What is Exploratory Practice (EP)

Understanding how power functions in relation to teaching and learning languages can provide a clearer picture of language learning. As majorities can control minorities culturally and politically, minorities often suffer language discrimination. Although Japan now has the highest number of foreign residents, it still has a relatively high degree of homogeneity, and most college students have little understanding of them. More surprisingly, they often know even less about Japan's often-overlooked minorities, such as the Ainu and Okinawans. The author demonstrates how to deploy EFL classes to raise students' awareness by using self-made teaching materials and tailored writing assignments within the framework of Exploratory Practice (EP). Drawing on these methodologies, current research on language minorities is used to support a pedagogy that builds cultural awareness by giving majority-language students an opportunity to learn about minorities even when the students' English abilities are limited, as in the case of general EFL courses.