Compulsory English Education in Japanese

Compulsory English Education
in Japanese Elementary Schools:
Merit or demerit?
B11507 Haruka Yamashiro
Background
The path to compulsory English education
in Japanese elementary schools




1992 English classes were first introduced
to public elementary schools
2002～ English was taught in classes of
general studies(総合的な学習の時間)
2008 A new course of study was notified
2011 Compulsory English education started
in elementary schools
(Allen 2010:10)
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Defining Terms
Evidence for Merit
Evidence for Demerit
Analysis
Conclusion
Defining Terms
Compulsory English Education
in Japanese Elementary Schools:
Merit or demerit?
‘Compulsory’ means enforced and required
(Webster’s 1973:183)
→ Classes which all students must take
Defining Terms
Compulsory English Education
in Japanese Elementary Schools:
Merit or demerit?
‘Merit’ means worth, excellence, and a quality worthy
of praise (Webster’s 1973:562)
→good point
‘Demerit’ means something that deserves blame
(Webster’s 1793:242)
→bad point
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Defining Terms
Evidence for Merit
Evidence for Demerit
Analysis
Conclusion
Evidence for Merit
Japanese company aiming to
internationalize
2. The contents of English classes
1.
Evidence for Merit 1

Q. What is a similarity between Rakuten
(楽天) and Fast Retailing (UNIQLO) ?

A. Both of them started using English as
an official language in their office.
(AFP 2010)
Evidence for Merit 1
‘The number of company which call for the
person who has the English skills is
increasing year after year. About managerial
posts of sales department of manufacture, it
is difficult to find a job offer which doesn’t
asking English skills.’
(quoted in Diamond online plus, 2012)
‘Merit’ means worth, excellence, and a quality worthy of praise
(Webster’s 1973:562)
→good point
Evidence for Merit 2
Tokio Watanabe says about……
 the contents of 30 to 40% of an English
textbook
 4 skills (read, write, listen, speak)
 Listening skills
(Sanseido 2004, MEXT 2006 )
‘Merit’ means worth, excellence, and a quality worthy of praise
(Webster’s 1973:562)
→good point
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Defining Terms
Evidence for Merit
Evidence for Demerit
Analysis
Conclusion
Evidence for Demerit
The burden of homeroom
teachers
2. The necessity of English
education in elementary schools
1.
Evidence for Demerit 1
‘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’
(MEXT 2008:1).
Evidence for Demerit 1
英語活動の指導への自信
68.1
英語活動の指導への負担感
62.1
‘Demerit’ means something that deserves blame
(Webster’s 1793:242)
Source: Benesse (2010)
→bad point
Evidence for Demerit 2
Source:Benesse(2008)
Evidence for Demerit 2
世界の言語別使用人口
単位:100万人
順位
言語
人口
1
中国語
1,0752
2
英語
514
3
ヒンディー語
496
4
スペイン語
425
5
ロシア語
275
6
アラビア語
256
7
ベンガル語
215
‘Demerit’ means something that deserves blame
(Webster’s 1793:242)
Source: MEXT(2005)
→bad point
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Defining Terms
Evidence for Merit
Evidence for Demerit
Analysis
Conclusion
Analysis
Merit
1. Japanese company aiming to
internationalize
2.
Effect on Japanese language
Analysis
Merit
1. Japanese company aiming to
internationalize △
―This is not be concerned with the
merit of English education in elementary
schools.
2.
The contents of English classes
Evidence for Merit 2
Tokio Watanabe says about……
 the contents of 30 to 40% of an English
textbook
 4 skills (read, write, listen, speak)
 Listening skills
(Sanseido 2004, MEXT 2006 )
Can’t find specific examples
△
Analysis
Merit
1. Japanese company aiming to
internationalize △
―This
is not be concerned with the merit of
English education in elementary schools.
2.
The contents of English classes △
―This evidence is questionable
Analysis
Demerit
1.
The burden of homeroom
teachers
2.
The number of English native
speaker
Analysis
英語活動の指導への自信
英語活動の指導への負担感
○
Good evidence,
but how is it
NOW?
Source: Benesse (2010)
Analysis
Demerit
1.
The burden of homeroom
teachers
―Good evidence, but how is it now?
2.
The number of English native
speaker
Analysis
Analysis

Treating English as an official or a quasiofficial langusge
National: 54
Population: 2,107,312,000 (MEXT, 2005)
English plays an important role as the world
common language.
Analysis
△
Analysis
Demerit
1.
The burden of homeroom
teachers ○
―Good evidence, but how is it now?
2.
The number of English native
speaker △
―English is spoken all over the world as
an official language.
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Defining Terms
Evidence for Merit
Evidence for Demerit
Analysis
Conclusion
Conclusion

Merit or Demerit?

The answer is……
Demerit
○ △
Compulsory English Education
in Japanese Elementary Schools:
Merit or demerit?
B11507 Haruka Yamashiro

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