Cross-Cultural Learning Strategy
Japanese Drama for Oral and Written Japanese Competency
Herniwati Herniwati, Noviyanti Aneros and Melia Dewi Judiasri
Japanese Language Education Department Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Jl. Dr. Setiabudhi No. 229, Bandung, Indonesia
Keywords: Learning Strategy, Japanese Cross-Cultural, Oral, Written Competence.
Abstract: The low understanding of Japanese culture is one of the causes of student’s low understanding in oral an
d
written Japanese. Thus, misunderstandings occur either in verbal or written communication. The role of the
teacher is fundamental in designing the learning strategy and creating the captivating Japanese cross-
cultural material. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to develop a Japanese cross-cultural learning
strategy through Japanese drama and anime in improving the competence of the level II students both in
oral and written. This research applies descriptive and experimental research method. The outcomes of this
study are the increasing competence of oral and written through the transfer of Japanese cross-cultural and
the growing understanding of the students about Japanese culture. Students are active in searching Japanese
culture from drama and Japanese anime. Moreover, they can retell the cultural aspects by using Japanese to
their friends in class. The study contributes to knowledge Japanese culture in Japanese conversation class.
1 INTRODUCTION
Fundamentally, the primary goal of learning
language is having communicative competence both
verbal and written. Communicative competence
consists of language competence, actional
competence, sociocultural competence and strategic
competence applied in real situations (Hymes, 1972;
Canale, 1983; Celce-Murcia, Dörnyei, and Thurrell,
1995; Celce-Murcia and Olshtain, 2000). To achieve
communicative proficiency, students must have a
receptive ability, i.e., listening and reading, as well
as productive ability, i.e., speaking and writing.In
this regard, Japanese language teaching in college is
directed to the mastery of four language skills
including listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Kawaguchi and Yokomizo (2005) stated that there
are four aspects to consider in teaching speaking,
such as1) the grammar mastery; 2) repeated
exercises; 3) development exercises; and 4) question
and answer exercises.
The strategies to write interestingly are as
follows: 1) Write down the ideas when they come to
the mind; 2) decide on a topic; 3) think about the
structure; 4) determine whether to write in either the
dearu or the desu-masu style (Taguchi, 1994). Also,
it needs to be supported by the cultural
understanding of the learned language to avoid
miscommunication. An excellent cultural
understanding will affect the process of
communication. Thus, the language knowledge
competence and sociocultural competence are
related.
An understanding of the relationship between
language and culture is important for language
learners, users, and for all those involved in
language education. For language teachers and
learners in general, an appreciation for the
differences in opinion regarding the relationship
between language and culture can help to illuminate
the diversity of views held toward the use of
language (Elmes, 2013). And learning the Japanese
language also cannot be separated from the way the
language is used in everyday life, primarily when the
culture affects the language of the native speakers.
Hammer, Bennet and Wiseman (2003) state person
who studies a particular language without having
some cultural understanding has the potential to be a
"stupidly eloquent" person will occur
missunderstanding in communication. Language and
cultural misinterpretations can be avoided by
increasing our understanding of other people and
Herniwati, H., Aneros, N. and Judiasri, M.
Cross-Cultural Learning Strategy - Japanese Drama for Oral and Written Japanese Competency.
DOI: 10.5220/0007169204590463
In Proceedings of the Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference
on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education (CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017) - Literacy, Culture, and Technology in Language Pedagogy and Use, pages 459-463
ISBN: 978-989-758-332-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
459

their cultures (Padhi, 2016). The recognition of the
importance of culture as such has acquired a widely
acknowledged position in second/foreign language
acquisition theory, for culture has no longer been
seen as “an ‘add-on’ but rather as an ‘integral part’
of second/foreign language learning” (Courchene,
1996) in the second language classroom (Atkinson,
1999; Byram, 1989; Duff and Uchida, 1997;
Kramsch, 1993; 1998; 2003; Kubota, 2003; Roberts,
2001). Accordingly, second/foreign language
learning must not be separated from acculturation,
now that “learning new languages opens students'
minds to the ways of other peoples and increases the
opportunities for cross-cultural understanding”
(Citron, 1995).
The above descriptions imply that cross-cultural
understanding in learning a foreign language – in
this case, Japanese language - is necessary. A
modern country as Japan still upholds and maintains
the culture, tradition of ancestral custom which
continuously implemented in everyday life.
