Applying podcasts to English language educationand social issues in a Japanese university

The rapid ageing of Japanese society has led to a dramatic increase in the number of elderly people living alone, some of whom feel they are no longer of value to society. Many younger Japanese people have little contact with older people, yet these same older citizens have lived full lives and experienced or witnessed profound changes in Japan and the wider world. These experiences may represent a learning opportunity for younger Japanese if they could be made accessible. Concurrently, while most learners in Japan study English for several years, few have the opportunity to use English outside the classroom. Moreover, many find themselves in teacher-centred learning environments, are passive in class, appear to lack motivation, and are increasingly unwilling to study or work abroad. Podcasts, a popular form of communication, offer a potential medium to give foreign language learners the opportunity to engage with and speak on topics of removed from their classroom experience. This paper describes the development of an English language, oral-history podcast produced by students in collaboration with older members of the community, focussing on the recollections of events in recent Japanese history which are meaningful to them. The aims of the podcast are to attempt to forge personal connections between members of the community who rarely come into contact with one another; deepen the understanding among young Japanese of recent history; and give students meaningful subject matter with which to develop their English language skills.