10 to 12-year-old elementary school students will be taught English in their class in Japan. From 2011, English is going to be a required subject in every school.
Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology （文部科学省） insists that this early-started-teaching will lessen the students’ fears against English. The focus of the English class is put on communication. “Children in schools will enjoy English lessons, and it will make them more interested in English” an elementary teacher who teaches English in his class says. What the students do in class is sing songs, play games, and learn easy greeting expressions in English. It sounds fun, but does this really work?
You may feel strange when you know the fact that the annual course syllabus in junior high and high schools won’t be affected by this change. What is taught in those schools is “examination English”, cramming grammar and vocabulary to pass the exams for high school or college. Students are not always motivated to learn English for this purpose. So, why do they need to “enjoy” English in schools?
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I would say that many English teachers in Japan do not care why their students have to study English. I can hear answers like “Of course because it’s required!” Oh, come on! Some may say “leaning another language is good for our life.” OK. I would agree with it. But why English?
There are actually many voices that if you can use English, you will have better life. Well, it might be true. English is now the strongest language in many fields in the world; business, engineering, science and so on. If you know how to use (“use” means either read, write, listen or speak) English, you will have more chance to get job. However, many people in Japan choose not to study English hard, hard enough to use it for their career. As I feel from what they say, I think they just don’t like to make effort to study English enough. There are many kinds of jobs you can get without ability of English, and there are not many jobs where people who can use English are hired more than who haven’t learned it enough. The belief that English makes our life better is an unproved belief spread in Japan.
If you wanna be an English teacher, you have to be prepared to answer one of your students’ question: “Why do I study English?” You can’t say “coz it’s required”, can you? Or would you answer “because it enriches your life” ?
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People who wanna be English teachers, or who are English teachers must have reasons why they’ve chosen English. Had fun time with American friends? Had a good trip in Australia? Or they think cross cultural communication is really interesting? Anything can be a reason. Anything.
My point is that if you wanna be an English teacher, you should be confident with your own reason; confident enough to tell students your own story and attract them.
What English teacher do is to make students like English. It’s not just teaching grammar, vocabulary, how to read, write, listen, nor speak.
Never forget the reason you’ve chosen English. Never forget why you think English is attractive.
It’s you, English teachers, who can answer your own students’ question, “Why do I study English?”
I think you have a good point Kuma about the importance of learning English and the possibilities one has if they do know English. It could have been any language that became the "universal" language that everyone must know to communicate world-wide, it just happened to be English. Obviously, since we are in this program, we believe in the importance of teaching and learning English, but others may not understand the importance of this or how it may benefit. At the same time they really may not need it all, however, it a person wants to be successful in the global world then he must learn English to give him the highest potential of success.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, Jessina :)
ReplyDeleteYes, we need to consider each person's demands, the purpose of studying English, and then, give them proper advise to improve their English to meet their goal.