JAPANEDU: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran Bahasa Jepang Vol.
No.
December 2024, pp.
JAPANEDU:
Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran Bahasa Jepang http://ejournal.
edu/index.
php/japanedu/index Needs-Based Curriculum Design for Business Japanese A Case Study of Japanese Studies Students Silvia Adriana Fatika*.
Lea Santiar University of Indonesia.
Depok.
Indonesia *silvia.
academics@gmail.
ABSTRACT
Business Japanese proficiency plays an important role for graduates of the Japanese Studies Program in supporting effective workplace communication.
This research aims to design a Business Japanese curriculum based on a needs analysis conducted as a case study within the Japanese Studies Program at the University of Indonesia.
Data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 65 students and 2 lecturers responsible for teaching the Business Japanese course.
NunanAos .
model of needs analysis was adopted to gather both objective and subjective information.
The mastery of business Japanese speaking skills among university students is relatively low, but there is inconsistency in the information due to the limited research on the topic.
The crucial business Japanese speaking skills required for the workforce align with previous studies, including self-introduction in formal situations, telephone correspondence, conducting work presentations, and making appointments/schedules.
Some desired learning methods and media have been implemented in class with varying effects, and strategies to overcome challenges have been discussed.
Based on these findings, a curriculum design with a functional syllabus was developed, applying the backward design model by Richard and Rodgers .
This curriculum design embraces a Student-Centered Learning approach, along with the integration of digital learning media in its classroom It is recommended that this curriculum be implemented as a practical solution for teaching Business Japanese at the university level.
Further research is needed to address the limitations of this study by expanding the scope nationally or globally and exploring other essential skills, such as listening, writing, and reading.
KEYWORDS
Business Japanese.
Curriculum Design.
Japanese for Specific Purposes (JSP).
Needs Analysis.
First received: 28 August 2024
ARTICLE INFO
Revised: 03 December 2024
Available online: 31 December 2024
INTRODUCTION
Business Japanese is the Japanese language needed to communicate in the workplace (Kondo, 2014.
Kousuge, 2013.
Kurihara, 2016.
Nanae & Toramaru, 2.
Business Japanese has main characteristics, such as the use of vocabulary and technical terms in certain fields of work .
enmon youg.
(Yeoh.
Mahadi, & Singh, 2.
Another characteristic is the use of Japanese in carrying out Final proof accepted: 30 December 2024 technical work activities such as conducting meetings, discussions, presentations, sending emails, making calls, etc.
(Lee, 2002.
Nami, 2020.
Wahidati & Djafri, 2021.
Yeoh.
Mahadi, & Singh.
In addition.
Business Japanese is also characterized by an emphasis on the concept of politeness which is manifested in a variety of respectful language (Keigo/honorific.
(Dunn, 2013.
Fadilah & Yulia, 2019.
Kitayama, 2013.
ynzen & ynzbek, 2016.
Tan, 2019.
Yuniarsih.
Sudjianto, & Fauziyyah, 2.
77 | P a g e e- ISSN 2528-5548 | p-ISSN 27764478 Silvia Adriana Fatika.
Lea Santiar Needs-Based Curriculum Design for Business Japanese:
A Case Study of Japanese Studies Students The change in the use of the Japanese language when entering the workplace is the background to the importance of mastering Business Japanese skills for Japanese language learners (Hattori, 2008.
Kondo, 2014.
Kousuge, 2013.
Tabuse, 2.
addition, listening and speaking skills are the most needed skills in Business Japanese proficiency compared to other skills (Yeoh.
Mahadi, & Singh.
Yulianti, 2.
Yeoh.
Mahadi, and Singh, .
further explained that employees with Japanese Studies graduate background need business Japanese speaking skills to communicate effectively in corporate settings and succeed in the Even though business Japanese is one of the most important skills, many Japanese language students frequently encounter some issues.
The issues include constraints on using Keigo and senmon yougo, constraints on using Japanese in technical situations, and cultural differences problems (Nami, ynzen & ynzbek, 2016.
Visiaty, 2020.
Wahidati & Djafri, 2021.
