Japanese JHS Students: English useful, but not for me

[peet]

Not surprising to any of you, I'm sure, but now you can confirm what you already knew:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120128003259.htm

Seventy percent of middle school students think English ability would be useful for obtaining a job in the future, but only 11 percent want to get a job that requires English, according to an education ministry institute survey.

The survey, conducted by the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry's National Institute for Educational Policy Research in November, covered 3,225 third-year middle school students nationwide.

Eighty-five percent said they think, "It is important to study English" or "It is rather important."

To the question "Do you think studying English will be useful to get a job you want in the future?" 36 percent responded, "I think so," and 34 percent answered, "I generally think so." The 70 percent who responded affirmatively marks a 23 percentage point increase from the previous survey in 2003.

Asked how they felt about English, 22 percent responded, "I like English" and 30 percent chose "I like English" when asked to choose between "like" and "dislike."

Only 11 percent responded they strongly hope to get a job that requires English skills, down six percentage points from the previous survey.

In contrast, 43 percent answered, "I don't want to get a job that requires English skills," up from 36 percent in the previous survey.

Kenji Miyauchi, head of the research and development section at the institute's Curriculum Research Center, said, "[Students] are keenly aware of the importance of English in this age of globalization, but at the same time, they don't seem to want to study English or they think it's troublesome to do so."

[azuhlLt.]

Maybe the most surprising study to come from anywhere, ever!

'Yeah, English is important...at least, I think so...that's what I've been told. I don't want to study it though, because it's useless to me, I never use English.'

[jeisensei]

It's no wonder the results are all over the place if the questions are in English.

[Otaku]

Honestly, I could care less what a JHS kid thinks about what they need or don't need. Fact is, they're not mentally mature enough to know the answer to this question.

More MEXT money well spent on a useless survey...

[peet]

Honestly, I could care less what a JHS kid thinks about what they need or don't need. Fact is, they're not mentally mature enough to know the answer to this question.

Yeah, agreed. Outside of any given kid's favorite subject; they don't want to imagine having to use any school subject in a career.

So it makes sense that about 11% of kids would call English their favorite subject (and in doing so, would imagine pursuing a job that requires it).

[Paul]

Honestly, I could care less what a JHS kid thinks about what they need or don't need. Fact is, they're not mentally mature enough to know the answer to this question.

Yeah, agreed. Outside of any given kid's favorite subject; they don't want to imagine having to use any school subject in a career.

So it makes sense that about 11% of kids would call English their favorite subject (and in doing so, would imagine pursuing a job that requires it).

Seeing as how, in the average Japanese public school there are 10 graded subjects 11% sounds right. 10% or so for each subject area.

[gsuiris]

It's funny because any time I meet people at parties or whatever, they always complain that they didn't study English enough in school and they really regret it. One said he would even come to talk to my students about it!

Those answers are a bit strange, but then again I don't think most teachers tell the students why English may or may not be useful.

[peet]

It's funny because any time I meet people at parties or whatever, they always complain that they didn't study English enough in school and they really regret it. One said he would even come to talk to my students about it!

Those answers are a bit strange, but then again I don't think most teachers tell the students why English may or may not be useful.

I think that might be more of a missed opportunity in SHS, but I get the impression that JHS kids are still too far removed from adulthood/maturity/etc to reason with them too much in those terms. I think what might be helpful is just more pressure to succeed academically. My students' test averages are around 55%, and there are no serious consequences for the kids getting 20-30%. There's no such thing as failing or re-taking a grade, so the stakes/incentives are much lower.

[himitsu]

I think what might be helpful is just more pressure to succeed academically. My students' test averages are around 55%, and there are no serious consequences for the kids getting 20-30%. There's no such thing as failing or re-taking a grade, so the stakes/incentives are much lower.

Also a reason why stupid or bad students are free to misbehave so much. In Europe we even have grades for behaviour.

[jeisensei]

I really wish students could be kept back in Japan. I was kept back (in kindergarten) and it did me wonders after (mostly because I was bigger then others and could take their snack cakes )