The Latest News in ELT

April 2004

JALTCALL 2004 Pre-registration Deadline May 5
The deadline for pre-registration for this year's JALTCALL Conference (Tokiwa University, Mito City, June 4-6) is approaching. The pre-registration discount is available until May 5 (national holiday). The theme of this year's conference is "Human Issues in Computer Assisted Language Learning". Over the next month, abstracts will be made available via a Moodle site linked to the conference website. Participants will be able to chat with presenters and others about conference topics and presenters will be able to post handouts and supporting information. E-mail conf-forums@jaltcall.org for more information.

There will also be a Poster Fringe Exhibition, an opportunity to participate without the pressure of a presenation. Bring along a poster-size copy of handouts you have used in your CALL classes, printouts of webpages you have designed (non-commercial) or CALL material generated by your students. Poster (A3 or larger) will be posted in the 'Poster Exhibition'. E-mail conf-poster@jaltcall.org with your 'intention to posterize'.

Places at the Pre-Conference Workshops (Friday, June 4th) are FREE (but going fast!) to conference participants, otherwise ¥2,000. Send your request in now to conf-workshops@jaltcall.org.
JALTCALL 2004 (April 30, 2004 )

New E-Guide Alternative to TEFL Certification
Launched into cyberspace several months ago, the e-guide 'How to Become an ESL Trainer' unexpectedly finds itself in the market niche long held by TESOL/TEFL certification courses. "This was not my intention, but I’m certainly glad to see it happening", says Miriam Lavi, author of the guide and director of an Israel-based English language institute. "Since ESL trainers needn't necessarily hold university degrees/teaching licenses in the field, ESL training has become the 'career of choice' for an increasing number of native English speaker living abroad – regardless of their professional/academic backgrounds. While many would-be teachers opt for TEFL certification courses, many others are hired on the basis of a personal interview and whether they fit the 'company image'." The 46-page downloadable guide to working 1:1 with professional adults comes in the pdf format, and can be read onscreen and off.
ESL Trainers International ()

Kyoto's "Free Agent" Teachers
The Daily Yomiuri reported this week on how the "Kyoto Municipal Board of Education has adopted what it calls a free-agency system in which teachers can transfer to other schools." The requirements are that the teacher have at least ten years experience and have worked at the same school for at least three years. This spring 178 teachers – out of about 3,100 eligible – took advantage of the new system, and 110 obtained jobs at new schools. One of them was Shiori Suzuki, who became an English teacher at Rakuo Primary School in Shimogyo Ward. Although the 35-year old has a license to teach at junior and senior high schools, she had never had a chance to teach younger students. She had offers from three primary schools before opting for Rakuo and began teaching there this month. She teaches an integrated learning class with a Japanese assistant.
Daily Yomiuri (link will expire) ()

Macmillan Colloquium on Learners' Dictionaries Today
Publisher Macmillan Education yesterday announced their first colloquium on learners' dictionaries to be held in Tokyo this September. English teaching professionals are invited to attend this special event to share ideas on the development of learners' English dictionaries. The event will be held on September 11 (Sat.) and 12 (Sun.), 2004 at Nihonseinenkan Hotel, Jingugaien. Proposals for presentations and workshops on any issues related to learners' dictionaries will be accepted until June 15. For further details, see:
The Macmillan Colloquium on Learners' Dictionaries Today ()

Gap-Fill Activity
The Daily Yomiuri's "Language Connection" column this week looked at perhaps the biggest talking point in English education these days - the introduction of English to the elementary school curriculum. Among the topics discussed in "Fill gaps in English-teaching environments" was a perceived difference in enthusiasm for early English education between western and eastern Japan. In particular it looked at the work of Reiko Matsukawa, a member of the Planning and Evaluation Committee for the education ministry's pilot schools.
Daily Yomiuri (link will expire) (April 29, 2004 )

ETJ Aichi May Workshop
Teachers in the Nagoya area will want to pencil in the upcoming ETJ Aichi workshop. ELT News regular Chuck Sandy will present 'one class' projects which can be taken and used right away in class, as well as guidelines and help in designing projects of your own. A Professor of Humanities at Chubu University and co-author with Jack Richards on Passages, Connect, and various pieces of the Interchange Series, Sandy is currently at work on another series with fellow Think Tank panelist Curtis Kelly for Heinle and Heinle. The workshop takes place from 10am to 12:30pm on Sunday May 16. Attendance is 500 yen. Seating is limited, so to book a place and for further details of location and access, see the ETJ Aichi web site.
ETJ Aichi (April 28, 2004 )

