A TWO-YEAR transition period for English teaching in Japanese elementary schools will begin next month. Weekly English classes will be introduced over two years, according to the Japanese government. However, many teachers are now worried about their poor English skills and difficulty in coordinating with visiting native English speakers, The Japan Times has reported.
The new classes, officially titled Foreign Language Activities, will kick off in April 2011 for fifth- and sixth-graders. The Japanese government aims to introduce the classes with a new style: teachers will put more emphasis on experience-based understanding, instead of focusing too much on detail or rote learning and speaking and listening will be introduced earlier than reading and writing. "Research shows that it is difficult for children to develop all four skills at the same time, and that it is good to start basic oral communication at a younger age," an education ministry spokesman explained.
According to a report by the Japan Institute of Learning, many teachers at public elementary schools expressed concerns about teaching methods, with 77 percent saying they needed to improve their language and English teaching skills, while 76.6 percent said they needed more training.
Although currently some 60 percent of municipalities run training for English teachers, what is offered varies in frequency and content. For example, Shinjuku Ward in Tokyo offered six compulsory sessions for one teacher from each school this school year. Although the program included teaching methods and lesson planning, it did not provide specific training to improve teachers' English skills. Teachers said they hoped to receive training in lesson preparation, intonation and vocabulary.
To provide teaching materials and support during classes, the Japanese education ministry created Eigo Note (English notebooks) and will distribute them to schools when the new school year begins in April. They're at fifth- and sixth-graders, and cover English speaking and listening through games and exercises. They're full of pictures with instructions in Japanese and English. Education ministry officials say these books are not meant to be textbooks and teachers are welcome to use any other resources.
