Building Essential Communication and Discussion Skills for All Children in Today's Society
Dr. Masahiro Kitagawa, Associate Professor,
Graduate School of Education / Faculty of Education
The ability to communicate and discuss is essential, especially in today’s society, which places a high value on diversity. However, education in elementary and junior high schools is still not sufficient in this regard. What kind of initiatives can help children develop these skills? We asked Associate Professor Masahiro Kitagawa, who is conducting empirical research in collaboration with Elementary School Attached to the Faculty of Education, Kumamoto University, and other elementary and junior high school in Kumamoto City.
What is important is that everyone shares the “process” of discussion.
Could you tell us about your research?
I am mainly doing research on how to develop the ability of children and students to converse and discuss, focusing on elementary and junior high schools. When you think of Japanese language studies, you might think of studying literature, but in today’s society, the ability to engage in debate and reach agreements through discussion is essential. Since about 25 years ago, the national curriculum guidelines have also emphasized the importance of developing discission skills. However, teaching methods to foster these skills require further work is needed on teaching methods for developing this ability. My research involves practical and empirical studies on how children can develop their abilities to converse and discuss things.
What kind of practical studies are you doing?
In collaboration with schools, we implement teaching strategies aimed at enhancing discussion skills and then investigate and analyze how students’ discussions have changed after instruction. We transcribe every comment made during group discussions and analyze factors such as what types of statements have increased and whether innovative facilitation techniques were observed.
For example, in an empirical study conducted at the elementary school attached to the Faculty of Education, Kumamoto University, we had third-grade students engage in a discussion about what aspects of their school they should highlight when they appeal its good point of their school to outsiders.
Each child had different ideas, and they had to choose which ones to feature. During this process, it was crucial for the students to understand the different opinions by asking each other why they think that is a good point about the school. Otherwise, they might decide by a simple majority vote, or only the opinions of the class opinion leaders would be heard. We emphasized understanding each other by asking each other questions and drawing out unspoken thoughts.
By doing so, even if opinions differed, the students were able to identify common ideas, such as the shared belief that “exciting aspects of the school are what make it great.” We guided them toward a constructive approach that involved organizing these shared values and working toward a consensus.
Did the children have a successful discussion?
To have a constructive discussion, it is necessary to pay attention to the “process” of the discussion. If you don’t have a bird’s eye view of how the discussion is progressing, it often ends up with endless questioning and no decisions being made.
In this practical study at the attached elementary school, we introduced a tool called “Process Cards” to help the children be more aware of the discussion process.
The Process Cards include instructions such as “Check the purpose of the discussion together”, “Share your ideas”, “Ask questions about the idea presented”, and “Group similar or identical ideas together”. By referring to these cards, everyone can be aware of where they are in the discussion process and proceed more effectively.
Process cards make it easier for everyone to understand what needs to be done now!
That's right. As a result of the demonstration, we found that not only the child who moderates, but also all participating children will definitely increase their speech and actions related to the progress, for example, “It’s time to move on.
In elementary and junior high schools, when students are asked to engage in discussions, there is a tendency to assign the role of facilitator to high-achieving students. In such cases, only the facilitator becomes aware of the discussion process by following a script, while the other students go through their education without having any awareness of such process. As a result, they enter society without having cultivated this essential skill. The ability to aware of the discussion process should be nurtured in all children, but I believe that there are not enough opportunities to do so. With this thought, the main focus of my research was to explore ways to tackle this issue.
I heard that you received the Kumamoto University Research Achievement Award in 2024, which is given for outstanding research.
Yes, my paper summarizing the empirical research using process cards at the Elementary School Attached to the Faculty of Education, Kumamoto University was highly evaluated. However, more than just recognizing the paper itself, I see this award as a message from the University encouraging further research of this kind. So, this award has made me feel that I need to renew my resolve to work even harder on my research.
From Teaching Experience to a Path in Research
What led you to pursue a career in education?
I was drawn to the field of education because I wanted to work closely with people. Among various options, I found the idea of teaching elementary school children particularly appealing, as I saw it as a job where my involvement could directly contribute to their growth.
Another turning point came when my professor praised the thesis I wrote in my fourth year of university. That was when I realized that I also had a passion for research. However, I believed that if I were to study education, it would be best to gain firsthand experience in the field first. I felt that acquiring practical expertise would allow me to see theories from a different perspective, which led me to become an elementary school teacher. While teaching, I pursued graduate studies and eventually earned my doctorate. Since I genuinely enjoyed working in elementary schools, I ended up spending more years as a teacher than I initially expected.
What inspired you to focus on children's ability to converse and discuss?
The value and necessity of learning through conversation are widely recognized in the field of education. However, I still see challenges in ensuring that such learning is truly effective.
When people with different perspectives learn together, it is essential to explore what each individual values and uncover the core of their thinking. Yet, too often, differences are simply dismissed as "just different," without deeper engagement. I believe that there is a significant lack of opportunities in education where students are encouraged to ask why someone holds a particular opinion, inquire about their reasoning, or delve into the underlying thoughts behind their views. Looking at children, I have noticed that many of them hesitate to ask questions out of concern that they might be perceived as bothersome or as if they are trying to challenge or criticize others. This mindset prevents them from fully leveraging the learning opportunities that differences in opinions and perspectives can provide. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has also emphasized the importance of interactive learning for elementary and junior high school students, but I believe there is still much work to be done in creating well-structured environment to support this.
I want to foster the ability to discuss things in a way that is characteristic of Japan, where harmony is valued.
I've heard that there are many opportunities for discussion in elementary and junior high schools in Europe and America.
Yes, that is true. However, in Japan, there is a culture where it is considered rude to clearly state your opposing opinions, so we cannot simply say that overseas approaches are always better. Even international researchers have pointed out that discussions where the sole purpose is to win an argument are not ideal. There are also international academic papers that highlight the value of Japan’s discussion culture, which emphasizes harmony (wa 和).
As globalization progresses, there are certainly situations where Japanese people need to clearly articulate their opinions. However, in order to discuss while also valuing Japanese-ness, it is equally important to give people the opportunity to do so and gain experience in expressing their thought. In particular, elementary school is a critical period when children should not only deepen their thinking but also learn that engaging in discussions can be enjoyable and fulfilling. I summarized this in my doctoral thesis, which was published in November 2024 as “A Study on Teaching of Debate in Japanese Language Studies Classes of Elementary School: Fostering the Ability to Debates for Collaborative Inquiry (『小学校国語科における討論指導に関する研究―協同探究のための＜議論展開能力＞の育成―』)”.
Please give a message to students who want to work in education and to teachers who are already working in the field.
Every profession has moments that move you deeply, but I believe that the education field is a place where you can directly and clearly experience these moments. Working alongside children to create something – such as a school event – and sharing pure joy with them is an incredibly fulfilling experience. Also, it is rewarding to see the children's immediate reactions to your teaching methods and other innovations. Although the period is limited, teachers spend more time with students than even their parents do during the school days. The relationships built in that time are one of the greatest rewards of being an educator.
To all the teachers in field, I have nothing but gratitude. Despite Japan being an economic powerhouse, its budget allocation for education remains limited. Even within these constraints, teachers are providing top-level education. I hope that they take pride in their work and continue to brush up their students’ abilities, so that they can live better in the future society.
Related link:
Researchmap: https://researchmap.jp/Maskit?lang=en