JHS English from April

[himitsu]

What does your JHS English lesson look like?
At my school we have an English room, where we teach half of a class (about 20 students each half) at one time. We have been using New Crown (it's gonna be Total English from April), but only the "Do it talk" pages, and not very strictly, we can change as much as we want and play some game (using the grammar point) sometimes, so a bit like ES.
Now a teacher mentioned that it's gonna change from the next school year, i.e. this April, and this English conversation class won't exist any more. Instead the ALT is required to join a regular class (i.e. with all 40 students in the normal classroom) once a week (they have 4 English classes per week), each class.
A different teacher said it's not 100% decided yet, though.
Either way, I don't know how much this is a national or regional thing, but what do you guys know about it?
If it's true, it must be the worst idea of the past 10 years.. It just means even more focus on the entrance tests.

[moolooman]

The school I am at is only the entrance test. Only. Three years of build up for it, and no learning.

Last year I had my own class where I was the lead teacher and the JTE bowed to me.
Depends on the school and the B of E, I suggest.

[jeisensei]

There are going to be a lot of changes in the national educational system coming up next school year. There are going to be more base classes (of which English is included) and they are phasing out sogo.
That being said, changes on the school level are hammered out by the BoE for an area or even at the school itself. In my school the number 3 person has been stressing lately because he is trying to find ways to fit all the classes into the schedule next year for all the grades without restarting Saturday morning classes (which won't happen, even if it has to happen).
The changes in how English is taught is more than likely decided by the English teachers or must be OKed by those higher up. Either that or the higher ups are forcing the English teachers to change because the students haven't being holding up their end on national tests and the like.
The Japanese school system can be messed up, but at least it is fun to watch the ship slowly sink (schadenfreude? )

[Paul]

Now a teacher mentioned that it's gonna change from the next school year, i.e. this April, and this English conversation class won't exist any more. Instead the ALT is required to join a regular class (i.e. with all 40 students in the normal classroom) once a week (they have 4 English classes per week), each class.
A different teacher said it's not 100% decided yet, though.

My schools, and from what I know of the schools in my district (27) not one school had English conversation classes and all the ALT's joined regular classes on a regular basis so for what you had, and I am somewhat jealous, to what you are going to be doing, what I do now, the changes can be both frustrating, often, and rewarding, not so often.

Try to keep an open mind and prepare yourself for some major headaches as well. Much, if not all, will depend on your relationship with your JTE's and what their expectations are for you and the classes. Teachers will have to get used to teaching more hours, with a new textbook, a grunt load more vocabulary, more grammar, and less involved students. The students are going to be getting more classroom time in the core subjects and will have 29 classroom hours per week for all subject areas, meaning 6 hours a day 4 days a week and 1 5 hour day per week.

Quite literally speaking here the kids are going to be spending more time in school than their parents do at work. Generally speaking from around 8AM to 5PM daily, not including club activities, give or take 30 minutes or so, different schools have different schedules.

So to summarize this, English is going to be tough for everyone involved.

[jeisensei]

So to summarize this, English is going to be tough for everyone involved.

You are correct sir. But, it's not just English because it seems all subjects are getting hit with the "hard work" stick this coming school year. The bottom of the following pdf has the changes for the upcoming school year in elementary school and JHS:
http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/new-cs/pamphlet/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2010/09/08/1234786_3.pdf
The bottom chart is for JHS. The subjects are listed along the top in the order Japanese, social studies, math. science, music, art, gym, home ec., foreign languages (English), moral education, special school activities, elective classes, sogo and total number of classes. Along the left hand it is (from top to bottom) first year, second year, third year and total. The top number in the boxes is the number of classes, the number in the parenthesis is the number of classes before week and (the most important part) is the deviation from the number of classes last year.
The number of English classes is is going up to 420 next year, which is 105 more than this year. On the other end of the spectrum elective classes and sogo are going down anywhere between 20 and 280 total classes.
Note) these changes were suppose to take place gradually over 4 years and a lot of schools have been doing that, but they should be fully implemented this year.

