The Latest News in ELT

September 2003

GTEC New Kid On Block
To the already long list of tests that includes TOEIC, TOEFL, Eiken and more, you can now add GTEC. The online Global Test of English Communication has been developed by Benesse Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary Berlitz International, and tests all four language skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. The test takes about 80 minutes and has a maximum score of 1,000. The computerized test is also customized to deliver questions based on the user's previous answers. The questions are divided between listening (30), reading (30), writing (3) and speaking (4), and focus on real world topics such as English e-mail and business presentations. Listening and reading scores are provided immediately, while writing and speaking scores are put online after about two weeks.

For individual users, the test is available at ¥9,500. It will go on sale at ¥7,500 for corporate users next year. It requires a Windows 98 or later OS and a headset. Benesse plan to start selling the test worldwide from next year, and have a sales target of 100,000 copies in Japan by 2006.
Read the story in Japanese | GTEC site (September 30, 2003 )

If You Can't Make It In Politics...
Several different Canadian newspaper sites carried stories at the weekend about staff in the offices of senior Ontario Conservative party members looking for new jobs. It seems the governing party hasn't been doing too well in recent public opinion polls ahead of this week's provincial elections, and aides aren't taking any chances. To quote the Canadian press article: "Many of the job-seekers are hoping to land work in the corporate communications or public relations field, while others said they were hoping for jobs teaching English in Japan." ()

School Manager Robbed
The manager of an English conversation school was robbed of ¥8.63 million in cash last week. Police in Kasukabe in Saitama Prefecture received an emergency call from the 39-year old manager at 8:40pm last Wednesday. He had just finished a 90-minute lesson with three students when he found that the bag of cash he had left in an unlocked office was gone. (September 29, 2003 )

New Man In Charge
The recently appointed new Education Minister Takeo Kawamura didn't come up with any surprises when he outlined his ideas on the future of education in Japan. Regarding English language education, he stated the obvious, that improving the school curriculum and teaching methods is an urgent matter, and that more people should be able to express themselves in English. "If we try to increase the number of fluent English speakers, we need to think whether it is necessary to start teaching the foreign language (as a compulsory subject) at elementary schools," said Kawamura, adding that the ministry has not yet reached a conclusion on the matter. Kawamura replaced Atsuko Toyama - who declined a request from PM Junichiro Koizumi to remain in the post - in the recent cabinet reshuffle. (From a Japan Times article. Photo: Kyodo Photo) (September 26, 2003 )

Tough Talking
The UK's Guardian newspaper recently carried a brief article from EFL teacher Anna Francis, who arrived this summer in Japan. The second in an ongoing series, it tells of her attempts to come to grips with local customs and get her students to learn the art of argument. The results are not too surprising for anyone who's been here for any length of time. Education Guardian. ()

Fly & Relax With Eikaiwa
English conversation schools seem to be increasingly turning to tie ups with companies in other sectors in an effort to attract students. GABA, a company that arranges private English classes, has teamed up with Japan Airlines to offer air miles to prospective students. 100 miles is the reward for taking a sample lesson, and those who sign up get 1,000 miles. JAL has formed a partnership with 28 companies and plans to do so with 150 by the end of the year.

Meanwhile GEOS has opened a joint English conversation school/coffee shop with Mifune Seattle's Best Coffee in the Kansai region of western Japan. The first outlet is in a shopping center in the city of Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture. The entrance is like a typical US coffee shop, with the school located at the back. The effect is to have less emphasis on a strictly "learning" environment and more on a natural, relaxed way to use English. Many of the coffee shop staff are former GEOS teachers or students and all training is done in English. The two companies are planning to build on the experience gained from this project and open more outlets in the region.
(From Japanese articles in Eigo Kyoiku News) (September 25, 2003 )

New Curriculum Suits Kids
An education ministry survey shows that almost 90% of primary school children are happy with the "integrated lesson" element of the curriculum, introduced last spring. The most popular reason was that it gives them a chance to experience new things. But 44% of teachers say that they have their hands full with non-classroom activities and have insufficient time to focus on academic progress. In June and July, the survey was carried out at 100 elementary and 70 junior high schools. The number of middle school students who said they "Like" or "Somewhat like" activities was 78%. Of the parents surveyed, 72% said their children talk more about what they did at school. (September 24, 2003 )

Japan's "ESL Travesty"
If you didn't already know that "ESL" (sic) education in Japan is a complete, scandalous shambles or if you just want to hear someone go over the same old ground, Japan Today ran such a piece yesterday. Written by 23-year Japan veteran Lawrence Klepinger, the article trots out the usual TOEFL statistics and pins the blame firmly on the "Inept ESL coordinators," "Under-qualified teachers," and "Unethical foreign teachers." He does offer some solutions to the problem, such as police checks and the hiring of "foreign staff with specific management skills and training." All sure to generate plenty of comments, opinions and arguments. But shouldn't an "expert" know the difference betwen ESL and EFL? Japan Today. (September 23, 2003 )

