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Inside Higher Ed Higher Inside 43.23 • May / June 2019 Instances of verbal aggressiveness, Instances of verbal aggressiveness, . Verbal aggressiveness is a form of commu is a form aggressiveness . Verbal In Japan, as the number of study and/or intern and/or of study as the number In Japan, I have been asking these questions to students in to students been asking these questions I have the country (Jaschik, 2016). university students for opportunities ship abroad Menking, 2012), 2015; (Kirchhoff, to grow continues this issue with our be time to address it might is no shortage of research In fact, there students. that suggests the importance of training sessions study students international and workshops for useful advice offer These workshops ing abroad. her down. Students often have trouble with the trouble often have her down. Students specific to identify unable questions, follow-up that would be useful in such language or behaviors if one of these hy what Furthermore, situations. to escalate? Do students were situations pothetical skills to deal with such the communication have Do they understand that sometimes situations? a from get away need to immediately they might help? and call for situation interviews concern with the because of a developing the across and racial tensions escalating political incidents to increased led that have U.S.—tensions call scholars communication of what siveness self-concept, attacks an individual’s which nication in order on a topic position rather than a specific pain. Hate psychological to embarrass or inflict verbal aggression, of speech, as a form an individual toward or ridicule hatred, threats, or individuals. Some hate speech, can occur anywhere. including of the prevalence begun to document have scholars “verbal insults including of racism, forms various at international directed confrontation” and direct 4). (Lee, 2015, p. in the U.S. at universities students in article Indeed, a recent at campuses across of racist incidents” epidemic “an an angry with customer using abusive language reply In most cases, students another customer?” that they would try calm the customer to simply exactly up by asking students down. Then, I follow language specific I ask what they would say. what the angry approaching first they would use when him or customer and then attempting to calm THE LANGUAGE TEACHER - - - - Students

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アメリカ合 衆 国内での政 治 的、民族 的緊 張 の高まりはヘイトスピーチ Verbal Aggressiveness and Hate Speech: Hate Speech: and Aggressiveness Verbal interviews: “What would you do if you encountered interviews: encountered do if you “What would you following question to candidates during these question following and, for some of the longer programs, into their into programs, of the longer some and, for at the university. year third participate in the program during their second year, during their second year, in the program participate programs include both a study component at a component both a study include programs Chosen students university as well as an internship. of several study abroad internship programs in programs internship abroad of several study The U.S. the of tourism and hospitality in the field 撃やヘイトスピーチに負けないための指南書になることを願う。 ケーションの手法に重点を置く教材が、どれほど理想的であるかを説い ていく。この論文が、アメリカ合衆国に飛び立つ学生達にとって、言語攻 を紹介する。これは、学生達が問題に直目しても、感情的にならず、冷静 に議論ができるようにするためのトレーニングである。その後、コミュニ プに臨む学生達が、言語的攻撃やヘイトスピーチに対処できるように提 案をする。初めに、アメリカ合衆国で取り入れられている教育プログラム ーンシップを控える日本人大学生が、このような場面に備えてどの程度ま で対策ができるのか。この論文では、将来的に留学や海外インターンシッ を含む言語的攻撃による衝突を増加させている。例えば、言語的攻撃は 大学や職場など、どのような場においても起こり得る。留学や海外インタ ing to study in the U.S. dialogue regarding the extent to which verbal aggressiveness the extent to which verbal aggressiveness dialogue regarding with students prepar and hate speech should be addressed how focused communicative tasks are ideal for teaching the how focused communicative tasks are a open will article the that hoped is It material. content specific known model for de-escalation and bystander intervention training that is used in the U.S. Second, the article explains tions for addressing this topic with students who plan to study tions for addressing sug First, the article offers in the future. and/or work abroad gestions for curricular content, specifically drawing on a well- this raises the question: To what extent are these learners what extent are this raises the question: To sugges for such instances? This article offers being prepared ty and workplace contexts. For Japanese university students ty and workplace contexts. For Japanese university internship opportunities and/or abroad, for study preparing call including universi can occur anywhere, verbal aggressiveness Escalating political and racial tensions across the U.S. have Escalating political and racial tensions across what communication incidents of scholars led to increased Meiji University Brian Rugen E The Language Teacher • Readers’ Forum about social and academic adjustments, such as important, too. Examples of verbal aggressiveness advice on understanding bus schedules, talking can be found on YouTube (a YouTube search with to an academic advisor, or visiting a professor’s the terms “verbal aggressiveness” or “hate speech” office. For students