Yeoh.
Mahadi, & Singh.
Based on a study conducted by Shanshan .
, one of the factors causing these obstacles in Business Japanese is the preparation of curriculum designs that still have limited rational knowledge related to the course and ideas about what professional qualities and knowledge need to be included in the course.
The term curriculum refers to the overall plan or design for a course and how the content for a course is transformed into a blueprint for teaching and learning which enables the desired learning outcomes to be achieved (Richard & Rodgers, 2.
Richard and Rodgers .
then divided the curriculum design strategy into three types based on the process sequence, namely forward design, central design, and backward design.
One strategy is to first make decisions about what to teach .
, then to determine how to teach it .
, and finally to assess what was learned .
We refer to this as a forward design.
Another strategy is to start with teaching processes or methodology and to let these determine input and We refer to this as central design.
A third strategy is to start with learning outcomes or output and work backward to determine issues of process and This is known as backward design.
(Richards & Rodgers, 2014, p.
In preparing the curriculum design, needs analysis plays an important role.
Especially in the field of Language for Specific Purposes (LSP), a lot of needs analysis has been carried out because LSP has specific goals related to the use of its language.
Therefore, the needs analysis is referred to as the AudriverAy that underlies the development of the LSP program (Dudley-Evans & John, 1998.
Hutchinson & Waters, 1987.
Swales, 2.
Nunan .
, defines needs analysis as a set of procedures for gathering information about learners and communication tasks to be used in syllabus design, such as why learners want to learn the target language, expectations and constraints, and available resources to implement the syllabus.
NunanAos .
needs analysis framework focuses on the collection of objective and subjective data.
Objective data is information that does not require the attitudes and views of the learner to be taken into account, such as biographical information regarding age, nationality, mother tongue, etc.
On the other hand, subjective information reflects the learnerAos perceptions, goals, and priorities, such as information about why the learner learns a second language, and then about the class assignments and activities that the learner likes (Nunan, 1.
Until now, research on needs analysis for Business Japanese has not been carried out much.
While prior research has conducted studies in this regard, it remains an area largely unexplored.
One of the previous studies was conducted by Yulianti .
which aimed to address the needs of users, who are graduates of the Japanese Studies program in Indonesia.
The results of the study show that speaking skills are highly demanded for all types of work, while the need for listening, writing, and reading skills varies depending on the type of work Then, the skills that are required to be mastered are the ethics of getting to know each other, asking questions, receiving guests, and making requests and ethics in meetings.
In Malaysia.
Yeoh.
Mahadi, and Singh .
conducted a survey of graduates of a state universityAos Japanese language program.
The survey results show that graduates use Japanese more often to communicate with employees at their workplace than outsiders.
In addition, listening and speaking skills are the most important skills needed by graduates compared to reading and writing skills.
While in Japan.
Nami .
conducted a needs analysis of 10 Japanese language learners from various countries who use Business Japanese at As a result, many students find it difficult to use the correct technical expressions and terms, and they hope to acquire specific writing skills for presentations and business situations, as well as specialized Business Japanese textbooks for their respective fields.
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The three previous studies above show the diversity of aspects in the needs analysis carried out in terms of country of location, citizenship, place of work, profession, research subject, as well as the focus components of the needs analysis.
However, one thing in common between the three studies above which became a research gap is that the three had not carried out triangulation of the research subject because they were only carried out on graduates of Japanese language programs.
addition, the three studies focused solely on the outcomes of the needs analysis, without designing a suitable curriculum aligned with the analysis results.
The present research aims to bridge the existing research gap by conducting a needs analysis of Business Japanese from the studentsAo and teachersAo points of view, followed by designing a curriculum that is in accordance with the results of the needs This research focuses on designing a curriculum based on needs analysis by adopting the Nunan .
needs analysis model and employs participant and data triangulation, involving students, instructors, and syllabi.
