〈Article〉A Short Review of Elementary School English Policies in Japan

[Abstract] Elementary school English education in Japan commenced in 1992. Over the past 17 years a number of policies have been introduced that have changed the landscape of the education system at the primary level. Some of these policies were designed and implemented to meet social and political-economic agendas. Other policies have focused on pedagogy, classroom practices and how English should be taught and learned in elementary school classrooms. This paper offers a conceptual framework for policy analysis that examines policy as both a text and as a process. In regards to the processes of policy implementation, the paper uses open system theory to illustrate and inform how each level of the education system are different, which enlightens why policy implementation can be challenging. The introduction of English education is presented as a natural adjustment considering the growth and influence of globalization. However, this raises an important question: how are elementary school English language policies implemented into the education system? Elementary school English education has created opportunities for students to learn more English, but created enormous challenges for schools and teachers. It is important to understand these developments and challenges those policies present teachers. The preliminary results with three key observations are presented and question whether the current state of these policies will be able to generate the desired results of improved English education in Japan