DEH Online
Hiroshima-based David English House has launched a new web site, with sections for its own students and also English teachers nationwide. The latter includes information on English Teachers in Japan (ETJ, the organization established by DEH founder David Paul), several of Paul's top-selling titles, DEH's discount book service, and distance learning courses geared toward teachers working full time in Japan. David English House. ()

From JET to City Hall
Saturday's Daily Yomiuri "Scene" feature was an in-depth look at Anthony Bianchi, the former JET who is now a member of the Inuyama City Council in Aichi Prefecture. The New York native is thought to be the first person born in the US to be elected to public office in Japan. He received record-breaking support in the recent election, in large part thanks to the support of hundreds of former students. Bianchi believes he will see real results from his "common sense" approach to local politics, and has already got the ball rolling on several projects, including setting up links with his hometown. Daily Yomiuri. (September 22, 2003 )

Int'l School Grads To Bypass Daiken
The education ministry announced on Friday a review of its regulations regarding entry requirements for national universities. Graduates of some 16 recognized international schools will be able to directly sit entrance exams without having to take the so-called "daiken" preliminary test. The same wil be true for applicants over 18 who didn't graduate high school, assuming their academic record passes the screening of their chosen university. Graduates of schools for ethnic Koreans will also be able to bypass the daiken but will be subject to academic screening. ()

Real UK Campaign
The British Council is running a campaign to offer two Japanese high school students a chance to study in the UK next March. Students are asked to submit a three-minute video explaining their dreams for the future in English. Eight finalists will be chosen for an interview, of whom two will get to spend a two-week study trip in the UK with other students from around the world. Video cameras are set up at BC centres and study fairs. The deadline for submissions is November 28. (Story in Japanese | Real UK campaign site) ()

Kobe Career Advancement
Kobe City University of Foreign Studies plans to offer masters degree courses for English teachers from next April. Teachers with at least three years of experience will be able to choose from two courses designed for those working at primary or secondary level. Assuming all requirements are met, the minimum required time to acquire the masters degree is just one year, though working teachers will be able to study at weekends and during summer vacations over a period of two to four years. Lecturers will include several native English speakers and a large number of classes will be carried out in English. The course is awaiting education ministry approval, which is expected in November. Details of fees and dates have not yet been released but the courses are expected to be limited to about 10 places. KCUFS web site. (September 19, 2003 )

Go Abroad, Young Man
The education ministry is considering establishing a two- to three-year program for Japanese students to obtain post-graduate degrees overseas. According to ministry sources, details of the plan are to be decided next year, based on proposals to be made by the Central Council for Education, an advisory panel to the education minister. The plan would cover overseas travel expenses, up to US$10,000 (about ¥1.16 million) a year toward tuition fees, as well as a monthly scholarship of ¥180,000 per student. ()

Teachers: Old and Male
According to an OECD survey of 30 developed countries released this week, there remain serious imbalances in teacher numbers. In Europe, the problem is an aging teacher population with salaries being too low to attract sufficient numbers of young teachers to fill the void. The average age of elementary school teachers in 15 of the countries was over 40, with more than 50% of teachers in Italy and Germany being past the age of 50. In Japan, the situation is a bit better: 40% of primary school teachers and 39% of junior high school teachers are in their 40s. The problem here is the lack of female teachers. While the numbers in kindergarten are actually a bit above the OECD average of 95%, there is a big drop after that. Only 24.6% of high school teachers (OECD avg. 51.2%) and 14.1% of university lecturers (36%) are women. And the belief that women should attend two-year junior colleges still seems to prevail, as they make up only 39% of university grads and 25% of doctorate holders, both the lowest figures in the OECD survey. (September 18, 2003 )

To C or Not to C
You may have noticed it already and chalked it up as a misprint. But the English spelling of Korea - or Corea - is currently being taken quite seriously. Scholars from both north and south of the 38th parallel are united, for once, in their fight to reject a spelling that they say was imposed by imperialist Japanese at the beginning of the 20th century. Evidence certainly seems to support this claim, such as the cornerstone of the British embassy in Seoul laid in 1890 with the name "Corea." So far no official record of the change has been found but it's believed that Japan, which controlled Korea for four years before officially colonizing the country from 1910-45, changed the spelling for the 1908 London Olympics to ensure that "Korean" athletes would appear after their own. North Korea has enthusiastically taken up the cause, referring to the current spelling as "a never-to-be-condoned, state-sponsored crime." But the practical implications of an official spelling change mean that the South Korean government is unlikely to pursue the issue too seriously. ()

Out of the Frying Pan...
When Jimmy Hughes entered Canada's Royal Military College in Ottawa back in 1999, his dream was to be a "top-notch army officer." And even though he brought an 'bad boy' reputation with him and was repeatedly in trouble with RMC authorities, what happened two months before graduation in May came as a devastating shock: he was kicked out of the military and handed a bill for $64,000 by the Defense Department for tuition and expenses.