who are also planning to work plus “caught on camera” produces many examples). or pursue an internship abroad, training sessions Together with students, the class can view selected and textbooks in many English for Special Purposes videos with the sound off, paying attention to the (ESP) disciplines do offer some useful language and body language and facial expressions of both the communicative strategies for dealing with customer attackers and the victims. problems or complaints. However, in these situ- In addition to recognizing verbal aggressiveness, ations, the customers complain or become upset students must then take the appropriate action about something particular to a service experience. in such situations. Students essentially have two Rarely, if ever, do materials or workshops offer choices if they encounter verbal aggressiveness: advice or strategies for dealing with customers who They will either need to try to de-escalate the become abusive with personal attacks and displays situation (as a bystander or as an employee in an of verbal aggressiveness. internship/workplace environment) or they will In the following sections, then, I first describe need to avoid, or get away from, the situation. In some content material—language items, strategies, such instances, they might need to call a supervisor and skills that might be a good starting point for or law enforcement entity for help. preparing students. After that, I describe a specific There are no easy answers to the question of teaching procedure—focused communicative tasks whether one should intervene when witnessing acts that can be used for practicing the content material of verbal aggression or racism. Many professionals with students. The following content material and have differing opinions on this, and that discus- teaching procedure can be adapted for any type of sion is beyond the scope of this article. Culturally teaching context, from a short afternoon orien- speaking, it is often said that Japanese people tend tation to a component of a semester-long English to prefer avoidance conflict management strate- course. gies to maintain positive relationships with others (Kaushal & Kwantes, 2006; Ohbuchi & Atsumi, Content: Recognize and Act 2010). Recent research has delved further into this, showing how contextual circumstances might affect Recognizing and understanding the idea of verbal the conflict management choices Japanese people aggressiveness itself, and how it differs from simple make (Murayama, Ryan, Shimizu, Kurebayashi, & anger or frustration over a specific experience, is Miura, 2014). For example, an active conflict man- important. On or off campus, situations might agement strategy, as opposed to avoidance, might include students witnessing verbal aggressiveness be preferred if the perception is that it would be toward a stranger, a friend, or themselves. At an more beneficial for group harmony in that particu- internship or workplace, situations might include lar situation. Murayama et al. note, “Japanese may a customer or co-worker’s verbal aggressiveness indeed prefer active conflict management more toward another customer or toward the students than Americans—at least in some circumstances” (p. themselves. 98). Ultimately, students must use their own judge- First, it might be helpful to define some of the ment, based on their own personality and the cir- terms related to verbal aggressiveness. For example, cumstances of the situation if such a scenario ever verbal aggressiveness might include character at- occurs. The following three options for action—del- tacks or physical appearance attacks, both of which egate, distract, and direct—are useful for students might exhibit examples of insults, mockery, and/or in that they offer options from less to more direct. profanity. Sometimes, the meanings of these terms Students should be introduced to each approach, overlap, but discussing the definitions and provid- along with some relevant language and communi- ing examples for students is helpful. cative strategies appropriate for the approach. Second, Japanese students studying or working The three options for action come from a popular abroad might not be familiar with many of the idi- model of training for de-escalation and bystander omatic words and phrases used by verbally aggres- intervention called the Green Dot program, orig- sive individuals. In other words, they might be slow- inally developed at the University of Kentucky in er in identifying a potentially dangerous situation 2006 (Alteristic, n. d.). Since then, the program has based on words alone. Therefore, recognizing the been adapted and adopted by schools, universities, kind of body language and facial expressions that community organizations, military branches, and accompany verbal aggressiveness and hate speech is

