chart 37: Have you read the Selection of Outstanding Works?
2. Areas Needing Improvement for Pre-dispatch Japanese Language Training
  Language instructors were mentioned by 39.6% of organizations as an area needing improvement, as well as facilities and equipment at 36.9%, learning materials at 27.9%, and teaching methods at 16.2%. 22.5% of organizations had no particular concerns (see Chart 38).
  
  Chart 38: Areas Needing Improvement for Pre-dispatch Japanese Language Training (Multiple Answers)
  1. Language Instructors
    Of the 44 organizations that mentioned language instructors as area needing improvement, 43.2% pointed out high fees as the main concern. Other concerns included: Pronunciation Issues (38.6%); Lack of Experience (25.0%); Lack of Leadership (18.2%); and, Lack of Instructors (11.4%). (See Chart 39)
    
    Chart 39: Areas Needing Improvement for Japanese Language Training [Language Instructors] (Multiple Answers)
  2. Facilities and Equipment
    Of the 41 organizations that mentioned facilities and equipment as an area needing improvement: 80% identified that audio-visual equipment such as CD players, televisions, and VCR's are not kept in order; and 22% identified that there are not enough copiers, fax machines, and computers. Also, 19.5% identified that the facilities are getting old (see Chart 40).
    
    Chart 40: Areas Needing Improvement for Japanese Language Training [Facilities and Equipment] (Multiple Answers)
  3. Textbooks
    Of the 31 organizations that mentioned textbooks as an area needing improvement: 58.1% indicated that they have trouble finding appropriate learning materials; and 32.3% indicated that examples and expressions in the materials are not relevant to the language currently used in Japan. Other concerns were that the contents are old (22.6%) and that textbooks are expensive (19.4%), (see Chart 41).
    
    Chart 41: Areas Needing Improvement for Japanese Language Training [Textbooks] (Multiple Answers)
  4. Teaching Methods
    Of the 18 organizations that mentioned teaching methods as an area needing improvement: 83.3% were concerned about the lack of literature on teaching; and 22.2 % about the lack of knowledge on teaching methods appropriate for the trainees (see Chart 42).
    
    Chart 42: Areas Needing Improvement for Japanese Language Training [Teaching Methods] (Multiple Answers)
3. Comments and Requests to JITCO (Open Responses and Suggestions)
  There were a combined total of 58 comments and requests submitted to JITCO. They were classified as follows: Japanese textbooks (35.1%); coordination and cooperation with JITCO (13.5%); guidelines on pre-dispatch Japanese language training (1.8%); and, coordination with the accepting organizations (1.8%), (see Chart 43).
  
  Chart 43: Comments and Requests to JITCO (Open Responses and Suggestions)
  
  The following is an excerpt of comments and requests to JITCO:
  - It would be helpful to have DVD programs, such as animation, to improve trainees' listening skills, for which we lack the materials.
  - Materials for language and corporate training need to be re-compiled or edited to match the short training periods (3 months).
  - The Guideline on Pre-dispatch Japanese Language Training needs additional information on living, and should be revised to match the 3-month training period.
  - More intervention from JITCO is required to enhance communication between organizations in China and Japan and would be greatly appreciated.
  - It would be nice to have a Chinese version of JITCO webpage.
  - It would be useful to set an evaluation standard for speaking and writing based on the skills of trainees who have completed language training.