Rafu Shimpo Article

Long Beach Japanese Language School: A Status Report
By Tazuko Inui and Charles Igawa

In 1994, Long Beach Japanese Language School (LBJLS) severed its ties with the Japanese Language Unified System (Kyodo System) of Los Angeles after 28 years of affiliation and became an unaffiliated, community-based independent school. Now, its governance is in the hand of a board of directors who represent five different constituent groups or associations, including the Harbor District Japanese Community Center (HDJCC). Accordingly, LBJLS is operating today with new objectives and restructured curriculum. The academic year of LBJLS is divided into two sessions (First and Second) and the Summer Session.

LBJLS is a member of the California Association of Japanese Language Schools. The newly defined objectives of LBJLS are two-fold. The first is to contribute to the effort of the HDJCC for its revitalization. HDJCC, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, is an amalgam of various clubs and associations. Some of these clubs and associations date their respective origin back to the inception period of the HDJCC, 1949 or earlier. The predecessor of LBJLS dates its origin back also to 1949 but at least two Japanese language schools are known to have existed in the prewar period in the area now identified as the "Harbor District" : the Long Beach Nihongo Gakuen. So, LBJLS has in effect returned to the pre-1966 status as a community-based Japanese school. Thus, the symbiotic nature of the relationship between the HDJCC and LBJLS still remains intact, just as it has always been since 1950.

Today some "second generation" students - the children of those who once studied at LBJLS or its predecessors - are enrolling at LBJLS. Hopefully, this would emerge as a clear trend in the future so as to assure the presence of the "heritage" elements within the LBJLS student population. It is hoped that the formation of a LBJLS alumni association that is now under way would help to attract more "second generation" students to enroll.

The second objective of LBJLS is to provide opportunities for all comers, children (five-years old or older) and adults alike, regardless of their ethnic and racial backgrounds, to learn Japanese language and culture. By attracting more students of various backgrounds to enroll, LBJLS hopes to contribute to the effort of the HDJCC of becoming a center for Japanese culture and Japanese American heritage in the Harbor District.

There are eight classes at LBJLS today. Four classes (Nyumon: Introductory; Shokyu: Elementary; Chukyu: Intermediate; and Jyokyu: Advanced) are set primarily for those who start their studies of Japanese at a relatively young age and continue on with their studies of Japanese at ten or older. This group would include junior or senior high school students, as well as adults. All LBJLS classes are limited to ten students or less to assure the possibility of "customized instruction" to suit the individual learning needs.

Additionally, LBJLS operates special programs during the course of each academic year so as to assure a variety of age-specific interests and/or needs. Such special programs include the following: (1) the Credit Test Preparation Program for high school age students who are interested in obtaining high school foreign language credits (in the p.m. hours), (2) the Japan Foundation Japanese Language Proficiency Test Preparation Program for high school age students and adults (in the p.m. hours), (3) the Instruction to Japanese Language and Culture Program for the area high school students (July and August) and (4) the Calligraphy Course for the elementary level students (in the p.m. hours).

Today LBJLS is attracting a wide variety of students. One apparent trend is the increase in the adult learners who come to LBJLS for a multitude of reasons. Therefore, we are cognizant that the operation of LBJLS would have to be executed with much flexibility to respond to a wide ranging needs there exist - for both "heritage" and "non-heritage" learners.

(Originally published on Dec. 1, 2000)