The research problem will be broken down into the following 3 research questions:
What is the objective information of Business Japanese speaking skills for Japanese Studies students at the University of Indonesia based on the results of the needs analysis? What is the subjective information of Business Japanese speaking skills for Japanese Studies students at the University of Indonesia based on the results of the needs How to design the Business Japanese course curriculum based on the results of the needs This study aims to design a Business Japanese course curriculum based on the formulation of both objective and subjective information obtained from the needs analysis of Business Japanese speaking skills conducted among Japanese Studies students and teachers.
METHODS
This research used a qualitative research approach, a means for exploring and understanding the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem (Creswell, 2.
Furthermore, a qualitative descriptive design was chosen because it is a research design that explains holistically the phenomena of research subjects, behavior, perceptions, motivations, actions, etc.
, (Moleong.
This research begins by considering the issue of the constraints on the use of Business Japanese, along with the limitations of the Business Japanese curriculum employed in the classroom.
Therefore, it has a basic philosophy of pragmatism worldview which focuses on concerns about a practice and a solution to a problem (Creswell, 2.
The final outcome is expected to be a solution for the practice of Business Japanese learning in a university Participants consisted of active students and teachers from Japanese Studies of the 2022/2023 school year from the University of Indonesia.
The student participants were 65 people who were taking courses in Business Japanese and Basic Japanese Correspondence, and the teacher participants consisted of 2 lecturers who were teaching both Basically, the objective of these courses is for students to acquire basic knowledge of how to handle communication in a Japanese business The University of Indonesia was selected as a case study because its Business Japanese course is still in its early stages, having been introduced in 2022.
Before that, the university offered a course on Basic Japanese Correspondence, which focused solely on business correspondence.
Given this context, conducting a needs analysis is crucial to designing a curriculum that effectively addresses the demands of Business Japanese for the In this study, data collection was conducted using triangulation, a technique that incorporates multiple data sources to verify the findings and increase the validity and reliability of the results (Flick, 2.
The primary data source is questionnaires in the form of closed-ended items, distributed online through Google Forms, considering time and cost efficiency, as well as the ease of access for respondents and data processing through computerization (Couper & Miller, 2.
The questionnaire for students consists of 6 questions about objective information .
usiness Japanese speaking skills they have learned in class, learning methods, learning activities, and learning media used in clas.
, and 5 questions about subjective information .
usiness Japanese speaking skills they want to learn in class, learning methods, learning activities, and learning media they would like to use in clas.
79 | P a g e e- ISSN 2528-5548 | p-ISSN 27764478 Silvia Adriana Fatika.
Lea Santiar Needs-Based Curriculum Design for Business Japanese:
A Case Study of Japanese Studies Students The questionnaire for teachers consists of 6 questions about objective information .
usiness Japanese speaking skills they have taught in class, teaching methods, learning activities, and learning media used in clas.
, and 4 questions about subjective information .
usiness Japanese speaking skills they want to teach in class, teaching methods, teaching activities, and the obstacles to teaching business Japanese in clas.
After gathering primary data through questionnaires, a cross-check was conducted between the questionnaire responses from students and teachers and the syllabus used in Business Japanese Basic Japanese Correspondence courses, as secondary data sources.
The cross-check focused on assessing the alignment between the speaking skills mastered by the students and the speaking skills outlined in the syllabus.
The data analyzed in this study were questionnaire data as the primary data source and underwent a cross-checking process with the syllabus as the secondary data source.
In the questionnaire, participants were asked to provide a checklist for each question mentioned in the data Based on the responses, a descriptive quantitative analysis was conducted, presenting the percentage for each item and the average score of all The goal was to rank the data from the highest to the lowest score.
The data in the objective information section is used solely to describe the current state of Japanese language learning at the University of Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the data in the subjective information section will be used to inform curriculum design.
To sort the results of the subjective data, the first step is to determine the cutting score based on the mean score calculation.
Data higher than the mean score is considered This data will then be used to make the curriculum design.
participants are at beginner level of Japanese language skills.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Overall, the percentage of business Japanese speaking skills mastery is relatively low.
A similar trend was observed in ShanshanAos .
study on Japanese language learners in China, which found that learners struggled to fully understand the business Japanese language.
