Teaching and learning to read kanji as l2: Why are they difficult?

Abstract

In college classrooms of Japanese as a second or foreign language (L2), reading kanji, Chinese characters used in Japanese writing, has been identified as one of the most challenging aspects of teaching and learning. This chapter examines why that is the case by exploring the complex linguistic functions of kanji in the modern Japanese writing system, their psycholinguistic functions, and the implications for teaching and learning kanji and reading Japanese as L2. The chapter will then discuss existing L2 kanji instructional materials and existing literature on L2 kanji learning strategies and instruction, and make possible pedagogical suggestions.