Indirectly Speaking / Know-it-all teachers not all that bright
Mike Guest Special to The Daily Yomiuri
A few months back (on April 29) we heard fictional Japanese English teacher, Ijiwaru-sensei, offer up some criticisms of non-Japanese English teachers, and we responded to Ijiwaru's claims. At that time, I promised that native English-speaking Whiner-sensei, who epitomizes highly critical foreign teachers in Japan, would also get a chance to lash out. So, today the floor belongs to Whiner:
Six years of studying English and Japanese students can barely even say "My name is..." The rest of the world speaks English and Japan lags way behind. Even North Korea beats Japan on international averaged TOEIC scores. The problem is obviously the incompetence of the Japanese teachers. They are supposed to be experts in their subject yet they can barely speak English themselves! As a result, all they teach is teacher-centered grammar-translation for university entrance exams--drudgery which makes students fall asleep. Although students love the progressive, communicative lessons and games that we foreign teachers teach, the system forces strict adherence to a regimen of rote memory rather than real learning. And we are shut out of real decision-making and influence. The Education, Science and Technology is clueless, it should...
Dear Whiner-sensei,
We've all heard the "six years" business ad nauseam, but I have a question. How do you measure six years? As 2,191 days? 52,184 hours? Have students really spent that much time studying English? Funny, but--depending on the school--I thought that most Japanese middle and high school students get about four hours a week of English on average--and certainly not over the whole year. In some cases, this is reduced even further by festivals, clubs, sports days and the like. Realistically, how much English have they actually studied?
I studied French for several years as a junior and high school student, but you know what? I can hardly get past "Je m'appelle" myself now. I also studied ancient Greek for three years in university, but while I could decode texts quite well I certainly couldn't begin to order lunch in the language. And what about those non-Japanese who have lived in Japan for years--where the target language is necessitated in their daily lives--but they still can't get much past "Watashi wa...." Hey, we're hardly in a position to complain about our students!
OK, it's true that the students don't study that much for everyday communication. But what's the problem with that? Should compulsory English education really exist primarily for the purpose of preparing students for homestays, foreign travel, or helping lost foreigners on the streets of Nagoya? Since very few students will use the language in communicative contexts doesn't an approach that might prepare students for more academic English study provide a more practical foundation--which can be expanded into communicative skills if and when the student so chooses?
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Why is it that you are so sure of the Japanese teacher = "boring grammar translation" and non-Japanese = "exciting communicative lesson" dichotomy anyway? First, you should know that practicing conversations or playing games does not necessarily imply a "communicative" approach. on numerous occasions I have witnessed games and so-called "communicative" lessons taught by native English speakers--convinced of their progressive credentials--that were still fundamentally teacher-centered grammar lessons.
On the other hand, I have seen Japanese teachers teach grammar in a truly learning-centered, communicative manner that is devoid of any game or overtly "genki" element (by the way, I'm not convinced that genki lessons always have such a great payback). And let's not completely dismiss grammar-translation. I don't really endorse it, but all over the world people have mastered foreign languages using supposedly outdated, unproductive methods.
Anyway, the point is that this dichotomy is not only an unfounded blanket statement but is simply too self-serving. The foreign teachers are inevitably the heroes. The Japanese teachers are saddled with the tired old stereotypes--the teacher-centered lecturer who focuses upon rote learning. Sometimes I think that a Japanese teacher could utilize the Summerhill or Montessori approaches and foreign teachers would still be convinced that they must be teaching rote-memory grammar-translation lessons.
Are Japanese teachers really that bad at using English? As with native English teachers' professional competency, there is a wide variety of skill among Japanese English teachers. A lot of foreign teachers can be very harsh and high-handed in their criticisms: "Yamada-sensei said 'classic' instead of 'classical.' I thought he was supposed to be able to speak English!" Meanwhile, that same native English speaker learns a few standard Japanese greetings and considers him/herself to be "an intermediate level" speaker of Japanese.
Are high school teachers really supposed to be "experts"? It's high school! Could the chemistry teacher carry out a faultless testing of new pharmaceuticals? Could the physics teacher design a fully functioning bridge? Why assume then that the English teacher should be able to interact seamlessly in the interactive world of English? Not only that, but given Japanese modesty--and the widespread belief in their own inability to communicate in English--you may end up stigmatizing them even further.