This was attributed to the fact that university courses were not effective in helping students adapt to real-world business In contrast, research by Syamsyah and Setiawati .
highlighted that the material in the Business Japanese course at a university in Indonesia closely aligned with the speaking skills required in the While this suggests that the course Objective Information Demographic Information Student participants are in the 5th semester of the Business Japanese course and the 7th semester of the Basic Japanese Correspondence course.
The Japanese language ability of student participants is 2% .
at the basic user level (JLPT N5 and N.
, 27.
7% .
at the independent user level (JLPT N3 and N.
, and 3.
1% .
at the proficient user level (JLPT N.
Thus, most of the student Business Japanese Speaking Skill Mastery There are differences between the results of the questionnaires completed by the students, the teachers, and the syllabus regarding this Students demonstrate more business Japanese speaking skills learned, while teachers in line with the syllabus demonstrate less business Japanese speaking skills taught in class.
This happens because students have learned some of the skills in the regular Japanese course instead business Japanese course.
Therefore, the information in this section will refer to the results of the studentsAo questionnaire to determine their mastery of skills, regardless of where they learned them from.
Based on Table 1, there are no skills mastered by 100% of students.
The business Japanese speaking skill most mastered by students is AoSelf-introduction in formal situationsAo .
%).
Meanwhile, the least mastered skill by the students is AoAsking how to use the work equipmentAo .
%).
Table 1: Business Japanese speaking skill mastery.
Speaking skills Self-introduction in formal situations Explaining the company profile Accepting/rejecting jobs/invitations Making appointments/schedule Asking/offering help Informing absence/lateness Delivering messages from other people Conducting work presentations Conducting job interviews Telephone correspondence Informing emergency situations Holding work discussions/meetings Asking how to use the work equipment 80 | P a g e e- ISSN 2528-5548 | p-ISSN 27764478 JAPANEDU: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran Bahasa Jepang Vol.
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content meets practical needs, the study did not clarify whether studentsAo acquired skills were sufficient to meet the courseAos learning objectives.
In general, there is a lack of consistency of information in business Japanese language skills acquired by university-level learners, since there is still limited research on this topic.
This discrepancy warrants further investigation through broader research employing more comprehensive methods to assess the current state of Japanese language learnersAo proficiency in business Japanese.
Learning Methods Based on Table 2, the learning method most used in class is practicing AoindividuallyAo .
%).
This method has advantages such as improved self-discipline and independence, personalized learning styles, reduced embarrassment, and less reliance on social feedback, among others.
It is also aligned with the concept of AoSelf-regulated learningAo popularized by Schunk and Zimmerman .
, which has been applied to foreign language learning by various researchers.
Table 2: Learning methods used in class.
Learning Method Grouping Individually In groups In pairs Activities Watching Discussions Presentations Roleplay Conversations Practicing with native speakers A1 = score by students (%) A2 = score by teachers (%) Mean As reviewed in the study by Zhang .
, the self-regulated method can increase studentsAo willingness to communicate, inventiveness, selfefficacy, and enthusiasm to learn a language.
Zhang and Zou .
also highlighted the benefits such as procrastination, increasing effort, aiding knowledge retention, and optimizing learning.
On the other side, the negative impacts of learning a language individually, as examined in the study by Reinders and Lyzaro .
, include difficulty managing time, lack of feedback, feeling isolated, and struggle to assess the effectiveness of learning methods.
Little .
also mentions that lack of social support, limited self-reflection, and poor planning often hinder progress in self-directed learning.
Based on Table 2, learning activities most used in class are Aowatching videosAo .
%).
This finding aligned with Yeoh.
Mahadi, and SinghAos .
study about business Japanese learning in Malaysia, which mentioned that institutions in foreign countries, particularly in ASEAN, are using text and video teaching materials that are specifically designed for the context of Japan.
Montero Perez .
stated that audio-visual materials offer authentic language exposure, combining spoken language with visual context to help learners understand meaning, intonation, and cultural nuances.
It can also improve comprehension, listening skills, vocabulary acquisition, and pronunciation by linking spoken and written language.
Learning a language through videos has some disadvantages, as concluded by Pisarenko .
