English education

I’m going to introduce English education in Japan.

When did you start studying Japanese?
In Japan, English education begins in the first year of junior high school.
I’m a sophomore, so I’ve studied English for 8 YEARS, however I can’t speak English well. Why? Why can’t I speak English? Of course I can write, read and listen to English, because I have studied English for 8 YEARS! The reason is why there are few opportunities to speak English in English classes. Teachers lecture English with Japanese, so many Japanese students are not good at speaking less than reading, writing and listening. Teaching English in English will start for 2010 in Japan. Now English education in Japan is changing!

These are private educational institutions called Juku or Yobiko (Cram school/ Preparatory) that support their junior high school or high school study. Students whose levels are higher or lower than their regular schools level need to commute to these schools.

Now I’m working part-time as a teacher in Juku and teach English to junior high school students. I’m going to introduce English textbooks with pictures. Each textbooks has their characters.

These are textbooks that junior high school students use in both their regular school and Juku.The numbers are grades. For example, a textbook which is written 1 is for the first year junior high school students. It is easier than a textbook written 3.

I will show some pictures of the textbooks. At first, they learn English greetings like "Good morning".

This textbook is for the second year students. They learn American custom with it. The passage is interesting and simple. In Japan, many people sleep not on the bed but on a futon, so we need to know how to make beds.

Others...