Making English fun for grade-schoolers
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Four experts on English education expressed their opinions on English education at primary school level in a panel discussion at the Education Symposium 2007 held at the Japan Educational Center in Tokyo on Sept. 30.
On the theme of "Lessons that make children like English--what we should consider," the panelists addressed the audience of mainly primary school teachers and staff of education-related institutions. The four panelists were: Tsuneo Takanashi, visiting professor at Kyoto Notre Dame University; Yuri Kuno, visiting professor at Chubu Gakuin University in Gifu Prefecture; David Rosenfeld, supervisor for assistant language teachers at the Takatsuki Municipal Board of Education in Osaka Prefecture; and Seijiro Sumi, a lecturer at Himeji Dokkyo University in Hyogo Prefecture.
Takanashi said the three most import!ant factors for primary school teachers when teaching English to children were understanding the characteristics of early English education, the ability to teach children English as a foreign language and proficiency in the English language to facilitate basic communication with children in English.
As a pioneer in the field, Kuno talked about the current state of English education at primary school level. "Looking back on past experiences, we discovered that children have the ability to acquire English skills," she said. "We have yet to analyze the results from more than 100 pilot schools that have led the way in English education. We need to discuss the matter and act on the findings."
Rosenfeld, speaking in fluent Japanese, addressed the subject of classroom English, stating that it was not necessary for primary school teachers to 'teach' English to children rather than use it in the classroom. "You don't have to be a fluent English speaker to use classroom English. You only have to give the students chances to use English," he said. When team-teaching with an assistant language teacher, he suggested allowing the ALT to talk and added that it's fine for the homeroom teacher to play a passive role and join in the lesson when necessary. "You are a learning model for your students," he said.
In today's information society, computers and the Internet are indispensable in our daily life. Are they effective in English education at primary schools? Sumi, who holds a number of workshops for primary school teachers to utilize teaching materials available on Web sites, said computers and the Internet could be used as tools to create positive lessons and to help create original teaching materials by using various search engines.
Prior to the panel discussion, chaired by Eiji Saito, special-appointment professor at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, Prof. Tetsuhito Shizuka of Kansai University in Osaka Prefecture held a workshop on English pronunciation, in which the audience was urged to practice pronunciation.
The seminar on English education at primary school level was hosted by Asia Neteducation Research Inc.
(Oct. 18, 2007)
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Four experts on English education expressed their opinions on English education at primary school level in a panel discussion at the Education Symposium 2007 held at the Japan Educational Center in Tokyo on Sept. 30.
On the theme of "Lessons that make children like English--what we should consider," the panelists addressed the audience of mainly primary school teachers and staff of education-related institutions. The four panelists were: Tsuneo Takanashi, visiting professor at Kyoto Notre Dame University; Yuri Kuno, visiting professor at Chubu Gakuin University in Gifu Prefecture; David Rosenfeld, supervisor for assistant language teachers at the Takatsuki Municipal Board of Education in Osaka Prefecture; and Seijiro Sumi, a lecturer at Himeji Dokkyo University in Hyogo Prefecture.
Takanashi said the three most import!ant factors for primary school teachers when teaching English to children were understanding the characteristics of early English education, the ability to teach children English as a foreign language and proficiency in the English language to facilitate basic communication with children in English.
As a pioneer in the field, Kuno talked about the current state of English education at primary school level. "Looking back on past experiences, we discovered that children have the ability to acquire English skills," she said. "We have yet to analyze the results from more than 100 pilot schools that have led the way in English education. We need to discuss the matter and act on the findings."
Rosenfeld, speaking in fluent Japanese, addressed the subject of classroom English, stating that it was not necessary for primary school teachers to 'teach' English to children rather than use it in the classroom. "You don't have to be a fluent English speaker to use classroom English. You only have to give the students chances to use English," he said. When team-teaching with an assistant language teacher, he suggested allowing the ALT to talk and added that it's fine for the homeroom teacher to play a passive role and join in the lesson when necessary. "You are a learning model for your students," he said.
In today's information society, computers and the Internet are indispensable in our daily life. Are they effective in English education at primary schools? Sumi, who holds a number of workshops for primary school teachers to utilize teaching materials available on Web sites, said computers and the Internet could be used as tools to create positive lessons and to help create original teaching materials by using various search engines.
Prior to the panel discussion, chaired by Eiji Saito, special-appointment professor at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, Prof. Tetsuhito Shizuka of Kansai University in Osaka Prefecture held a workshop on English pronunciation, in which the audience was urged to practice pronunciation.
The seminar on English education at primary school level was hosted by Asia Neteducation Research Inc.
(Oct. 18, 2007)