English Education in Japan for the 21st
Century
Aoyama Gakuin UniversityMitsue Allen-Tamai
(allentamai [AT] cl.aoyama.ac.jp)
Developing a strategic plan to cultivate
“Japanese with English abilities” “… We have formulated a strategy to cultivate
“Japanese with English abilities” in a concrete action plan with the aim of drastically improving the English education of Japanese people.”
Nine years have passed. Have we changed?
English language abilities demanded of all Japanese
nationals On graduation from junior high school Ability to hold simple conversations and a
similar level of reading and writing ⇒ The 3rd level of the STEPEnglish Proficiency of 9th graders Holders of STEP 3rd or higher 18.3% Equivalent 14.0% Total 32.4%
English language abilities demanded of all Japanese
nationals On graduation from senior high school Ability to hold normal conversations and
similar lever of reading and writing ⇒ The 2nd or semi-2nd level of STEP
English Proficiency of the 12th gradersHolders of semi-2nd or higher 10.7%Equivalent 19.6% 30.3% (Survey in 2007)
Comparing STEP and other Criteria
STEP CEFR TOEFL(PBT)
TOEFL(IBT)
1st C1 600 100
Semi-1st
B2 550 80 Teacher
2nd B1 450 45 High-school Ss
Semi-2nd
A2 400 32 High-school Ss
Key policy issues1. Improving educational content2. Improving the qualifications of English
instructors and upgrading the teaching system
3. Increasing opportunities to use English4. Improving entrance examinations5. Enhancing English conversation activities in
elementary schools6. Cultivating Japanese language ability for
appropriate expression and accurate comprehension
1. Improving educational content
Promoting the comprehensive integration of the 4 skills, emphasizing basic practical communication ability.
Promoting small-group teaching and streaming students according to proficiency level.
Promoting progressive English education in high schools
The current situation1. How much English is used in class? (Oral Communication class in high school) More than 80% 19.6% More than 50% 32.
8 %2. New Course of Study requires that class will
be conducted all in English in high school from 2014.
3. 169 high schools were designated as SEL Hi (Super English High School).
2. Improving the qualifications of English instructors and upgrading
the teaching system The expected English-language abilities of
English teachers are equivalent to STEP semi-1st level, TOEFL 550, TOEIC 730.
Junior-high and senior-high students will have a class with native speakers more than once a week.
Promoting the utilization of human resources with fluent English-language abilities living in the local community.
The current situation
☆English Proficiency of English instructorsHolders of STEP semi-1st or higher Junior-high school teachers 24.2% (in 2009) Senior-high school teachers 48.9% (in 2010)☆Utilization of ALT Elementary schools 67.4% (in 2008) Junior-high schools 24.9% (in 2008) Senior-high schools 9.1% (in 2009) (English specialized) 33.2% (in 2009)
3 Increasing opportunities to use English
Expanding opportunities for overseas study for high school students (10,000 a year)
Increasing opportunities to use English outside a classroom (promotion of English conversation salons and speech contests )
⇒ high school students in overseas study 3,190 (in 2008)
4 Improving entrance examinations Promoting the use of results of external
examinations and listening tests in entrance examinations to high schools and universities
⇒Introduction of listening test into the University Entrance Central Examination
in 2006
5 Enhancing English conversation activities in
elementary schools In connection with English conversation
activities, which are carried out in the Period for Integrated Study, support is to be extended so that teaching can be conducted by foreign instructors, fluent English speakers, or junior high school teachers in one third of such sessions.
⇒ Introduction of “Foreign Language Activities” to public elementary schools
Overall Objectives of Foreign Language Activities
To form the foundation of pupils’ communication abilities through foreign languages while developing the understanding of languages and cultures through various experiences fostering a positive attitude toward communication , and familiarizing pupils with the sounds and basic expressions of foreign languages .
Overall Objectives ofForeign Language at lower high
schools
To develop students’ basic communica-tion abilities, such as listening, speaking, reading and writing, deepening their understanding of language and culture and fostering a positive attitude toward communication through foreign languages.
Overall Objectives ofForeign Language at junior-high
schools
To develop students’ communication abilities such as accurately understandingand appropriately conveying information,ideas, etc., deepening their understand-ing of language and culture, and foster-ing a positive attitude toward communi-cation through foreign languages.
The new Course of Study Implementation of “Foreign Language
Activities” to 5th and 6th graders Increase of class times per week from
three to four for 7th to 9th graders Restructure and rename subjects in upper
high schools (no reading, no writing) Teachers use English as a language of
instruction.
New names for high school classesAural/Oral Communication I & IIEnglish I & IIReading Writing
Communication English (Basics)Communication English I, II, & IIIEnglish Expression I & IIEnglish Conversation
Foreign Language Activities
English will be taught from 2011. (1) to 5th and 6th graders (2) once a week (35 times/year) (3) as a “compulsory” subject (4) but not as a “regular” subject (5) by TT (HRT & ALT) (6) English Notes (Sub-textbook)
Not English EducationBut English Activities
The Primary purposes of English classes
1992~2010
NOTDeveloping English
language skills2011~
NOT Developing English
language skills
Consequently, at the elementary school stage, it is important to separate spoken and written English and focus instruction only on spoken English.
Lessons should develop both oral and written
language.Adequate literacy
education to school-aged children is necessary.
Focus on spoken language
International UnderstandingCross-cultural Communication
Communication Skills
iBT TOEFL (2009)-Asia
国名 得点 国名 得
点 国名 得点 国名 得
点 国名 得点
1Singapore
99
7Bangladesh
82
13Indonesia
79 17Mongolia
75
24Macao
70
2 India 90
8 韓国 81
14 Nepal 77 20Azerbaijan
74
24Myanmar
70
3Malaysia
88
8Kyrgyzstan
81
15 China 76 20Taiwan
74
24
Cambodia
68
3Pakistan
88
8Hong Kong
81
15
Uzbekistan
76 20Thailand
74
25Tajikistan
67
3Philippines
88
8Sri Lanka
81
17Mongolia
75 23Afghanistan
71
25Japan
67
6Bhutan
85
12
Turkmenistan
80
17 北朝鮮 75 24Vietnam
70
30Lao, PDR
60
Teaching English at elementary schools
Country Y/I S/G Country Y/I S/G
Singapore ELI G1 China 2001 G3
The Philippines ELI G1 Taiwan 2005 G3
Malaysia ELIELI G1 Korea 1997 G3
Brunei EMI G1 France 2007 G2
Indonesia 1994 G4 Germany 2003 G1
Thailand 1996 G1 Japan 2011 G5
Vietnam 1996
2011
G5
G3
ELI= English as a language of Instruction, Y/I = Year of Implementation, S/G = Starting Grade
Top Related