As an interesting (at least I think it is) side point, I found an English translation of MEXT's objectives for English classes in Japan(actually there is an English translation for all the subjects' objectives).
http://www.mext.go.jp/component/a_menu/education/micro_detail/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2011/04/11/1298356_10.pdf

[jeisensei]

Just to poke at Otaku and his hate of the textbooks teaching Japanese culture, I found this tucked down near the end (in fact it is the last point before they start talking about other foreign languages) of the MEXT objectives for English education:

Materials should be useful in deepening the international understanding from
a broad perspective, heightening students’ awareness of being Japanese
citizens living in a global community and cultivating a spirit of international
cooperation.

And now I run away

[Otaku]

Yeah, you better run, Jei!

Don't get me started! I could rant all day but I'm too busy right now...

Let me just go back and read that statement from MEXT.

Okay, I read it:

[jeisensei]

What makes it worse is, by "materials" they are also talking about text book.

[himitsu]

So is the tape recorder/player role of the ALT actually still dominant? Wasn't aware of that, thought it was more like a legend from the past.. (have only taught at one JHS, and it's not like that here).

[jeisensei]

So is the tape recorder/player role of the ALT actually still dominant? Wasn't aware of that, thought it was more like a legend from the past.. (have only taught at one JHS, and it's not like that here).

I have been looking though the MEXT site and there is actually little to no materials on the best way (or any way in fact) to use ALTs. I am going to keep looking but this actually might explain a lot.

[azuhlLt.]

So is the tape recorder/player role of the ALT actually still dominant? Wasn't aware of that, thought it was more like a legend from the past.. (have only taught at one JHS, and it's not like that here).

I have been looking though the MEXT site and there is actually little to no materials on the best way (or any way in fact) to use ALTs. I am going to keep looking but this actually might explain a lot.

I spoke with my newly minted JTE regarding this issue, she said there was no intergration training or training conducive to teamwork with a foreign national in the role of ALT. Her English is great though, even as a new ALT myself, I was able to assist her in lesson planning and teaching skills. I know of other ALTs who were not so fortunate with their JTEs. I would suggest a one day course would be sufficient (as a starting point) learning how to communicate effectively and share resources between both fields, I'll have a chat with my BOE as soon as I get the chance.

EDIT:　I'm just speaking with my company, they have a training scheme in place and suggest that it is taken up by the BOE on commencing contract...of course it's a paid thing hosted by the company for extra income. I'd prefer it to be directly integrated to an English teaching degree.

[jeisensei]

Back in the day up in Niigata there used to be a two day winter (or was it summer?) seminar where all ALTs had to join with one English teacher from one of the schools that s/he attends. It was part of JET if I remember correctly.

I totally agree that all English teachers should have at least a day course if not a semester course on working with ALTs because that is becoming more and more the norm. It should definitely be part of the English teacher's degree.

As I was sifting through the paperwork on the MEXT site (mainly looking up things about English teaching at JHS and about ALTs I came across a plan to train all JET ALTs two extra days then normal. The reason they give was the fact that ALTs were not as experienced as it was thought that they should be. Really not surprising because they traditionally kick out people that have been in the program for a while (read: experienced people) in the favor of new blood. The price for the training was a whopping 850 million yen. Arguably, they could be saving all that money (and money to ship ALTs to Japan etc) if they would just hire experienced ALTs that are already working in Japan for hakken companies.

Was that a rant? I can't tell any more.

[Otaku]

Was that a rant? I can't tell any more.

Rant or not, get back up on that soap box and preach!

This ALT system is broken! It started broken and will continue to be broken until the whole thing is scratched and rebuilt from the ground up.

[jeisensei]

Rant or not, get back up on that soap box and preach!

Hah. Thanks man! I will do just that when I find more ammo (and there is plenty to find)

This ALT system is broken! It started broken and will continue to be broken until the whole thing is scratched and rebuilt from the ground up.

Hear, hear!

[azuhlLt.]

Rant or not, get back up on that soap box and preach!

Hah. Thanks man! I will do just that when I find more ammo (and there is plenty to find)

This ALT system is broken! It started broken and will continue to be broken until the whole thing is scratched and rebuilt from the ground up.

Hear, hear!

AND MY AXE!

[moolooman]

[Paul]

This ALT system is broken! It started broken and will continue to be broken until the whole thing is scratched and rebuilt from the ground up

Dream on my friend. While I agree never going to happen as long as MEXT is running things.

[Otaku]

MEXT = MEXTups

[hokkaido1]

hhhmmmm?

interesting thread