16 THE LANGUAGE TEACHER Online • http://jalt-publications.org/tlt ARTICLES JALT PRAXIS JALT FOCUS ------17 - 43.23 • May / June 2019 Initial utterances are phrases that a student that a student phrases Initial utterances are in de-escalating a sit Active listening is important In other words, practice by engaging in small talk engaging in small by practice In other words, emphasis on it. Important aspects of active listening on it. Important emphasis the frequent include with students worth practicing to nodding of the head and using acknowledgment in any see.” Furthermore, and “I such as “okay” kens it is important attempt to de-escalate a situation, personal space, approximately a person’s to respect and to escalating anxiety to avoid in order feet, 2-3 of attempts at distance in the case a safe maintain contact. sudden physical victim is wearing. Again, the goal with the distract victim engage with the victim is to cheerfully approach runs out of individual aggressive the verbally until steam. Direct verbal aggressive to confronting approach A direct aggres the verbally addressing ness means directly nec be This may sive individual about the situation. or workplace in an internship example, for essary, present. employee is the only if the student context practicing benefit from may students Therefore, strategies. initial utterances and active listening exchange opening an directly would use when custom aggressive a verbally example, with, for best. Examples are utterances Non-accusatory er. anything is there utterances such as “Hello, include These anything?” with you I help or “Can wrong?” and the but the words, simple, seem overly might delivery appropriate of the utterance itself—with to not come so naturally features—might prosodic Therefore, proficiency. without native-like speakers such initial utterances is important. practicing on de-escalation and most of the literature uation, and bystander intervention a strong training places tion to help the marginalized individual feel safe” safe” individual feel the marginalized to help tion 15). 2016, para. (Ablow, Some students here. students for be useful might talk engaging in small practiced already have might in other secondaryin English courses. or university talk with stu of small the practice however, Here, of a distract in the context should be framed dents to practice if pairs were In other words, approach. should as small talk, in the exchange one partner of verbal aggressiveness, victim of the sume the role to engage in the exchange. reluctant being more the needs to be put on responsibility more Thus, small talk exchange the interveningstudent to keep of small an exchange practice could going. Students the most common one of talk about the weather, small talk, utterance or with an initial for topics something the about that begins with a compliment THE LANGUAGE TEACHER ------and a there Verbal Aggressiveness and Hate Speech: New Considerations for Study Abroad Students Considerations Speech: New and Hate Abroad for Study Aggressiveness Verbal post modifier. For example: “There “There For example: post modifier. verb followed by a noun phrase that by a noun phrase verb followed -ing be Rugen: Rugen:

After identifying a situation with an existential with an existential a situation After identifying First, students need practice explaining and explaining practice need students First, the attacker. Pick a topic and engage in a conversa a topic Pick the attacker. to join the person who is being mistreated. Ignore Ignore is being mistreated. to join the person who approach, some experts suggest the following: “If “If the following: some experts suggest approach, others, move without support from alone are you goal here is to interrupt the verbal aggressiveness, the verbal aggressiveness, is to interrupt goal here the distract it. Regarding to confront not necessarily that is peripheral to the situation, or making an of to the situation, that is peripheral to try in order The situation. and de-escalate the fer by changing the subject, commenting on something by changing the subject, commenting The distract approach involves addressing either the addressing involves The distract approach often, the victim more person or, aggressive verbally Distract time practicing this with students. time practicing workplace addresses. It might be worth spending might It addresses. workplace nese university students might not be familiar with might nese university students or residential of communicating the accepted ways of English, saying an address and telephone number number and telephone an address saying of English, Japa However, even under duress. comes naturally, dents need practice in providing their address and their address in providing need practice dents native speakers For over the phone. number phone ing their name, phone number, and address. Stu and address. number, ing their name, phone clause, emergency calls proceed with callers provid with callers clause, emergency calls proceed is a man harassing a woman now” or “There are are is a man harassing a woman now” or “There at a customer.” men screaming young three form of the form an includes of something. It begins with the word begins with the word of something. It swering such a question is what is called an existen is called is what swering such a question existence is a clause that states the tial clause, which cy?” Students should be given practice answering should be given practice cy?” Students an for A common structure quickly. this question calling 9-1-1 in the U.S., the first utterance from the from the first utterance in the U.S., calling 9-1-1 emergen is your what operator handling is: “9-1-1, reporting a dangerous/emergency situation. When