Therefore, understanding Japanese culture plays an
essential role for the learners in delivering the
message and building the excellent communication
with the counterpart. Herniwati and Aneros (2016)
in a previous study stated that Japanese culture that
needs to be taught is a culture that closely related to
everyday life. It is easier for the students to apply the
lesson in their speaking skills. However, the
application required several drills and exercises. To
overcome the above problems, innovations are
needed, specifically in developing the cross-cultural
learning strategies to improve the speaking and
writing skills through Japanese drama. Thus, the
students’ low self-confidence in speaking and
writing the Japanese language can be resolved.
This study aims to determine whether cross-
cultural understanding strategy through Japanese
drama can improve Japanese speaking and writing
skills. Also, does the composed teaching materials
contribute to implementing cross-cultural learning
strategies in strengthening Japanese speaking and
writing skills?Therefore, the results of this study
discover the students’improvement in speaking and
writing competence and have a good understanding
of Japanese culture and cultural differences that exist
in Indonesia.
2 METHODS
The research method used in this study is descriptive
and quasi-experiment method. A total of 30 level II
students participated in the study. The phenomenon
that occurs recently is the condition of Universitas
Pendidikan Indonesia’s Japanese language learners
in semester three and four on Chukyu Kaiwa I and
Chukyu Kaiwa II in improving students' confidence
in writing and speaking Japanese.
The data is taken through the selection of
dramas, movies, anime favored by the students. The
groups of students seek and select their favorite
dramas, movies, and anime. The selected data is
cropped in the parts that contain Japanese culture.
The cross-cultural understanding strategy through
drama in improving the writing skill is done by
listening and understanding Japanese culture that
exists in the plot of drama, film, and anime. Then,
the students retell the story by writing in Japanese.
After that, the students tell and represent the scenes
in movies, dramas, and anime which filled with
Japanese cultures in front of their friends. This
activity is designed to improve the students’
speaking skills.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The Japanese language learning strategy for
improving the writing and speaking skills of
Japanese is conducted by applying some media such
as Japanese drama, film, and media which are filled
with Japanese culture. This learning activity is
expected to give an excellent contribution to
understanding Japanese culture. Following the
activities of the students through the project, the
experiments obtained various cultural loads which
are taken from the scenes in students’ favorite
drama, movies, and anime.
3.1 Results
Here are some dramas, films, and anime as students’
sources in searching the Japanese cultural content: 1)
My boss my hero; 2) Zoku natsumeyuuji; 3)Kuroko
no basuke; 4 ) Itazura na kiss; 5) Gekkan Shoujo
Nozaki Kun; 6) Chibimaruko chan; 7)Kimi no
Todoke; 8) Gakkou no bunkasai; 9)Nagi no asukara;
10)Sakurasou no pet nakanojo; 11)Chihayafuru;
12)Detective Conan; 13) Doraemon; 14) Shinigami;
15) Ishukan; 16)Kimi no Nawa; 17)Saikyou
karutakuiin; dan 18)Hyakunin isshu.
The culture loads from those drama, film, and
anime are: 1) Oshougatsu; 2) Tanabata; 3) Hanami;
4) Hanabi; 5) Ekiden; 6) Maid cafe; 7) Gion
Matsuri; 8) Gakkou no bunkasai; 9) Kumihimo; 10)
Kaguramai; 11) Sugahashigo; 12) Mochi; 13)
Shoudo; dan 14) Onsen.
CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017 - Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology
Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education
460

Figure 1: Trailer of hatsumode, otoshidama, and
nengajou.