, including time-consuming preparation for teachers, dependency on technical equipment, and it also requires simultaneous processing of phonetics, grammar, vocabulary, and cultural context, which can overwhelm learners and pose additional In conclusion, the methods used for learning business Japanese in the classroom have a debate over their effectiveness.
To make individual language practice effective, it is important to set clear goals, provide varied learning resources, allocate enough time, and encourage self-reflection.
Meanwhile, foreign language learning through videos can be effective by selecting videos that match the studentsAo proficiency level, focusing on relevant language aspects, providing feedback, and integrating it with other learning methods.
Learning Media As shown in Table 3, the learning media most used by students is Aodigital mediaAo .
%).
The integration of digital media into Japanese language learning has seen a significant increase, as evidenced by the study of Shabudin.
Aisyah.
Darus, and Mimiko .
, which demonstrates that the widespread availability of the Internet has greatly enhanced the convenience of learning Japanese, with digital resources increasingly replacing traditional paper-based 81 | P a g e e- ISSN 2528-5548 | p-ISSN 27764478 Silvia Adriana Fatika.
Lea Santiar Needs-Based Curriculum Design for Business Japanese:
A Case Study of Japanese Studies Students Table 3: Learning media used in class.
Learning Media Digital media (PPT, websites, and video.
Printed .
ooks, newspapers, and handouts from Mean The study by Tang .
about integrating technology in business Japanese teaching also states a similar point that the traditional teaching approach has become outdated, giving way to a new online teaching model that leverages computer network technology.
Despite facing some challenges, this new model has still demonstrated impressive teaching outcomes.
In general, foreign language instruction has increasingly incorporated the integration of digital media within the classroom.
This trend is also evident in the teaching of Japanese, including business Japanese, at various institutions.
Such integration is a positive development, as it aligns with the need for education to evolve in response to ongoing technological advancements and societal Subjective Information The Desired Speaking Skill to be Learned This category is divided into two information, skills that students desire to learn and skills that teachers consider important to teach.
Table 4: The desired speaking skill to be learned.
Speaking skills Conducting job interviews Self-introduction in formal Conducting work presentations Holding work discussions/meetings Telephone correspondence Making appointments/schedule Explaining the company profile Accepting/rejecting jobs/invitations Asking/offering help Informing emergency situations Informing absence/lateness Delivering messages from other Asking how to use the work Mean Based on Table 4, the business Japanese speaking skills most desired to learn by students and taught by teachers are AoConducting job interviewsAo .
%) and AoSelf-introduction in formal situationsAo .
%).
Meanwhile, the least desired skill to learn by the students and to teach by the teachers is AoAsking how to use the work equipmentAo .
%).
Based on the results of the descriptive analysis, seven skills were found to score higher than the mean score .
%).
Therefore, it can be concluded that these 7 skills are the desired business Japanese speaking skills to master in class and will be included in the making of the curriculum design.
The skills are including .
Conducting job interviews, .
Self-introduction in formal situations, .
Conducting work presentations, .
Holding work discussions/meetings, .
Telephone Making appointments/schedule, and .
Explaining the company profile.
Some of these skills align with the findings from a previous needs analysis conducted by Yulianti .
, which identified self-introduction in formal situations, telephone correspondence, and making appointments/schedules as business Japanese speaking skills that learners should master.
Additionally.
Yulianti also noted that delivering messages from others is also an important skill to These findings were based on a survey of Japanese Literature graduates working in Japanese The needs analysis by Nami .
also revealed three identical business Japanese-speaking needs with this finding: telephone correspondence, conducting work presentations, and holding a job NamiAos needs analysis focused not only on speaking skills but also on writing skills, soft skills, and other aspects.
In NamiAos analysis, the use of honorifics ranked first in the business Japanese speaking skills category.
In contrast, the needs analysis by Yeoh.
Mahadi, and Singh .
conducted on students in Malaysia did not align with the findings of this study.
According to Yeoh.
Mahadi, and Singh .
, the most important uses for speaking or listening to Japanese were greetings .
%), casual conversation with colleagues .