More Pilot Schools Announced
The education ministry has announced the 2004 batch of pilot schools for the study of curriculum reform. 88 schools from 35 prefectures applied to the ministry, of which 20 were chosen. Of those, 6 based their proposals around reform of English education. For example, Terazu Elementary/Junior High School in Aichi Prefecture plans to merge grades 1 through 9 into one school and introduce a new subject, "ABC", based around English conversation. Other schools have proposed using English-based classes that incorporate songs, rhythmic movement and drama. A full report and details of schools is available from the ministry site (in Japanese).
MEXT Web site (Japanese) (April 27, 2004 )

At Ease, Students
10th-grade students at a high school in Chatan, Okinawa recently had the rare opportunity to learn English from the US Marines. Members of III Marine Expeditionary Forces Band from nearby Camp Foster helped the class with English pronunciation and explained the history and meanings of two songs, "Amazing Grace" and "Edelweiss," which the class already learned during the last year. The band also performed an American pop song for the class. The class was part of the school's effort to encourage students to learn "real English" by teaching different subjects using English, according to principal Shigehiro Matayoshi, who commented, "I am very happy with the class today. It was very successful and we look forward to having more." ()

Playing Games in Tochigi
English conversation classes started last week for the first time at five elementary schools in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture. Lessons are entirely in English and make use of songs, dancing and card games. One student said, "I was nervous at first, but it was fun!" The city, which was given government approval to introduce deregulatory measures, plans to start lessons at all 22 primary schools next year. (photo: asahi.com) (April 26, 2004 )

Mombukagakusho Report Online
Eigo Kyoiku News, our Japanese sister site, has put online the entire documentation provided by the education ministry to participants in its recent forum entitled "Establishment of an Action Plan to Cultivate Japanese with English Abilities". Among the topics under discussion were class reform, development of the leadership qualities of teachers, and increasing student motivation. The plan envisages reform measures being in place by 2007. The forum was held in Tokyo at the end of March and was opened by Takeo Kawamura, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Other prominent participants included recruiting managers for several major Japanese firms as well as such academics as Kensaku Yoshida of Sophia University. The one-day forum featured several workshops and a model English lesson from Hamamatsu Konan Senior High School, one of the designated Super English Language High Schools (SELHi).
Forum Report (Japanese) | Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ()

Examining Elementary School English
Yesterday's Japan Times ran an article on the spread of English at elementary schools. It looked at Tokyo's Arakawa Ward in particular, as the area is one of the few that have been granted special status as reform zones. The ward has introduced English to the curriculum of all of its 23 public elementary schools. "Under the board's English guideline, schools hold 34 to 35 English classes a year, each 45 minutes long, mainly to nurture listening and speaking abilities. By the time students finish elementary school, they are expected to acquire enough English ability to give foreigners directions or introduce themselves in English." The article also highlighted the shortage of teachers qualified to teach English to young children. Often "homeroom" teachers are given the task, sometimes with the help of a native-speaking ALT. Sophia University Kensaku Yoshida suggests that the formal introduction of English to the elementary school curriculum – a proposal currently under consideration by the government – would be a good move, but would take about five years to complete.
English classes all the rage at elementary schools (April 23, 2004 )

Bilingual Captions on DVD
Source Next, a maker of computer hardware and software, has released a software program that allows users to view both the English and Japanese subtitles while playing a DVD. Power DVD Personal also allows the speed of dialog to be controlled without altering voice pitch, which together with the caption feature makes it ideal for language students wishing to use foreign movies or TV shows. The software is compatible with Windows XP/Me/98SE/2000 and retails for ¥2,079. ()

Ich Bin Ein...Bin
Talking rubbish bins have been put up in Berlin to help keep the city's streets clean. The bins, which come in five different types, have a solar panel that provides the energy for the electronic voice. A photo sensor registers rubbish thrown into the bin and sets off the recorded message. The types of bin include Susi Schlau (Smart Susie) which thanks passers-by for throwing junk into her in English, French and Japanese. Hitlist Harry rewards tidy people with a song, while Siggi Sport rewards anybody who uses him with a stadium-style "Goal, Goal, Goooooooaaaal!" scream. ()

English Blitz in Singapore
The Manpower Ministry of Singapore has launched its annual one-month offensive to improve English ability in the city-state. Given their British colonial past, Singaporeans tend to take it for granted that their nation has English levels higher than most other Asian countries. But as minister Ng Eng Hen says, "Other countries in the region are making the English language part of their schools' curriculum. In a few years time, countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Korea and China may catch up or even surpass us in their English language ability."

