日本で23年間、英語教育に携わってきたアメリカ人のJeff 先生。日本での英語教育についてどのような変化を感じているのでしょうか。(1)
How English education in Japan has changed. (1)
I initially came to Japan to experience the culture and see the sights, but also to help students learn English and become better communicators in today’s globalizing world. I planned on staying for a year and returning home, but really enjoyed teaching, met a lot of people, and decided to continue to pursue a life here.
Over the last 23 years here, I have witnessed countless changes and tweaks to ways English is taught to Japanese learners. There are a wide variety of teaching methods and techniques that linguists have researched and scrutinized for use in the language classroom. Over time, these ideas have filtered down into the ELT landscape of Japan. Classrooms are often filled with students with their own unique learning styles. This may mean some students are overly concerned about accuracy, while others want more practice. These are all important student needs, but they can pose a challenge for teachers trying to cater to every student. To address this challenge, it’s crucial to employ a variety of teaching methods and techniques. By incorporating different approaches constantly coming down the pipeline, teachers can create a more inclusive learning environment where every student can thrive and meet their goals.
In the last couple of decades, advances in technology have been incorporated into the classrooms to help improve all their skills. One of the most common forms of these aids is online resources. Keeping students motivated and engaged can be a constant struggle for teachers. Most textbooks nowadays offer both students and teachers access to net-based materials which can help to provide additional practice and monitor student progress. Over the years I have found that many students face obstacles outside of the classroom. This technology specifically addresses this concern.
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