More English Work for Students

A consultative committee called Central Education Council in Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, or MEXT for some unidentified reasons, released a draft of its opinion, which encouraged elementary school students learning English more than ever. Annoyed with immature young people called “affordable generation,” the government is going to decide coercing students more works. It is still not clear whether education in Japan is going right course.

English for 5^th and 6^th graders will increase from 35 units, 45-minute class for each unit, to 70 units a year, which meant two units a week. The lesson will be upgraded from “foreign language activity” to official class. English will also be introduced for 3^rd and 4^th graders with one unit a week. Not reducing mandated units for other classes, total units for the students will genuinely be increased. The government required them working harder than affordable generation.

For high school students, the Ministry will introduce new mandated classes. One is public study, which would teach responsibility as a member of society. There will also be “general history” for new class. With conservative requirements, Shinzo Abe administration has been enthusiastic in teaching traditional value of Japan. Obedience to public rule or learning social manner will be the contents of new classes.

“Active learning” is another new attempt. It is still not sure whether MEXT correctly understands what it is. According to news reports of the draft, active learning is focused on enhancing students’ ability to learn positively, not passively. Needless to say, studying is an active behavior to satisfy one’s desire to know new information. But, MEXT does not believe in that ability of Japanese students. It is like saying that “Well, because you do not learn by yourself, we mandate you learning actively and voluntary.” It is a big contradiction.

A big problem is who will do that. Typical job of teachers have been teaching about what textbook is meaning in the classroom, making questions for examination and evaluate ability of students. But, they are not accustomed to active learning, which may require advanced skill for coordinating discussion by students. Some students may not participate in the discussion without instruction of their teacher.

A longtime problem of Japanese school has been scarcity of English teachers who know well about English. It is not easy to educate teachers for increased classes of English in elementary school. Although Japanese government and private firms want more global human resource, education has not been improved accordingly.