The author has executed interview and questionnaire researches into three volunteer groups working on Japanese education in Matsue region. In this report, the present Japanese education for foreign students in Shimane University and some problems occurring in it will be overlooked in the first place, following the result of the researches. The necessity of a close connection between the university and the volunteer groups will be discussed after.
The foreign students of Shimane University have several opportunities of learning Japanese in Matsue region, not only in the campus but also in other places. In the viewpoint of the lecture time, it was turned obvious by the researches that three quarters of Japanese classes are given by the volunteer groups. The role of the volunteer groups was especially important in the Japanese classes for the foreign students in the introductory and basic Japanese levels, 70% of all. Participants in the volunteer groups in Matsue region are, thus, powerful supporters for the foreign students in the university. It should also be noted that the participants themselves are students to learn throughout lifetime long. They have to learn many matters involving knowledge and lecturing techniques for Japanese education ranging over various fields. The chances of training for such purposes, however, were turned out by the researches not sufficiently supplied for them, although many of them want to have such kind of opportunities. This is the first generalized report on the demand of the participants in the volunteer groups of Japanese education in Matsue region. It seems very important for the university to give such opportunities to them in building up a more close relationship with the volunteer groups. Some concrete possibilities on a close connection with the volunteer groups as well as the Japanese education in future will be discussed and overlooked.