%), and work-related conversations .
%).
The finding shows that business Japanese is used more with colleagues in casual situations.
Meanwhile, this study did not include casual conversation.
In conclusion, despite some differences in results due to variations in participants, location, and research methods, there are several overlapping skills identified in previous research on business Japanese.
The previous studies are consistent with 82 | P a g e e- ISSN 2528-5548 | p-ISSN 27764478 JAPANEDU: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran Bahasa Jepang Vol.
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the findings of this research in that self-introduction in formal situations, telephone correspondence, conducting work presentations, and making appointments/schedules are crucial business Japanese skills that learners should master.
Therefore, these skills will be incorporated into the curriculum design.
The Desired Learning Method Based on Table 5, the learning method most wanted to be used in class is practicing Aoin groupsAo .
%).
Group learning is the preferred method for studying business Japanese, as noted by both students and This approach aligns with VygotskyAos .
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), where learners can achieve more with the support of Working in groups allows students to support each other, enhancing their learning beyond what they could achieve alone.
Table 5: The desired learning method.
Learning Method Grouping In groups In pairs Individually Activities Roleplay Practicing with a native speaker Discussions Conversations Watching Presentations Mean On the other side, the learning activity most wanted to be used in class is Aorole playAo .
%).
Role play has been commonly used in language learning because it enhances communication skills while fostering engagement in peer interaction.
The use of role-play in business Japanese classrooms was also found in a study by Dunn .
In class, students engaged in role plays, such as answering calls or visiting other companies, to practice politeness.
These activities enabled students to apply appropriate honorifics, as well as communication strategies while also demonstrating correct body language, facial expressions, and vocal tone.
Since role-play has many positive effects and is preferred by both learners and instructors, it will be incorporated into the curriculum design.
The Desired Learning Media Based on Table 6, the learning media most wanted to be used in class is Aodigital mediaAo .
%).
Both learners and instructors find that learning business Japanese with digital media is more effective.
In the previous section, it was found that the learning methods in the classroom already use digital media, meaning the desired learning media are aligned with the learning media used in class.
Table 6: The desired learning media.
Learning Media Digital media (PPT, websites, and video.
Printed .
ooks, newspapers, and handouts from D1 = score by students (%) D2 = score by teachers (%) Mean Digital media has been proven effective in supporting foreign language learning.
In Al NeelAos .
study, modern technology, including digital media, plays a crucial role in enhancing speaking skills both in and outside the classroom of second language learning.
It offers students opportunities to improve communication, literacy, and critical thinking while enabling teachers to innovate and support language learning more effectively.
In contrast, a study by Turayeva and Kholmurodova .
highlights several challenges of the use of digital technology in language teaching.
It increases the risk of cheating, reduces face-to-face communication, and may be inaccessible to some learners due to technological limitations.
Additionally, it often prioritizes theory over practical experience and requires strong time management and self-motivation, which can be difficult for some students.
The drawbacks of digital media in language learning can be minimized through secure assessments, the integration of practical experience, and the promotion of time management and selfmotivation with clear goals and regular feedback.
Despite these drawbacks, digital media remains a powerful tool for language learning.
Since it is preferred by both learners and instructors and also aligns with current classroom practices, it will be incorporated into the curriculum design.
As shown in Table 7, the digital media students want to use the most is YouTube .
%).
The use of YouTube as a foreign language learning tool has been widely implemented.
According to research by 83 | P a g e e- ISSN 2528-5548 | p-ISSN 27764478 Silvia Adriana Fatika.
Lea Santiar Needs-Based Curriculum Design for Business Japanese:
A Case Study of Japanese Studies Students Winarni.
Rasiban, and Juangsih .
on the use of YouTube in Japanese language classes.
YouTube videos enhance studentsAo Japanese listening skills, boost engagement, and stimulate interest.
They help focus attention, encourage creativity and fluency, and serve as a valuable tool for teachers to maintain student interest and support learning.
Table 7: The desired digital media.
Digital Media YouTube Website Mobile Apps Instagram Tiktok As seen in Table 7, the digital media students want to use the most is YouTube .
