Faculty of Education - Theses

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Type: Masters by Coursework & Shorter thesis × Start date: 2009 × End date: 2009 × Author: Yamaoka, Ryoko ×

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    Changes in English language education in Japan 1989-2008
    Yamaoka, Ryoko ( 2009)
    Through both the public and private school systems, Japan is a strong supporter of English language education. Currently, English is an important school subject and is mandatory in some age ranges. There is considerable research in Japan in relation to English language textbooks and the Course of Study, which is the national curriculum for English language (as announced by MEXT, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology). However, while there are a number of studies on recent changes in the Course of Study and other textbooks, there is little research into Japanese teachers’ experiences of teaching English. The purpose of this study was to investigate how English language education in junior high schools has changed since 1989, as seen through three different lenses: the Course of Study, textbooks and teacher interviews. This research projects gathered the views of a selection of Japanese English language teachers, each of whom have approximately twenty years of experience in the field. This study found that there have been a numerous changes in English language education in junior high school over the past two decades: the teaching materials have become have become more communication focused, more practical, and increasingly international in their content. In addition, the time spent with a native English-speaking teacher’s aid (ALT) has increased. These changes were perceived as largely, although not entirely, positive. On the other hand, other areas of English language teaching have remained the same for over two decades. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the classroom have not advanced, students’ examinations have an emphasis on grammar and vocabulary rather than English communication, and pedagogy has not really changed in this field. I suggest areas for further research, including consultation with additional teachers, novice and veteran, on how to improve English language teaching and improve learning outcomes.