A series of incidents involving skipped classes and training, alcohol, and violence over his three and a half years, while never condoned, were hardly out of the ordinary at an institution like RMC. What finally got Hughes kicked out was plagiarizing on a psychology test. While initially stunned at not being allowed to graduate, he now accepts the responsibility for his mistake. But he went to court to avoid footing the bill, a fight which he won last week. So what now? After a trip to Prince Edward Island to see his family, he plans to "go see some different cultures and get some self-awareness and that kind of stuff." You guessed it, he's heading to Japan to teach English. (September 17, 2003 )

Waseda's New Int'l College
The former president of a US college is moving to Japan to help Waseda University develop a US-style liberal arts college. Michael Mooney recently resigned as president of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon in a cloud of scandal over an alleged unauthorised payment of over $10 million in college money to an oil technology company that later went bankrupt. Currently on a year's sabbatical, he will be a visiting professor at Waseda and will help the school's president open a new international college next April with a curriculum that focuses on contemporary global issues. The college will initially employ a faculty of 100 mostly Japanese professors, who will teach courses in English to a mix of Japanese and foreign students. The Japanese students will study abroad for one year at universities around the world, including Lewis & Clark and the University of Oregon. (September 16, 2003 )

English On the Go
Index, a provider of content for mobile phones, plans to provide a personalized online education service, including English language learning materials. The company in August became the second-largest shareholder in Gakken, a publisher with an extensive catalog of educational titles. Index, which describes itself as the "operator of a lifestyle portal site," is looking specifically into allowing English learners to download video text at home via broadband, while sending personalized content to their mobile phone. (September 12, 2003 )

Korea Goes For Special Zones Too
The Korean Joong Ang Daily newspaper reported on Wednesday on a plan to introduce special deregulated zones in that country, similar to the plan now underway in Japan. Of the 448 proposals received by the Ministry of Finance and Economy were 27 with an educational focus. Among these: Yeoju-gun county hopes to form an English-speaking village; the city of Suncheon, famous for its Buddhist temples, intends to design its own school curriculums to teach students English to promote tourism; and several districts want to lure foreign schools at all levels. Read the article. ()

The Trouble With Teens
In his regular Language Connection column for the Daily Yomiuri, Marshal R. Childs this week talked about language learning and the teenage mind. Teaching students of this age can seem like a battle of wills at times, but part of the problem may be that "textbooks and teaching practices reflect very little knowledge of what the learners are really like." Another quote is even more direct: "Textbook-writing committees are cowardly. They like to organize texts by grammatical categories. They choose goody-goody situations and use words that are safe all around. The result is limp language, empty of immediate and gripping reality." Read the article. (September 11, 2003 )

Dyslexia in Asia
Dyslexia is an issue that doesn't seem to crop up often in the classroom in Japan, one reason being the relatively low incidence of the problem here, according to a report in the latest Asian edition of TIME magazine. When it comes to reading the phonetic "kana" alphabets, the number incidence of dyslexia is as low as 1 %. This rises when it comes to writing and the considerably more difficult "kanji," but to no more than around 5%, compared to 10-20% in the US. The relative phonetic regularity of Japanese as opposed to English is thought to be the key. Read the full article, one of several on the subject. (September 10, 2003 )

Controversial Communicative English
There were a couple of interesting letters recently on the web site of the Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star, indicating a current debate taking place in that country. Both writers denounced the Communicative approach to teaching English, at least as it applies to their country's university students. As one writer put it: "As a poor nation, we must learn English purely for economic reasons. It should not be driven by the urge of Anglophile or Bangla phobia. We have to learn English. But it can't happen through the Communicative Method." Read the letters (link may not be maintained). (September 09, 2003 )

Teens Get Taste of Life Abroad
US newspaper The Courier Journal, based in Louisville, Kentucky, wrote yesterday about one of the 100 or so teenage participants in the Japan-American Friendship Scholars program offered through the non-profit group Youth for Understanding USA. 16-year-old Libby Knouse spent a term at a high school in Kambara, Shizuoka Prefecture, improving her Japanese language skills and finding that local teens are interested in pretty much the same things as their US counterparts: "friendships and clothes." Now, her Japanese "host sister" is spending her junior year at her school in Kentucky and enjoying the hospitality of the Knouse family. Over the last seven years, Youth For Understanding has sent about 200,000 freshmen, sophomores and juniors from more than 50 nations on student exchanges. Read the full article. ()