%).
The use of YouTube as a foreign language learning tool has been widely implemented.
According to research by Winarni.
Rasiban, and Juangsih .
on the use of YouTube in Japanese language classes.
YouTube videos enhance studentsAo Japanese listening skills, boost engagement, and stimulate interest.
They help focus attention, encourage creativity and fluency, and serve as a valuable tool for teachers to maintain student interest and support learning.
Although YouTube has many positive effects, using it to learn a language also has several A study by Julianto and Qamariah .
successfully uncovered these negative effects, including inconsistent content quality with many videos lacking accuracy, nonstandard language such as slang or unclear accents, and distractions from irrelevant videos.
Limited social interaction and reliance on subtitles can also hinder listening, speaking, and real-time practice with native The use of YouTube will be incorporated into the curriculum design since it is preferred by students, and it is proven to have many advantages for teaching foreign languages.
A thoughtful, analytical, and balanced approach to using YouTube as an English learning tool can help mitigate its potential negative impacts while maximizing the educational benefits it provides.
TeachersAo Difficulties in Teaching Based on Table 8, teachersAo difficulties in teaching Japanese are mostly because of Aolack of teaching materialsAo .
%) and Aolack of information about teaching methodAo .
%).
This may occur due to a lack of business experience, which results in limited exposure to the extensive material of business Japanese and makes it difficult to identify appropriate teaching methods.
Table 8: TeachersAo difficulties in teaching.
TeachersAo Difficulties Lack of teaching materials Lack of information about teaching methods Lack of information about business Japanese Lack of teaching facilities The study by Shanshan .
also confirmed In her study, she mentioned that the quality of business Japanese teachers in the country is low due to a lack of business experience.
Most teachers focus on theoretical knowledge and research, with little practical experience in business or trade.
As a result, they struggle to integrate business etiquette and realworld applications into their teaching.
To address challenges in business Japanese teaching, teachers should gain real-world experience or knowledge through training, workshops, or seminars.
Another approach is to invite industry practitioners into the classroom to teach business Japanese directly, drawing from their real-world experience.
Additionally, students can be encouraged to visit companies to observe firsthand the use of business Japanese in the workplace.
Curriculum Design Based on the results of the needs analysis, a curriculum will be designed with several rationalization points as follows.
First, the method used in designing this curriculum is the Backward Design method by Richard and Rodgers .
Backward Design starts with the desired outcome, followed by appropriate learning activities and learning content (Richards & Rodgers, 2.
A Study by Alvarez .
on the implementation of Backward Design in EFL classes, the results showed that the BDM benefits both EFL teachers and students by focusing on lasting understanding, valid assessment, and outcome-oriented instruction.
The backward design approach will be employed in this curriculum development process, as the findings from the needs analysis identify specific outcomes students must achieve, including skills in delivering presentations, participating in meetings, and engaging in discussions.
Utilizing backward design is a proven strategy to ensure the curriculum aligns effectively with these targeted learning 84 | P a g e e- ISSN 2528-5548 | p-ISSN 27764478 JAPANEDU: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran Bahasa Jepang Vol.
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Second, the curriculum will adopt a functional syllabus type.
According to Little in Faravani.
Zeraatpishe.
Azarnoosh, and Kargozari .
, the notional-functional syllabus has two main dimensions: determining the communicative function to be performed in the target language, and determining the ideas, or meanings to be expressed while performing those functions.
A study by Fitriah .
demonstrates the advantages of the functional syllabus, including fostering better communicative competence and confidence, while allowing teachers to adapt materials to real-life This type of syllabus was chosen because the desired outcome of learning Business Japanese is to acquire communicative skills/functions relevant to a business environment.
Adapting the functional syllabus allows the study materials to be organized as a means of achieving communication goals, with an emphasis on language functions in Japanese specifically used for business purposes in the Third, the curriculum that will be designed covers only the speaking skills part.
In practice, it will combine with listening skills as well because these two skills are interrelated.
The total number of sessions for the Business Japanese course over one semester is 16, reduced to 14 after accounting for UTS and UAS.
