Make other options of second language

Although English tend to need learning in early stage like primary school, a writer suggests the English should be one of optional subjects among second languages after primary school. The reason why this writer of the article says this is that he knows Japanese students have a problem with motivation to learn English.

Motivation is one of the most important factors when you learn something. If you have a look this page, Motivation to Learn, you could find clearer idea about relation between motivation and learning. Think, if you are not interested in the subject, it is probably slow for you to absorb information because you feel you are forced to study it.

Now this is THE situation in Japan as it is. Students are just forced to study English without being given any reason. Even though, as I mentioned in a previous post, they have a reason to study it for entrance exams of schools, it does not bring enough motivation for them.

Therefore, the suggestion from the article that there should be several options of second language is worth considering. If this idea came true, students could study harder with certain motivation because they are the ones who choose it that they are interested in.

However, in the writer’s opinion, English would still be helpful as a subject which represents ‘foreign language’ to children in early stages.

On the other hand, there would be some problems to increase languages to choose because of the lack of money or the number of teachers of each language. Paula Oliver is worried in her article that schools in NZ would not have enough teachers for each language to make the plan come true and of course, which needs budget to employ them.

But even though it would cost so much, I think making other options is very good idea to encourage students to learn things themselves.

Visual speech –baby’s amazing ability-

I found interesting article about a baby’s language ability in early stage. I post this because it may be related to my first topic, “A problem in current language education system in Japan”.

A writer reports baby’s notable bilingual ability named “visual speech” with which babies are able to tell languages apart by speaker’s facial movements.
However, according to a research, the ability seems to be getting lost after around four month unless they use it often, because listening ability would become more important factor.

I think this research implies a lot of possibilities for education in early times. Even though I’m not saying that we should teach languages hard to babies, this fact of existence of their ability in early stage seems to tell us that we should take advantage of leaning languages in early time.

Why is it better to learn Second languages?

It has not been compulsory to study second languages in school curriculum in NZ. There is a writer who describes the NZ government’s act of making it compulsory as “finally”.

In the article, the writer strongly recommends to study second language for some reasons, especially to English native speaker. Firstly, though English language definitely succeeded in taking advantage as an international common language, there seems to have been a tendency that the other multi-lingual speakers like Singaporeans take active parts in global company. Another reason why he recommends to learn second language is that it could provide us with different kinds of ways of thinking, which may enrich our knowledge, imagination, and the other things. “Think out side the square”, “step into other people’s shoes”, and “get out of your comfort-zone”. He cites these words in the article.
This article reminded me of Japanese attitude to learning second languages. Since Japan is monolingual country as many English countries are, it seems to me that Japanese tend to think they can survive without any other languages. Even though Japan has set second language on compulsory subject, after all, it is only tool for most of students to pass entrance exams of schools or to impress themselves by showing their grades of the language such as IELTS when they find a job. This does not help them to realize the actual benefit of learning second language as I mentioned above.

A problem in current language education system in Japan

There has been argument about whether the subject of English should be learned at primary school or not in Japan for resent years.
Japanese compulsory education system has mainly two parts like primary school for about six to 12 years-old students and junior high school for about 12 to 15 years-old. Then most of them choose to go high school for three years afterwards. English is required subject in the six years of junior high school and high school but not in primary school. It might be one of reason why, as a rule, Japanese people is said to tend to weak in English.
The main worry of some people about learning English in primary school would come from the “fear of losing some Japanese identity”. From this point of view, people are nervous because it may affect even the study of Japanese subject which they believe is still in an immature stage at the time and the furthermore language would be pressure on students.
However, Gardner suggests that there would be a certain advantage if English is started to learn in an early stage because when he taught his students English as a second language in high school he discovered the fact that they apparently have more difficulty in leaning it than their siblings who were studying in primary school.
Personally, I think Japan should make new curriculum for English study in primary school, which would bring positive affects on students as the writer indicates that many studies have revealed that knowing other languages and cultures help Japanese identity to make it stronger. A case of point is Korea which adopted English program in primary school ten years ago. Besides, New Zealand Education minister considers about leaning second languages such as Chinese and Pacific Island’s language as well though it is worried because it may be high pressure on students.
If it is adopted, there would be some problems, but I still hope that English will be started to learn in early age. It must contribute to especially the ability of speaking and listening

Language education

I finally choose my topic which is English Education system in Japan.

The reason why I chose this topic is that now I’m thinking to be an English teacher in the future though I’m not sure. So I thought to research and think about it would be useful for me. Besides, I have been suspicious about the Education system including the subject of English for long time, but I have not thought of it seriously till now.

However, I’m not going to talk about only English education system in Japan. I would like to take up some relevant topics as well such as language education in the other countries.

I am going to upload later on.
Please keep your eyes on*v* thanks.

first posting

I have'nt decided my topic yet honestly, I must harry up...