LANGUAGE LEARNING AND INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS: INSIGHTS FROM A PRIMARY SCHOOL SYNCHRONOUS VIRTUAL EXCHANGE

Year 2025, Volume: 14 Issue: 3, 74 - 87, 30.09.2025

Shinji Okumura

https://doi.org/10.55020/iojpe.1670036

Abstract

This study examines the perceptions of Japanese primary school students during a synchronous cross-cultural virtual exchange (VE) with Australian peers. The participants included 152 sixth-grade Japanese students and 130 Australian students (63 in fifth grade and 67 in sixth grade). Using Google Meet, students shared information about their locations and the weather, practicing both Japanese and English language skills. Afterward, the Japanese students evaluated their Australian peers’ English comprehension and reflected on their exchange experiences. Descriptive statistical methods were applied to the quantitative data, while qualitative responses were analyzed using KH Coder, a text-mining tool for linguistic and content analysis. The results were largely positive, with many Japanese students reporting that they understood the Australian students’ English. The VE enhanced cross-cultural understanding by highlighting both similarities and differences. However, the study also identified challenges related to using and understanding a foreign language in real-time exchanges. These findings provide valuable insights for educators and policymakers, offering practical guidance for integrating VE into curricula to support language development, intercultural awareness, and effective teaching practices.

Keywords

Virtual exchange , cross-cultural communication , language learning , intercultural awareness , primary education.

Ethical Statement

The author declares that this article is his original work, has not been plagiarized, and complies with ethical research and publication standards. Research permissions were obtained from the school principal and the students’ parents at the Japanese school. All ethical rules were observed at each stage of the research. The author declares that he acted in accordance with ethical rules in all processes of the research. The author declares no conflict of interest.

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