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In Japan, there are plenty of criticism about English education at school. Mainly, it is said that the uselessness of the English classes for 10 years from a junior high school ( the 7th grade ) to an university. Most of Japanese students cannot speak. So general people think speaking and listening classes must be increased at school. These who have learned the language by themselves know the fact that people cannot acquire the language skill only four hours a week. But most people in general don't.
Now, in Japan, speaking and listening classes are in style at school, not teaching grammar. But I read the article in a newspaper on the importance of the old style, grammar and translation method yesterday. The professor at Tokyo university said that there are a limit English teachers can do in classes and grammar and translation would be the basis when they start learning it by themselves. I totally agree with the idea. It is difficult for students to speak a lot because there are at least 30 people in the classroom. So it won't work. Teachers should improve their old methods which English are not used in spite of English classes , but I don't think the communicative approach works at school.
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I usually give students two kind of homeworks, simply a preview and a review. A preview means making note including checking the meaning of new words in a dictionary, copying the text into a notebook and translating them. A review means reading the text they learned and memorizing the new words for the qiuz in the next class. And I give them an assignment of reading a chapter of a plain novel and write a summary in Japanese once a week.
To complete them all, I instruct the way of doing homework strictly in April. And I tell them to admit them not to do their homework just once, because everyone makes a mistake and may have some situations. It really works for students to release from an extream stress and students may feel I am an understanding teacher. But if they forget to do their homework more than once, I advise them to do their homework of the next text after school and hand in them to me. I tell their homeroom teacher and they never leave home. I never finish only scolding them but making them do the homework. Students know the system in April, so they won't cheat me.
The most important thing is to make clear the way of the punishment of not doing their work for students in advance, which makes me less emotional and more strict in a gentle way.
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1. All students, regardless of whether a high level or a low level , enjoy the classes and learn something , finishing their preview and review.
2. English only ,but I use easy and plain English for them in order not to give them a stress.
3. Evaluate them from all-round ways, not only reading but also speaking, writing and listening. ( But in fact, the entrance exam is just reading and listening, so I have to judge only reading now. )
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The aim of my English classes as a foreign language is just two : to understand the sentences of the textbook and to read loudly. So I can cover neither the detail of the right pronunciations and stresses, free-speaking nor writing. It's simple but the most effective way of using 50 minutes classes for 30-40 students, I believe in.
Word Check Quiz of the last class (Review ) by using paper test I prepared (5 min.)
Listening Practice by using a text (5 min.)
New Words Check and Practicing Pronunciation (5 min. )
Comprehension of the text ( translation into Japanese, explanation of the grammar and the structure ) (10 min. )
Reading aloud ( Repeating after teacher, after CD, by themselves ) (10 min. )
Translating Practice ( Two pair , one student is reading the textbook and the other translating it into Japanese ) (10 min. )
True or False ( 5 sentences ) (5 min. )
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The best way of acquiring the second language is just to use it as a communication tool to get any interesting imformation from foreign people, music, movies or websites of their hobbies.
In Japan, English is one of a subject and no more than a communication tool. Almost all students master how to use their cell phone and PC, because they are into them and always make trial and error to handle them. In case of that tool, if they make mistakes no one blames. As a result, they've mastered after a lot of mistakes. On the other hand, we English teacher correct their mistakes of English classes and tests in order to pass the entrance exam. In the end, English became the boring subject. I wish English would not be a major subject for test and become like PE.
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In Japan, there are few billingual unlike some European countries or most of the countries. So most Japanese believe that billingual people must use both language abilities are native and use them perfectly in reading, speaking, listening and writing. So Japanese think they can't communicate in broken English and must master "perfect" English. That's why Japanese hesitate to use English and hate it finally. They never think English as communication tool but subject for entering college.
I hope English is used easily and comfortably by Japanese and enjoy communicating with people who have different backgrounds. It's my goal as an English teacher.
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