Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture

Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture is a residential academic institution, established by Showa Women's University, Tokyo, Japan. Its mission is to increase students' English proficiency, to develop their cross-cultural awareness, and to foster their personal growth. Students share Japanese culture through school visits, festivals and personal contacts. We believe that culture and language are inextricably linked and are best learned in conjunction with each other. Their English-as-a-Second-Language classes combine skills with content-based instruction, taught in an immersion atmosphere with a communicative approach. Instruction is enhanced by interaction with native speakers, both on and off-campus. Through this integrated program of experiential learning, windows of insight open, stereotypes disappear and mutual respect emerges. Showa Boston also fosters accelerated personal growth and a broadened global perspective in its students. They are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their own intellectual and personal development within a structured, supportive, and culturally sensitive framework. Students are given opportunities to gain confidence from the effort of mastering a different language and culture, to engage in self-discovery, and to learn mutual responsibility through group living. In a secure and healthy environment, they strive to provide students with a solid foundation of knowledge, skills and character to become active participants in the international community.