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