When situation. a dangerous/emergency reporting be helpful. supervisor, or they might need to call law enforce law need to call or they might supervisor, two skills might the following In such cases, ment. They might need to talk to other bystanders or a need to They might or experiencing instances of verbal aggressiveness, of verbal aggressiveness, instances or experiencing help. for or call need to delegate might students The delegate approach might be the most useful might approach The delegate When witnessing second language students. for Delegate et al., 2014, p. 1181). The core of the program are its are program of the The core 1181). p. et al., 2014, distract, and direct. delegate, D’s: three safely identify potentially violent situations and ef and situations violent potentially identify safely (Cook-Craig intervene violence” to prevent fectively corporations around the world in order to “train “train to in order the world around corporations and bystanders to effectively as potential individuals The Language Teacher • Readers’ Forum

Teaching Procedure: Focused Communicative follow-up discussion is important for reinforcing Tasks the unpredictability of how verbally aggressive Communication tasks can be divided into focused interactions play out. or unfocused tasks. In an unfocused communicative task, students are not required to use any particular Conclusion form or skill in their performance. On the other As mentioned above, there are certainly cultural dif- hand, in focused communicative tasks, students ferences that will influence the decisions that Jap- are required to use a particular form or skill in the anese students make if they experience or witness task performance, although meaning is still given verbal aggressiveness. These cultural differences a prominent role in the task. As Ellis (2001) put it, should be addressed when discussing options with focused tasks are “designed to elicit production of a students. Generally speaking, my Japanese students specific target feature in the context of performing a have reacted positively to all of the training in the communicative task” (p. 21). Indeed, many scholars classroom and have been eager to practice the ap- have noted that communicative tasks that focus proaches in roleplays. Of course, our class roleplays solely on message conveyance might not be enough are very different from real-life instances of verbal to develop accurate language use. A focus on form, aggressiveness. Thus, the next step is to design fol- too, is both possible and necessary in communica- low-up debriefings with students who return from tive classrooms. study and/or internship abroad programs. It would After introducing the above language and com- be useful to ask students if they had witnessed and/ munication skills in a largely teacher-centered dis- or experienced instances of verbal aggressiveness cussion, students can practice what are called “cued on campus or at a place of internship, and if so, how dialogues” (Brown, 2007, p. 186), which are a type they reacted. of focused communicative task. Cued dialogues are Ultimately, the goals of addressing some or all of a form of role play that begin with a certain, very the strategies above with students, before they trav- minimal amount of cueing. In this case, examples of el abroad, are to (a) make sure that students under- verbally aggressive utterances would be the initial stand the concepts of verbal aggressiveness and hate cues, provided by the teacher, in the roleplays. speech, (b) provide a simple introduction to some Along with the initial one-to-three lines of cued de-escalation strategies if verbal aggressiveness is dialogue, the teacher can provide any necessary encountered on campus or in an internship/work- contextual information (location, people involved, place situation, and (c) allow students to practice etc.) for students. those strategies in hypothetical situations. In groups of three to four, students must then Hopefully, by taking up some of the suggestions finish writing the rest of the roleplay with the fol- offered here, at the very least a dialogue can be lowing requirements: opened with students regarding the nature of verbal • There is an attempt to de-escalate the situation aggressiveness and hate speech and actions to take (using the distract or direct approach). when witnessing verbal aggressiveness while study- • De-escalation is unsuccessful and students ing or working abroad in the U.S. must ask a bystander for help or call 9-1-1 for help (delegate approach). References Ablow, G. (2016, December 12). Talking back to hate While groups are working on their roleplays, speech, explained. Moyers. Retrieved from https:// the teacher can meet with each group to discuss billmoyers.com/story/talking-back-hate-speech- the scenarios and how the group members have explained integrated the use of the strategies taught in class. Alteristic. (n.d.). Story [Blog post]. Retrieved from https:// These meetings are helpful as the teacher can offer alteristic.org/story suggestions on appropriate language and pragmatic Brown, H. D. (2007). Teaching by principles: An interactive conventions that might need addressing. Finally, approach to language pedagogy (3rd ed.). White Plains, students present their role play scenarios to the rest NY: Pearson. of the class, paying particular attention to those Cook-Craig, P. G., Coker, A. L., Clear, E. R., Garcia, L. S., strategies that were taught in class. Bush, H. M., Brancato, C. J., & Fisher, B. S. (2014). Chal- After the roleplays, the performances are dis- lenge and opportunity in evaluating a diffusion-based cussed by the whole class. Alternative courses that active bystander prevention program: Green Dot in Violence Against Women, 20 the dialogue could have taken, as well as possible high schools. (10), 1179– 1202. doi:10.1177/1077801214551288 responses to those alternatives, are considered. This

