Project-based Essay Writing Education at the Japanese University: Its Method and Pedagogical Significance

 　In the current international situation of interdependence which requires mutual understanding among nations, the role of English as a lingua franca has had an ever-growing importance, and thus effective methodology for the teaching of English as a second language has been pursued worldwide. In Japan, since the “Action Plan to Cultivate ‘ Japanese with English Abilities ’ ” was publicized in 2003 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, English education here has undergone drastic reformation. At the university level, educators have sought theories and methods suitable for the teaching of English to meet college students' concerns, academic interests, intellectual levels, and future vocational needs. <br> College English education has a threefold aim: English (1) for general, (2) for academic, and (3) for vocational purposes. Each of these three integrates four language skills; listening and reading comprehension, oral and written communication. With respect to communication skills, college students need to develop their abilities to think and express their ideas in English both orally and in written products. This leads to acquisition of various approaches of thinking. In addition, accumulation of products of self-expression contributes to the formation of each student’s self-identity. <br> This article introduces one program for educating Japanese college students in how to write logically well-organized essays in English. This program was designed to enhance students' English skills to express their own ideas as well as to contribute to their personal and intellectual growth. The program named Project V has the following five features. <br>(1)　It is a project-based teaching with which students accomplish the goals by finishing each assignment in an orderly manner. <br>(2)　From the concern to lower the ‘affective filter’ and heighten students' motivation, eight out of ten assignments are related to movie themes. <br>(3)　Learning of heuristics and organization of essays can be meaningful not only in essay writing but also as academic literacy. <br>(4)　This class functions as a discourse community, and as such facilitates the active involvement of students. <br>(5)　Students’ exploration of ideas on human nature, social problems, culture and language can contribute to their personal and intellectual growth and to the establishment of self-identity. <br> After explaining the original ideas and details of Project V in connection with the basic principles of the American way of educating essay writing in English as a second language, the author discusses further issues to be considered, including this programʼs potential for its application to academic literacy education for freshmen students at Japanese universities.