You think the rest of the world is way ahead of Japan in the English skill sweepstakes? Unfortunately, many Japanese believe this too which can become an excuse for isolation or even a self-fulfilling recipe for atrophy. But I have to question how much involvement Whiner has with the "rest of the world." Putting aside countries adjacent to English-speaking nations or those that have English colonial legacies, where is this "whole world that speaks English"? I was recently in the Czech Republic and, outside of the tourist belt of central Prague, the English factor was a near zero. Even a recent trip to ex-colonial Hong Kong was dodgy English-wise. And although one might be deceived by TV talking heads such as politicians and celebrities or people in the travel business, this is pretty much the norm for the rank and file of most of the 70 plus countries I have visited.
And are the students really so bad at English? I'll grant that--generally speaking--Japanese people seem to feel pressure and get tongue-tied more than many when having to deal with other languages. But a good number of those "They can't even say their own names!" experiences are products of inadequate teacher talk or questionable class/task management where the affective filters have not been adequately removed.
Often, my students are convinced that they "cannot speak English," but why say or do anything that might reinforce this false notion. Instead, I tell them, "We just got through a 90-minute English class without any problems. If I had been using Arabic we wouldn't even have gotten past the first step. Why? Because you can't speak Arabic. But you can speak English!"
And, as for those low TOEIC/TOEFL scores, keep in mind that Japan has a huge number of hobbyist and casual test-takers, unlike those countries where fewer people take the test and those who do so are generally doing it for their livelihood.
Are you marginalized in the workplace, Whiner? OK--that could be the result of institutional prejudice or ignorance. But might it also be that sometimes you come in with a know-it-all attitude, that you have all the solutions and that they have got it all wrong? Foreigners who come in with the idea that they are going to fix and change the system get shut out pretty quickly--and with good reason. Whatever their communicative English skills may be, Japanese teachers know the culture (both classroom and otherwise) of their students. They know their educational histories and expectations. They (usually) know how to manage their own classes. They know the curriculum and how it all fits into a larger picture. And they will ultimately be the ones held responsible for it. Let's respect that.
Finally Mr. Whiner, I do have trouble with the blame-it-on-the-system syndrome since it faults everything--and at the same time nothing--and does little to actually redress shortcomings. And why assume that "correct" government policy will somehow offer up solutions, as if progress is only a matter of top-down processing, initiated by bureaucrats. My own belief is that the less bureaucrats have to do with nitty-gritty educational policy-making the better. But that's another column.
(Aug. 17, 2007)
Mike Guest Special to The Daily Yomiuri
A few months back (on April 29) we heard fictional Japanese English teacher, Ijiwaru-sensei, offer up some criticisms of non-Japanese English teachers, and we responded to Ijiwaru's claims. At that time, I promised that native English-speaking Whiner-sensei, who epitomizes highly critical foreign teachers in Japan, would also get a chance to lash out. So, today the floor belongs to Whiner:
Six years of studying English and Japanese students can barely even say "My name is..." The rest of the world speaks English and Japan lags way behind. Even North Korea beats Japan on international averaged TOEIC scores. The problem is obviously the incompetence of the Japanese teachers. They are supposed to be experts in their subject yet they can barely speak English themselves! As a result, all they teach is teacher-centered grammar-translation for university entrance exams--drudgery which makes students fall asleep. Although students love the progressive, communicative lessons and games that we foreign teachers teach, the system forces strict adherence to a regimen of rote memory rather than real learning. And we are shut out of real decision-making and influence. The Education, Science and Technology is clueless, it should...
Dear Whiner-sensei,
We've all heard the "six years" business ad nauseam, but I have a question. How do you measure six years? As 2,191 days? 52,184 hours? Have students really spent that much time studying English? Funny, but--depending on the school--I thought that most Japanese middle and high school students get about four hours a week of English on average--and certainly not over the whole year. In some cases, this is reduced even further by festivals, clubs, sports days and the like. Realistically, how much English have they actually studied?
I studied French for several years as a junior and high school student, but you know what? I can hardly get past "Je m'appelle" myself now. I also studied ancient Greek for three years in university, but while I could decode texts quite well I certainly couldn't begin to order lunch in the language. And what about those non-Japanese who have lived in Japan for years--where the target language is necessitated in their daily lives--but they still can't get much past "Watashi wa...." Hey, we're hardly in a position to complain about our students!
OK, it's true that the students don't study that much for everyday communication. But what's the problem with that? Should compulsory English education really exist primarily for the purpose of preparing students for homestays, foreign travel, or helping lost foreigners on the streets of Nagoya? Since very few students will use the language in communicative contexts doesn't an approach that might prepare students for more academic English study provide a more practical foundation--which can be expanded into communicative skills if and when the student so chooses?