Figure 1 is a video cut from the hatsumode,
otoshidama, and nengajo trailer, and the script
below are student’s essay that described about
hatsumode, otoshidama, and nengajo:
Q: 初詣は、新年に初めて神社（神社）や寺
院を訪れ、昨年の恵みに感謝の気持ちを表し、
安心と平穏を求めて来年の人生を歩む活動であ
る。また、24 時間営業している寺院事務所では、
濱屋、だるま、おまごりなどの一般的なものを
購入することができる。
A: しかし、ベストセラーはおみくじである。
オミクジは、その年の運と不幸の予測を含むフ
ォーチュン紙である。おみくじを購入して内容
を読んだ後、ほとんどの人は預言書を巻いて神
社の庭に置いた場所に縛り付けり。初も出と言
うのはお正月に寺へ訪問する、普通、人たちは
今年の人生はもっといい方法に向かうそう祈っ
ている。まずコインを箱に入れ、そして大きい
鐘をゆすろ、手をたたく最後はお祈る。
初も出にもおみくじと言うものがある。お
みくじは紙に書けた運である。それぞれの運が
あり、大吉から大凶まで、凶当たったらその紙
近くにある松に縛り、そしたらその凶はその松
に待つこれはだじゃれである。
Below is a student essay that tells about
otoshidama:
お正月はインドネシア語で "tahunbaru"
と言ういみである。1 月１日に行われますこの
週間はまつの家のためである。1 月１日もしゅ
くじつであり。官公庁と会社は１２月 29 日か
ら 1 月３日までちゅうしされ、でも銀行は１２
月 31 日から 1 月３日までである。
お年玉は anpao と同じ意味です。新しいお
金は封筒の中にいれる。子どもたちがたくさん
お年玉をもらう。とてとうれしいと言われた。
Below is a student essay that tells about
nengajou:
年賀状はクリスマスカードのように、日本
人がよく出し合うはがきだ。この年賀状は必ず
1 月 1 日に到着する。毎年年賀状のテーマが違
う。通常、年賀状は友人や親戚や同僚に送る。
The study calculates the statistical data based on
the results of the acquisition analysis of pre-test and
post-test values to obtain the data of the
improvement on learning strategy. The results of the
test is as shown in table 1 and figure 2.
Table 1: Data analysis of pre-test and post-test result.
Competence Written Oral
Total ∑ Total ∑
Pre-Test 2256 75.2 2205 73.5
Post Test 2625 87.5 2562 85.4
Figure 2: Total value of pretest and posttest in written and
oral competence.
Test results from Pre-test and Post-test after
using drama in the class are as seen on table 1 and
figure 2. Table 1 show that the test result for written
competency from pre-test was 75.2, while post-test
was 87.5. The test results for oral competency is also
increasing from pre-test (73.5) to post-test (85.4).
These results also can be seen from figure 2, that
student’s written and oral competence is improved
after using Japanese drama, film, and anime as
media in class.
3.2 Discussion
The learning strategy implemented in this study is
by applying the ability to speak and write in
Japanese using Japanese drama, film, and anime.
The activity is done through the project-work
learning method by determining the film, drama, and
anime which is favored by the students. The verbal
ability of this research is emphasized through
students ‘presentation in showing the movies,
dramas, and anime with Japanese culture.
Meanwhile, the script written by the students is their
activity in writing skills.
Cross-Cultural Learning Strategy - Japanese Drama for Oral and Written Japanese Competency
461

Before the learning strategy was applied, the
students were embarrassed and reluctant to speak
Japanese. Also, the role-playing approach still
dominates the practice of speaking Japanese in the
classroom. However, the combination of watching
and listening to the content of Japanese dramas,
movies, and anime motivate the students in
expressing what they see and understand.
The result from the students’ writing ability is
seen from the writing using sentence-pattern in the
form of written language (repoto tai). The new
vocabularies mastery is increased, especially the
vocabularies associated with Japanese culture.
The improving speaking ability is done through
presentation method. Sharing the Japanese cultural
information obtained from films, dramas and anime
increase students' confidence in conveying the ideas
in Japanese. The speaking ability is not only
measured when students do the presentations but
also measured through the questioning and
answering activities in Japanese.
From the results of pre-test and post-test, it is
found that there is a significant impact after applying
Japanese drama, film, and anime in understanding
Japanese culture to improve students’ writing and
speaking skills. The assessment is done by looking
at the results of students’ Japanese writing and
students’ presentation about Japanese culture. This
learning strategy increases students' confidence in
writing and speaking Japanese. Besides, students
know new information about Japanese culture.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Cross-cultural learning strategies through film,
drama, and anime can improve the writing and
speaking skills of Japanese second-year students.
The results of test values show that there is a
significant increase in students’ understanding of
Japanese cultures. The diversity of Japanese culture
is difficult to understand, especially when the
learners do not see the real situation. However,
students can see the conditions and the
circumstances of Japanese culture on Japanese
drama, film, and anime. This approach contributes to
the increasing students' understanding of Japanese
cultures through the sharing of information during
presentations and answering and questioning
activities in Japanese. In addition, students can
compare and discuss the existing culture in
Indonesia.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This manuscript is based on a research project in
part supported by competency strengthening
research grant from Universitas Pendidikan
Indonesia.
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