Negotiating Desire and Identity at English Immersion Preschools in Japan

Abstract

In Japan, English immersion preschools (EIPs) have become a popular choice for parents who wish to raise their children to be fluent in English. Despite their increasing share of the market, EIPs have received little scholarly attention. In this paper, I aim to help situate EIPs against the backdrop of Japan’s English education market. In doing so, I draw from the concept of desire (cf. Motha & Lin, 2014), which has been widely discussed as one of the key facets to understand English language education in Japan. Specifically, this study showcases multiple dimensions of desire in the context of two EIPs, through the eyes and voices of teachers. Their narratives, coupled with seminal studies on desire (e.g., those on akogare), help demonstrate how and why desire may exist at EIPs. This study is intended to add a layer to the existing body of literature on desire while also providing a springboard for further research on EIPs in Japan and larger global contexts.