Consequently, the class will be divided into two sections: half of the semester .
for reading and writing skills, and the other half .
for speaking and listening skills.
Meanwhile, the time allocation follows the predetermined schedule, with each session lasting 3 x 50 minutes .
Fourth, the desired outcome or result encompasses a combination of subjective and objective information related to skills that students have not yet mastered, wish to master, have not been taught by teachers, and are considered important to teach by teachers.
These skills are as .
Self-introduction in formal situations .
Explaining the company profile .
Conducting work presentations .
Holding work discussions/meetings .
Telephone correspondence .
Making appointments/schedule .
Conducting job interviews These seven new skills will be integrated into the curriculum as Business Japanese speaking skills that students must master within one semester.
These skills will be added alongside the existing speaking skills covered in the current syllabus, specifically workplace conversation simulation.
Given the guideline of addressing one topic per session, similar topics with lighter content will be In structuring the order, speaking skills will be organized from the least to the most difficult Fifth, the curriculum will employ StudentCentered Learning (SCL), where students assume the central role in the learning process, with teachers acting as facilitators.
This approach was chosen to encourage student creativity.
According to Priyatmojo.
Kumara.
Innaka, and Purwanto .
SCL empowers students to take an active role in developing creative and innovative thinking skills.
Given the relatively challenging nature of Business Japanese material, the implementation of SCL aims to keep students engaged and creative, thereby preventing monotony.
Consequently, most activities within this syllabus involve active participation from the students themselves.
Sixth, the learning activities, media, and content will refer to the outcomes of the needs analysis.
Learning activities will encompass conversation methods, discussions, role plays, and practicing with native speakers.
These activities will be conducted individually, in pairs, or in groups, to provide variations on each task so that students do not experience boredom.
Then, the learning media that will be used is digital media based on student preferences, employing platforms such as YouTube, websites, and applications.
The learning content will be authentic materials from these platforms, which can be in the form of writing, images, audio, or video.
Additionally, there will be 1 printed teaching material, a book, as complimentary teaching The aim is to provide students with additional support in case they encounter challenges when comprehending authentic materials.
The selection of books is based on the books used in the The curriculum design was carried out based on these six rationalization points.
This represents the findings of the needs analysis, which were considered alongside the synthesis of other research findings, and efforts were made to align it with the best theories of foreign language teaching.
The curriculum design is expected to be implemented at the university level with the goal of achieving the business Japanese language skills required for the 85 | P a g e e- ISSN 2528-5548 | p-ISSN 27764478 Silvia Adriana Fatika.
Lea Santiar Needs-Based Curriculum Design for Business Japanese:
A Case Study of Japanese Studies Students CONCLUSION The results of the needs analysis in this study highlight the crucial business Japanese-speaking skills required for the workforce.
Despite some differences, the findings align with previous studies (Yulianti, 2013.
Nami, 2020.
Yeoh.
Mahadi, & Singh, 2.
, which emphasize that selfintroduction in formal situations, telephone correspondence, conducting work presentations, and making appointments/schedules are essential business Japanese skills learners should master.
The results also showed that some of the desired learning methods and media have already been implemented in the classroom, while others have not.
Some of these have positive effects, while others have negative effects.
To address these issues, various strategies for overcoming the identified challenges have been discussed, with the aim of ensuring that these methods can be effectively integrated into the curriculum moving forward.
The curriculum design will be conducted based on these findings.
It will follow a backward design strategy, adopting a functional syllabus approach, and implementing the SCL method accompanied by the integration of digital learning media.
This curriculum is expected to be a practical solution for teaching Business Japanese at the university level, aimed at mitigating language barriers in business Japanese faced by Japanese language learners.
The author acknowledges that this research has certain limitations, prompting the need for further This study has been conducted only in a single university as a case study.
Future research is recommended on a broader scale, potentially involving multiple universities in Indonesia or Furthermore, while this study specifically emphasizes speaking skills due to their significance in Business Japanese, future research could explore other essential skills such as listening, reading, and writing to provide a comprehensive understanding within the scope of Business Japanese.
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