Ministry Considers More Liberalization
Further liberalization measures of the school system are under consideration at the Education, Science and Technology Ministry. The latest measures would allow private organizations, such as joint-stock companies, nonprofit organizations and educational corporations, to operate currently public kindergartens and high schools in specified reform zones. The plans are part of the latest round of proposals for such zones submitted by local governments, and a decision is expected by the end of the year. Questions remaining about the changes include maintaining the schools' public spirit, minimizing disruption and maintaining safety standards at the schools. The ministry remains particularly cautious about the handover of elementary and junior high schools. (September 08, 2003 )

RIC takes Amazon Japan by Storm!
RIC Publications Asia are delighted with the success of their first foreign title to appear on Amazon Japan. Japan's biggest online bookstore included the first RIC StoryChest title - "Miki's First Errand" (Hajimete no Tsukai) - as their lead title in its Japanese book section yesterday. "This finally puts RIC on the publishing map in Tokyo!" said President John Moore. The picture book, which comes with a CD, was written by Yoriko Tsutsui and illustrated by Akiko Hayashi, and translated by Peter Howlett and Richard McNamara. It reached an impressive sales ranking of 138. RIC Publications Asia web site. (September 05, 2003 )

Sayonara Sangakki
In what seems to be a growing trend, Chiba city educational board announced yesterday that all municipal elementary, junior and senior high, and special needs schools will switch to a semester system from next April. The city carried out a study at eight schools this year and made use of data from the Iwate Prefecture city of Sendai, which has already implemented the change. The plan will be put into effect in a total of 179 schools. The announcement follows a similar one made earlier in the week by Yokohama. (September 04, 2003 )

LDOCE4 Launched in Japan
The latest Japanese edition of the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (LDOCE4, pronounced "eldos 4") was launched yesterday during an event held at the British Council in Tokyo. Organized by Pearson Education Japan, in conjunction with the BC, Maruzen and Kirihara, the event featured two special guest speakers: Della Summers, Director of Longman UK Dictionaries and Prof. David Crystal, Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wales. The release of the 4th edition of LDOCE also marks the 25th anniversary of the dictionary's original publication in 1978. The dictionary has 106,000 words and phrases and comes complete with a CD-ROM, which contains a host of additional features, such as the Longman Language Activator, 220,000 collocations, sound files for all head words, and a pop-up dictionary function that ties in with Internet browsers. The LDOCE4 retails for ¥4,000 plus tax (¥3,500 plus tax without CD-ROM). LDOCE4 Web site. (September 03, 2003 )

New English Zone Official
Among the 47 certificates handed out by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi last week to the latest batch of special deregulation zones, a total of 16 concern deregulatory steps in educational fields. One was one for Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. English conversation will be introduced in the city's elementary schools. A zone created earlier this year in the city of Ota, Gunma Prefecture, has the entire curriculum at public elementary, junior high and high schools taught by native English-speaking teachers. (September 02, 2003 )

Yokohama to Go Semester
The Yokohama city educational board announced yesterday that all 521 municipally-run schools will switch from a three-term to a two-term system next year. The main reason given for the change to a semester system was that it creates more class time. A study of the system this year at 59 elementary and junior high schools showed that the number of ceremonies and periodical tests is reduced. The new system would divide the terms with a five-day break in mid-October. Currently nationwide, 2.2% (519) of elementary schools and 3% (310) of Junior highs follow the semester system. It has already been fully implemented in the cities of Sendai and Kanazawa. ()

Check Those Fingers!
An elementary school teacher in Ishikawa Prefecture has a unique way of spotting problems among his students: Toshihiko Omori, a head teacher in the city of Nanao, checks their fingernails for signs of stress. A large, white, crescent-shaped mark in the middle of a nail, for example, usually indicates some kind of major stress such as dealing with a death in the family, exam preparations or bullying. A series of smaller marks may indicate several lesser, but repeated, causes of stress. Omori first noticed the marks appearing regularly on the nails of students who refused to attend school. Over the last nine years, he has found that the signs show up in over 80% of such cases, as opposed to less than 1&#; of students with no problems. He now regularly checks students in an effort to spot problems before they get out of hand. (from a Shukan Bunshun story) (September 01, 2003 )

Harry Still Has the Magic
A recent survey by toymaker Bandai found that the Harry Potter series are still the most popular books among Japanese elementary school students. Though it only ranked 4th among the younger students, who prefer cartoon hero Anpanman, it easily topped the overall rankings of 2,000 six to 12 year-olds. Other familiar titles included a couple of classic picture books that have been around since the 1960s: the "Guri & Gura" series (4th) and Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" (6th). ()

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