Ideal Japanese Social Studies Researchers: Researcher as a Supporter for Teachers’ Aims Talk and their Gatekeeping

What is the aim which social studies researchers have in relation to research the teaching and learning of social studies and develop theories? The answers to this question would be diverse within any individuals. Although it is almost impossible for me to generalize all Japanese social studies researchers’ purposes for their own research, a number of Japanese researchers tended to share a similar interest for teacher’s aims talk or his/her good gatekeeping. The concepts of “a teacher as a curricula-instructional gatekeeper” and “aims talk” were introduced into Japan in 2012 when the US social studies scholar, Stephen Thornton’s book Teaching Social Studies That Matters (2005) was translated into Japanese. After translated book was published, many Japanese social studies researchers began to use these terms such as, “gatekeeping (gatekeeper)” in Japan since 2012 (e.g., Horita, 2015; Yasuda, 2014). However, it seems that many Japanese researchers had already had a similar concern without using these terms before 2012. This study’s purpose is to review some Japanese essays that are focused on gatekeeping or aims talk, and to discuss why we have been interested in these concepts for decades.