18 THE LANGUAGE TEACHER Online • http://jalt-publications.org/tlt ARTICLES JALT PRAXIS JALT FOCUS ” 19 Exploring the potential of Exploring foreign language Exploring foreign 43.23 • May / June 2019 ” Stephen Ryan (Waseda Univ.), Univ.), ” Stephen Ryan (Waseda JALT Lifelong Language Learning SIG Lifelong Language JALT May 11, 2019 (Saturday); 14:00 – 16:30 May 11, 2019 (Saturday); Campus, Mejiro Place: Gakushuin University, (4F) Minami-2 buidling Meeting Room 1 http://www.gakushuin.ac.jp/ad/kikaku/ english/school/campus/mejiro.html in advance registration No Free! Contact: [email protected] Research Forum: Foreign Language Language Forum: Foreign Research Learning in the Later Stages of Life. Learning in the Later Stages Talk 2 (15:15 – 16:00) “ Talk A pilot study on older life story interview approach: learners of English and Harumi Kimura Kay Irie (Gakushuin Univ.), Univ.) (Miyagi Gakuin Women’s In this forum, we shall explore the narrative In this shall forum, we explore some of the methodologies and share research of a pilot study in results research preliminary progress. • • • • • 1 (14:00 – 15:00) “ Talk narrative approach age through learning in the third Matsumoto (Heian Jogakuin Univ.) Dorota THE LANGUAGE TEACHER - - - - (5), (2), - - - The https:// https://www. (1), 88–100. The role of culture of culture The role The Language Teacher The Language Teacher https://jalt-publications. (pp. 1–46). Oxford, UK: UK: Oxford, 1–46). (pp. Form-focused instruction Form-focused - - Aichi, Japan November 1–4, 2019 JALT2019 45th Annual International on Language Teaching Conference and Learning & Educational Materials Exhibition WINC AICHI, Nagoya City, International Higher Education, Higher International - . Retrieved from from . Retrieved (3), 9–12. Retrieved from from 9–12. Retrieved (3), Verbal Aggressiveness and Hate Speech: New Considerations for Study Abroad Students Considerations Speech: New and Hate Abroad for Study Aggressiveness Verbal is an associate Rugen: Rugen: doi:10.1111/j.1750-4716.2010.00052.x R., & Kwantes, C. T. (2006). (2006). T. C. R., & Kwantes, Inside Higher Ed Higher Inside

03. doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2006.01.001 Negotiation and Conflict Management Research 3 Management and Conflict Negotiation International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 30 Relations, of Intercultural Journal International

, 3–5. doi:10.6017/ihe.2006.44.7916 (3), 21–27. Retrieved from from 21–27. Retrieved (3),

Japanese employees what they care about in conflict in conflict about they care what employees Japanese member” im “good and functionality Its management: age. 117–129. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 46 Psychology of Cross-Cultural Journal doi:10.1177/0022022114551051 K., & Miura, A. (2014). Cultural differences in per differences K., & Miura, A. (2014). Cultural con and preferred conflict of intragroup ceptions experiment. A scenario behavior: flict-management anese and foreign institutions. institutions. anese and foreign 36 org/sites/default/files/pdf/the_language_teacher/36.3_ tlt.pdf jalt-publications.org/sites/default/files/pdf/the_ language_teacher/39.3tlt.pdf 579–6 + work abroad. and study abroad study through 39 Language Teacher 44 strat management of conflict and personality in choice egy. flurry-racist-incidents-and-protests-against-racism? ism and discrimination. Blackwell. dents. insidehighered.com/news/2016/09/26/campuses-see- instruction. In R. Ellis (Ed.), In instruction. language learningand second time, he enjoys long-dis tance running. language teacher training/ supervision. In his spare tity, curriculum/materials curriculum/materials tity, and in TESOL, development include discourse and iden include Meiji University. His teach University. Meiji interests ing and research professor in the School of School in the professor at Studies Japanese Global Brian Rugen Rugen Brian Ohbuchi, K., & Atsumi, E. (2010). Avoidance brings Avoidance (2010). E. K., & Atsumi, Ohbuchi, Murayama, A., Ryan, C. S., Shimizu, H., Kurebayashi, H., Kurebayashi, Shimizu, S., C. A., Ryan, Murayama, Menking, S. (2012). Exchange agreements between Jap agreements (2012). Exchange S. Menking, Kirchhoff, C. (2015). Global personnel development personnel development C. (2015). Global Kirchhoff, Kaushal, Lee, J. (2015). International student experiences: Neo-rac experiences: student International (2015). Lee, J. Jaschik, S. (2016, September 26). Epidemic of racist inci Epidemic 26). (2016, September S. Jaschik, Ellis, R. (2001). Introduction: Investigating form-focused form-focused Investigating R. (2001). Introduction: Ellis,