【91.4% Satisfaction】Systematizing "15 Years of On-Site Practical Knowledge"｜Community 'FOR+' Solving the Isolation of Japanese Language Instructors Announces FY2025 Activity Report

Certified NPO Plus Educate (Office: Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture, Representative: Akiko Mori) has published its fiscal year 2025 activity report for "FOR+" (Four Plus), a project that supports and develops instructors who teach Japanese to children of foreign roots, on its website. FOR+ is an initiative by Plus Educate to deliver practical know-how that can be "used from tomorrow" to Japanese language instructors, based on the practical knowledge gained from guiding over 1,500 children over 15 years. In FY2025, the "FOR+ Seminar" was held 5 times to convey teaching methods for the original teaching materials "Anone 1," "Anone 2," and "Anone 3," with a total of 171 participants. Additionally, the continuous community "FOR+ Zemi" provided a place for Japanese language instructors to continue learning, offering not only teaching method videos that can be watched anytime, but also monthly teaching materials, mini-seminars, teaching practice sessions, and a Q&A bulletin board. In a Zemi student survey conducted in February 2026, we received high evaluations with a satisfaction rate of 91.4% and a recommendation rate of 81.6%. In particular, many comments praised the "practical content" and "ability to be used immediately," highly valuing FOR+'s strength of "field-applicable practicality." FOR+ is an ecosystem for learning for children's Japanese language instructors. In Japan, the number of children of foreign roots who require Japanese language instruction is increasing. According to a survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, approximately 70,000 students requiring Japanese language instruction are enrolled in public schools, nearly doubling in about 10 years. Meanwhile, the field faces challenges such as a shortage of instructors and a lack of opportunities to learn teaching know-how. Since the necessary support varies depending on the child's age, native language, time of arrival in Japan, and Japanese language ability, practical adaptability is required of Japanese language instructors. However, many instructors face difficulties such as "not knowing where to start teaching," "heavy burden of preparing teaching materials," and "no one to consult with." To address these challenges, the "FOR+" (Four Plus) project for nurturing children's Japanese language instructors was born. FOR+ is an initiative by Plus Educate that provides know-how that instructors can easily reproduce in the field, based on the practical knowledge gained from teaching Japanese to over 1,500 children over 15 years. It specifically conveys "what to teach," "in what order," and "how to teach," and provides a place for instructors to continue learning without having to bear the burden alone, through teaching materials, seminars, practical opportunities, and a community. The biggest feature of FOR+ is that it systematizes practices accumulated through working with children in the field, rather than mere theoretical approaches. It is not just about providing teaching materials or one-off training, but creating a system where instructors can learn, try out, share their concerns, and grow. FOR+ aims to create an environment where instructors can enhance their practical skills and continue to support the learning of children of foreign roots, without having to bear the burden alone. FY2025 Activity Results FOR+ Seminars: 5 times held, 171 participants in total FOR+ Seminars are digest seminars that convey how to teach Plus Educate's original teaching materials "Anone 1," "Anone 2," and "Anone 3." In FY2025, it was held 5 times, and a total of 171 people participated. FOR+ Zemi: A continuous community supporting monthly learning and practice In FOR+ Zemi, in addition to teaching method explanations through videos that can be watched anytime, the following initiatives were carried out monthly: ・Provision of teaching materials ・Mini-seminars ・Teaching practice sessions (implemented in some courses) ・Q&A bulletin board ・Consultation, community support In addition to providing teaching materials, a system has been established where instructors can actually use them, resolve questions, and continue learning while connecting with colleagues. FOR+ Zemi System FOR+ Zemi Student Survey Results In February 2026, a survey was conducted targeting FOR+ Zemi students as a review of FY2025. ■Satisfaction Compiled from participant surveys conducted in February 2026 The satisfaction results are as follows: ・Satisfied: 57.1% ・Mostly satisfied: 34.3% ・Not fully utilized: 8.6% Combining "satisfied" and "mostly satisfied," 91.4% of respondents gave high evaluations. The reasons for satisfaction include: ・Because the content is practical: 71.4% ・Can be used immediately: 54.3% ・Can refer to other people's questions: 48.6% ・Questions can be resolved: 42.9% In particular, "because the content is practical" was the most frequent answer, indicating that the "field-applicable learning" that FOR+ values is reaching participants. ■Usefulness Compiled from participant surveys conducted in February 2026 Usefulness on a 5-point scale.