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Why is it that you are so sure of the Japanese teacher = "boring grammar translation" and non-Japanese = "exciting communicative lesson" dichotomy anyway? First, you should know that practicing conversations or playing games does not necessarily imply a "communicative" approach. on numerous occasions I have witnessed games and so-called "communicative" lessons taught by native English speakers--convinced of their progressive credentials--that were still fundamentally teacher-centered grammar lessons.
On the other hand, I have seen Japanese teachers teach grammar in a truly learning-centered, communicative manner that is devoid of any game or overtly "genki" element (by the way, I'm not convinced that genki lessons always have such a great payback). And let's not completely dismiss grammar-translation. I don't really endorse it, but all over the world people have mastered foreign languages using supposedly outdated, unproductive methods.
Anyway, the point is that this dichotomy is not only an unfounded blanket statement but is simply too self-serving. The foreign teachers are inevitably the heroes. The Japanese teachers are saddled with the tired old stereotypes--the teacher-centered lecturer who focuses upon rote learning. Sometimes I think that a Japanese teacher could utilize the Summerhill or Montessori approaches and foreign teachers would still be convinced that they must be teaching rote-memory grammar-translation lessons.
Are Japanese teachers really that bad at using English? As with native English teachers' professional competency, there is a wide variety of skill among Japanese English teachers. A lot of foreign teachers can be very harsh and high-handed in their criticisms: "Yamada-sensei said 'classic' instead of 'classical.' I thought he was supposed to be able to speak English!" Meanwhile, that same native English speaker learns a few standard Japanese greetings and considers him/herself to be "an intermediate level" speaker of Japanese.
Are high school teachers really supposed to be "experts"? It's high school! Could the chemistry teacher carry out a faultless testing of new pharmaceuticals? Could the physics teacher design a fully functioning bridge? Why assume then that the English teacher should be able to interact seamlessly in the interactive world of English? Not only that, but given Japanese modesty--and the widespread belief in their own inability to communicate in English--you may end up stigmatizing them even further.
You think the rest of the world is way ahead of Japan in the English skill sweepstakes? Unfortunately, many Japanese believe this too which can become an excuse for isolation or even a self-fulfilling recipe for atrophy. But I have to question how much involvement Whiner has with the "rest of the world." Putting aside countries adjacent to English-speaking nations or those that have English colonial legacies, where is this "whole world that speaks English"? I was recently in the Czech Republic and, outside of the tourist belt of central Prague, the English factor was a near zero. Even a recent trip to ex-colonial Hong Kong was dodgy English-wise. And although one might be deceived by TV talking heads such as politicians and celebrities or people in the travel business, this is pretty much the norm for the rank and file of most of the 70 plus countries I have visited.
And are the students really so bad at English? I'll grant that--generally speaking--Japanese people seem to feel pressure and get tongue-tied more than many when having to deal with other languages. But a good number of those "They can't even say their own names!" experiences are products of inadequate teacher talk or questionable class/task management where the affective filters have not been adequately removed.
Often, my students are convinced that they "cannot speak English," but why say or do anything that might reinforce this false notion. Instead, I tell them, "We just got through a 90-minute English class without any problems. If I had been using Arabic we wouldn't even have gotten past the first step. Why? Because you can't speak Arabic. But you can speak English!"
And, as for those low TOEIC/TOEFL scores, keep in mind that Japan has a huge number of hobbyist and casual test-takers, unlike those countries where fewer people take the test and those who do so are generally doing it for their livelihood.
Are you marginalized in the workplace, Whiner? OK--that could be the result of institutional prejudice or ignorance. But might it also be that sometimes you come in with a know-it-all attitude, that you have all the solutions and that they have got it all wrong? Foreigners who come in with the idea that they are going to fix and change the system get shut out pretty quickly--and with good reason. Whatever their communicative English skills may be, Japanese teachers know the culture (both classroom and otherwise) of their students. They know their educational histories and expectations. They (usually) know how to manage their own classes. They know the curriculum and how it all fits into a larger picture. And they will ultimately be the ones held responsible for it. Let's respect that.
Finally Mr. Whiner, I do have trouble with the blame-it-on-the-system syndrome since it faults everything--and at the same time nothing--and does little to actually redress shortcomings. And why assume that "correct" government policy will somehow offer up solutions, as if progress is only a matter of top-down processing, initiated by bureaucrats. My own belief is that the less bureaucrats have to do with nitty-gritty educational policy-making the better. But that's another column.
(Aug. 17, 2007)