WITH English language becoming compulsory for fifth- and sixth-graders by 2011, colleges and universities across Japan are offering training programs in this new teaching area to prepare the would-be teachers, The Daily Yomiuri has reported.
Seitoku University in Chiba Prefecture, for example, launched a new course focusing on teaching English this year. “The course aims to help students develop practical teaching skills. One way they can gain experience is through team-teaching with native English speakers who currently work at primary schools,” said professor Yoshiko Ichinose at Seitoku. Ichinose added that those who are studying to become primary school teachers are now getting an idea of what it is like to teach English — an issue that current primary school teachers are also exploring.
Tamagawa University in Machida, Tokyo, has been offering a program that helps students acquire certification from the Elementary English Instructors’ Certificate Committee (Japan Shogakko Instructors of English, or J-SHINE), a nonprofit organization established by major firms in the English education field. The training program is based on J-SHINE’s standards so that prospective teachers can acquire certificates upon completion. “Under our program, trainees get the opportunity to try their hands at teaching at least 50 lessons at primary schools. The program teaches them simple instructional English to help them get used to all-English lessons,” said professor Kumiko Sato at Tamagawa.
Meisei University in Hino, Tokyo, is planning to upgrade its education major to an education department with the aim of improving its teacher-training programs. The new department will encourage students to acquire licenses not only as primary school teachers, but also as middle and high school teachers in specialized fields. “Our program will cultivate primary school teachers with an eye on middle and high school English teaching. We hope to help our students become leaders in the field [of continuing English education],” said professor Yoshiko Kayano. When teaching English at Meisei, Kayano always discusses how to make lesson plans with her students. “I believe it’s important for future teachers to take their courses [not only as students, but also] from a teachers’ point of view,” she explained.
Satoko Yano, a teacher consultant at the Kyoto Municipal Board of Education, stressed that the most important thing for primary school teachers is to get their students to realize “how fun and delightful it is to communicate with others”.
