Speaker
Description
This classroom study explores the redesign of a 10th-grade English-medium introductory International Relations (IR) course. Initially based on a traditional approach to theory and history, the course was revised after students revealed unexpected difficulty in understanding the concept of “theory.” The curriculum shifted toward an experiential approach, including cultural narratives, guest sharing, and roundtable discussions. Analysis of teaching notes and students’ written assignments shows how culturally grounded experiences supported deeper engagement with IR concepts.
Abstract section 5: References
Coyle, D., Hood, P., & Marsh, D. (2010). CLIL: Content and language integrated learning. Cambridge University Press.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
Williams, C. H. (2017). Teaching English in East Asia: A teacher’s guide to Chinese, Japanese, and Korean learners. Springer.
Kopp, K. N. (2017). Teaching social studies today: Effective teaching in today’s classroom (2nd ed.). Shell Education.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
Classroom discussions and written reflections showed students’ attempts to connect regional history and culture with contemporary IR theory, demonstrating their increased engagement and curiosity when the course was approached through experiential learning. Participants will learn how to recognize when a CLIL curriculum on IR needs redesign in a secondary school context and how to develop cultural experiences and discussion-based activities that support deeper conceptual understanding in English-medium social science courses.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
I will demonstrate how an introductory IR course, initially based on a traditional theory- and history-centered approach, was redesigned using an experiential learning approach that fostered students’ participation and understanding. The presentation focuses on a survey prompted by an incidental question that revealed students’ difficulty understanding the concept of “theory,” and on the redesign of the curriculum into an experiential approach featuring guest presentations, cultural experiences, and roundtable discussions.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) highlights the integration of subject knowledge and language learning in English-medium classrooms (Coyle, Hood, & Marsh, 2010). Experiential learning theory emphasizes the role of concrete experience and reflection in developing conceptual understanding (Kolb, 1984). In social studies education, discussion-based and inquiry-oriented approaches promote engagement with complex social issues (Kopp, 2017). These perspectives are particularly relevant in East Asian classrooms (Williams, 2017). In this course, cultural aperspectives from China, Mongolia, and Korea, together with experiential activities and comparative discussions with Japan, replaced an initial theory-centered curriculum that proved ineffective for students’ conceptual understanding.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
To report on a teaching experiment that reexamined the design of an English-medium introductory IR course in a Japanese senior high school and demonstrate how an initially theory-centered curriculum that gradually transformed into a culturally grounded East Asian studies approach deepened students’ engagement with IR concepts.
| Title | When “Theory” Failed: Rethinking an EMI IR Classroom |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | Junior/senior high-school |