Introduction
Although English classes begin in elementary school in Japan, few people can speak or use English fluently. Furthermore, some students claim that there are no opportunities to learn other languages. Why do they believe this This article discusses the reasons for this and compares them to other countries.
Current Situation
According to Miller (2014), students are obliged to take English classes in Japanese schools, yet the percentage of English speakers is astonishingly low. The Japanese government suggested an idea to enhance students’ English ability: by providing English classes for third and fourth grades and making it a compulsory subject for fifth and sixth grades.
Why does English education in Japan not succeed?
- Teaching for tests
- The low quality of textbooks
- Focusing on translating Japanese
As stated by Miller (2014), there are exams to enter high schools and universities, so teachers usually focus on the grammar and vocabulary that will be on the test. Therefore, they ignore how to use English practically. Second, some textbooks include grammar that is not used in native speaking, and the topics are quite tedious. Then, the most common problem is the lack of English words used during the class. Teachers tend to teach grammar in Japanese and check whether students can translate English into Japanese. So, learners do not realize the advantages of studying English.
The ranking of English skills
According to the EF English Proficiency Index 2022 research, the Netherlands ranks first in the English skill ranking among 111 non-English native countries and regions. Following that, the ranking is as follows: Singapore, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, and Germany; all but Singapore are European countries. Japan is ranked 80th. It is located between the UAE and Indonesia (EF Education First, 2022).
The beneficial ways to improve English skills
Based on Learning English (2017), in European countries with higher English abilities, taking English classes in elementary school as a foreign language is an obligation. Some of them prefer to emphasize speaking English more than teaching its grammar; they only memorize rules. Additionally, people who live in those areas have more opportunities than others to meet English speakers through media and travel.
Furthermore, there are effective methods to increase English levels.
For educational institutions:
- making entrance and graduation exams for communicative English
- re-training teachers who do not use communicative methods
- teaching children to be able to write and read in their languages
For teachers and schools:
- teaching English in communicative ways
- evaluating students with their acts of speaking rather than pointing out mistakes
- encouraging students to use English-based media and suggesting to share among them
- providing opportunities to speak English with activities like English club and school trips
- sharing practice ways and advice with teachers
- giving all teachers a clear pathway to increase their English abilities
For individuals:
- playing different levels of games step by step
- studying every day
- studying for a short time – 20-30 minutes rather than for hours at once.
- setting clear goals
- memorizing words relating to a job or study field
- using media, watching TV, or listening to the radio
- using social media and devices in English
Conclusion
To summarize, it is clear that speaking is essential to learning foreign languages when considering Japan and other countries that have succeeded in English education. Only studying for exams results in memorization rather than becoming an English speaker. There are numerous effective methods for acquiring communicative English, such as focusing on how to use English in actual communication rather than memorizing grammar and using English every day by effectively using media, social media, and devices.
References
EF Education First. (2022). EF EPI EF English Proficiency Index A Ranking of 111 Countries and Regions by English Skills. [PDF]. Available at: https://www.ef.com/assetscdn/WIBIwq6RdJvcD9bc8RMd/cefcom-epi-site/reports/2022/ef-epi-2022-english.pdf?utm_source=(direct)&utm_medium=(none)&_ga=2.266770318.1854012302.1674458711-1398147731.1674186648&_gl=1*1gz9di7*_ga*MTM5ODE0NzczMS4xNjc0MTg2NjQ4*_ga_25YNHDZQQP*MTY3NDQ1ODcxMS4yLjEuMTY3NDQ1OTQwMy4wLjAuMA.. [Accessed 20 January 2023].
LEARNING ENGLISH. (2017). Study: Netherlands Rates Highest for English Proficiency. [online]. Available at: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/netherlands-rates-highest-for-english-language-proficiency-study-finds/4101746.html [Accessed 23 January 2023].
Miller, KK. (2014). What’s wrong with English education in Japan? Pull up a chair. [online]. Available at: https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/whats-wrong-with-english-education-in-japan-pull-up-a-chair [Accessed 20 January 2023].
