English Education in Japan : In Search of a New Direction

The concern of this paper is to aim at studying our national language policy, especially of English language teaching, at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, and at searching for its right direction. Based upon various reports forwarded to the government by education experts and others, the author of this paper examines the present teaching and learning situations, focusing upon the new guidelines and visions presented for the English teachers to follow. Other relevant trends being witnessed in and around schools, on university campuses, and in society at large will also be studied in order to get an overall picture of English teaching and learning in Japan. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has made a series of important reports public. The beginning of all the efforts by the ministry is found in a report to the government in January 2001 from the "Round-table Committee for the Improvement of English Teaching Methods." What seems to be the fruit of all the discussions so far is one of the newest reports issued in July 2002,'Developing a strategic plan to cultivate "Japanese With English Abilities -Plan to improve English and Japanese abilities ―",'which contains a multitude of suggestions for the improvement, from pedagogical techniques in the classroom to the budgeting in the Diet. The author's intention, as that of a member of the Board of Education, does not lie in evaluating the government's policy, partly because it seems too early; she rather tries to make the most of its concepts and guidelines, endeavors to enrich the ministry's vision, so that the nation's English teaching and learning will be as meaningful and fruitful as it could be. In her conclusion, she clarifies the necessity for Japanese English teachers and learners, as well as policy makers, to take the English language as a language for international understanding and cross-cultural communication in a broader context, rather than as a language for communicating with native speakers of English. She also emphasizes the importance of deepening one's interest in and understanding of a variety of users of the English language, including their social, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, so that his/her language skills that have been acquired with hard work will take effect, in actual communication scenes, to the fullest.departmental bulletin pape