MENGATASI KESALAHPAHAMAN ANTARBUDAYA: PERAN LESSON PLANNING DALAM PENDIDIKAN BAHASA JEPANG

Abstract

Intercultural misunderstanding in Japanese language learning often occurs due to differences between visible culture (見える文化mieru bunkka) and invisible culture (見えない文化mienai bunkka). This study aims to evaluate the role of Lesson Planning in overcoming intercultural misunderstanding, by emphasizing a discussion-based learning approach and cultural reflection. This study involved 90 students who were divided into 30 small groups with research stages including pre-test, group discussion, cultural analysis based on the iceberg theory, and post-test. In the discussion, students were given the opportunity to analyze Japanese and Indonesian cultures, choose examples of certain cultures, and make recommendations to overcome barriers to intercultural communication. The results of the study indicate that an approach that integrates cultural analysis, group discussion, and interaction with native speakers can help students understand Japanese more deeply and reduce intercultural misunderstanding. The Intercultural Communicative Competence Theory (Byram 1997) and the Cultural Iceberg Model are used to interpret how experiential learning can increase students' awareness of Japanese communication patterns. As a recommendation, this study emphasizes the need for Lesson Planning based on cultural analysis and group discussions, with an approach that encourages cultural understanding through reflection and direct experience. Thus, Japanese language learning not only improves students' linguistic skills, but also helps them build cross-cultural communication skills more effectively