An Examination into Teaching English at Public Schools in Japan
Problems
The grammar is too difficult
I will begin with the answer to one question for a third-year high school test at an academic school. The students were asked to translate from Japanese into English. Model answers were, “When we, covered in sweat, go into a building where the air conditioner is too strong, we can get a cold” or “it is possible for you to catch a cold by entering an over cooled building with your body soaked in sweat.”
Say what? When are normal English speakers ever going to use such complicated and convoluted English grammar? My students have a hard time answering, “What is your name?” and they are expected to understand these sentences. One student who had lived for a year in the U.S.A. remarked to my wife, “English really isn’t that difficult, but the grammar we learn is ridiculous.” Tell me about it.
English is geared towards university entrance examinations
In my opinion, nothing will change so long as university entrance examinations require their applicants to “understand” such complicated grammar. In the end, the solution to English in Japan will happen from the top down. It will require universities to place more importance on speaking and understanding rather than reading and writing for our students to begin learning to speak English.
Otherwise, and more logically, it will need to begin from the bottom up.
ALTs are misused
Ever since I first taught in Japan as a junior high school teacher in Gunma-ken, it has been my firm belief that if the Japanese government truly wanted its Japanese citizens to learn English, they would place their paid resources, the thousands of ALTs, within the elementary schools. Recently there has been a switch to that idea, but unfortunately in Saga-ken, there is only one such ALT in one town. As most, if not all, studies show, the best time to acquire a language is in the early years. Therefore, why waste all this time, effort and resources in junior and senior high schools? In addition, I am fairly certain that more ALTs would feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment from the fast rate of improvement in their young pupils.
Most ALTs are not even teachers themselves
Let’s examine the situation of teaching English in Japan. How are we, as ALTs, really expected to improve the level of English in Japan if we are not trained as teachers in a foreign language? Are we here to internationalize or teach English? Some schools allow the ALT to teach anything to the students and often expect the ALT to prepare the entire lesson plan as if they were magicians pulling tricks out of their hats. Although this can be a great experience for the ALT and a way to get away from the dreaded textbook, most ALTs have no experience preparing consistent lesson plans. Without consistency and review, learning a foreign language just goes from bad to worse.
Many Japanese English teachers are woefully incompetent in English
Why is it that ALTs will talk about one or two JTEs they talk to who are so very special just because they can understand and converse in a regular-paced conversation in English? It seems as if the longer I am in Japan, the more often I am thrilled when I can have a normal conversation in English without dumbing down two-thirds of my vocabulary. What’s going on here? Shouldn’t that be the least a trained English teacher in Japan can do? I remember my Spanish teacher in high school (the U.S.A. is more incompetent than Japan in learning a foreign language, by the way) had lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least a year and was fluent in the language. Now there weren’t many Spanish speakers in my town and there wasn’t even an assistant from Spain or Mexico for her to occasionally talk with. Therefore, she had to study the language on her own to keep up her level of abilities. Most Japanese English teachers I have come across rarely, if ever, read in English or so much as seek out a conversation with an English speaker.
Six years of mandatory English?
No wonder students don’t want to learn the language. Look around; how many opportunities in the future do you think your students will really, truly have to speak English? Most will never have the opportunity to travel abroad and many will ultimately be too shy or nervous to seek out and speak with a foreign person. So why waste all that time?
Solutions to use before you get too depressed
We can make a difference while we are here. We may not see it now, but your very presence might cause one of your students to travel abroad or learn to speak English just so they can talk to people like you sometime in the future.
Keep it simple
Teach the basics. Always try to make your class an “oral communications activity,” because that’s why you’re here, right? My students are quite good at reading and writing, but they can always use practice in speaking and listening. In my opinion, if you want to really learn a language and not just have a bunch of useless vocabulary swimming around in your head, you’ve got to work on your ear and speak as much as possible.
How do you learn a foreign language? Does it work?
Apply it to your teaching if it works, or do the opposite of what you’ve been doing if it doesn’t.
Actively seek out your teachers and try to have conversations
I know, they always look busy, but once a day, pick a teacher and try your best to keep a conversation going with them. They need the practice and you need to get away from that computer or book. For a bit of fun, try to have a conversation in class or in the hallway. Students love to see their teacher actually speak English and they become much more curious and attentive to try to understand what is going on. Have you ever sat in on one of your teacher’s English classes? Try it sometime. You’ll see why the students are so excited to have you in their class (no, its not just because you are so good-looking). Beyond that, talk to those experienced second and third year ALTs in your area and ask how they do it. Share ideas, worksheets, and lesson plans in your area.
Demand your team-teaching classes
Even the best of ALTs find it easy to sit back and watch your team-teaching classes get cancelled. I’m guilty of that. But we should really think of the students first. They love to have you in that class (see above). And your students should be guaranteed at least one class a week of oral or listening comprehension with you. Just for fun, ask your teacher how many English classes the students have each week and then ask yourself if once a week with an ALT is too much to ask.
Take a TEFL or TESOL or whatever course
Just look it up on the Internet under distance learning. Otherwise, check out all the resources on the Internet for ideas of better games, activities, etc. Just type in “ESL” on a Google search and be prepared to sift through all the stuff (or check out sagajet.com’s teaching links, -ed.). Once you collect a few things here or there, start organizing a big folder for yourself at school (to be handed down from generation to generation of ALTs) filled with different categories, games and warm-up ideas. Beyond that, write down what you did in class every week or make a monthly plan. It’ll really make your life easier if you plan to stay a second or third year.
Speak to the students as much as you can
Get out of that chair and take a walk around the school between classes or during cleaning time. It’s good for you and the students. Choose a question and see how many students you can ask before the bell rings. Just talk to them about anything.
Good luck. Now get out there and start speaking English!