The annual Speak Good English campaign – first launched in 2000 – features brief English lessons in newspapers, via the telephone and over the radio. The tiny island is very dependent on trade and the campaign aims to the locals more understandable to the people they do business with abroad. This year's campaign specifically targets working adults in the service industry who will be able to use English to impress and woo back more tourists and visitors, Ng said. Public elementary and secondary school courses and the business of government are conducted in English and 71% of the tiny island nation's citizens are already literate in English. In addition to English, the multiethnic population also uses its own patois – a blend of Chinese dialects, Malay, Tamil and English known as Singlish – to communicate. (April 22, 2004 )

IIBC Upgrades TOEIC Tests
The Institute for International Business Communication, which handles the TOEIC and TOEIC Bridge tests in Japan, has revamped the system for its Institutional Program (IP). The program is suitable for institutions such as companies and schools that administer the tests to groups. The minimum number of test takers has been reduced from 21 to 10 and applications are now accepted as close as ten business days before the test is given (was 20 days). Test results can now be downloaded from the Internet within just four days. Currently over 2,200 organizations use the IP annually.
IIBC Website | Story in Japanese (April 21, 2004 )

IPI Launches New Website
Independent Publishers International (IPI), an importer and promoter of ELT materials based in Tokyo, has launched a new version of its website. With a colorful design and abundance of information, the new bilingual site is described as "a far cry from the sparse, unimaginative design previously in place." The new site features a brand new online database which contains details of all products currently sold by IPI and will eventually also include cover images and sample pages for all items. "We believe the new site is a positive step forward in the growth of IPI and hope that users will find it informative and easy to use," said IPI Managing Director, Craig Larsen.
www.indepub.com ()

Hooked Up for English
An English school in Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture has hooked up with a British primary school to offer lessons by video telephone. Students at Queen's Park school in Bournemouth play card games or quizzes with their Japanese counterparts separated by 9,000km and nine time zones. School owner Ken Nagasawa (31) says, "I want to help students develop a more international outlook that will help them enjoy and want to speak English." Nagasawa was introduced to the British coastal town school by one of his teachers, a graduate of the school. February and March were spent setting up and testing the system. The first lesson took place earlier this month at six in the evening, mid-morning UK time, and there will be 16 lessons during the year. Only about eight students can take part in the one-hour lesson, meaning participating students at both ends will rotate each time. One 8-year old Japanese student said, "I've been studying English for a year. This lesson was confusing at first, but I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the next time."
Story in Japanese (asahi.com) ()

Majority of Students Busy After School
A survey carried out in December by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and Benesse Corp. shows that 80% of elementary and junior high school students take part in study or practice activities outside school hours. The poll asked students' guardians what their hopes were for their children's extra-curricular activities. The most popular answer was "to further their entrance exam preparedness" (33.4%), while 21.5% said they hoped their children would "develop the practical ability to use English". Girls tend to overwhelmingly favor musical activities while boys are far more likely to take part in sports. Overall, the most common extra-curricular activities were 'learning a musical instrument' (19.1%), 'distance learning' (16%) and 'swimming school' (15.9%). 'English study' came in 7th, at 11.1%.
Story in Japanese (asahi.com) (April 20, 2004 )

Students, Parents & Teachers to Have Their Say
The education ministry announced last week a plan to elicit the opinions of students, parents and teachers about the prospect of introducing English as a formal subject in elementary schools. The poll marks the first time the ministry will directly solicit the views of those most affected by such a change. Students at elementary, junior and senior high schools, their parents and teachers will be asked such questions as whether English grammar – currently taught in junior high school – should be introduced for younger students, whether primary school teachers should assess students' English achievements, and if English should be included as an entrance exam subject for middle schools. ()

JALT Hokkaido/ETJ Language Conferences 2004
Sunday, November 7th has been set as the date for the JALT Hokkaido/ETJ Language Conference 2004 to be held at Fuji College in Sapporo. An on-line submission system will beused for all presentations regardless of group affiliation. The deadline for submissions is July 18th. All topics related to second language education and acquisition will be considered. The gradation of presentations will cover from early childhood to adult.

JALT Hokkaido is also organizing the CALL 2004 Workshop to be held on October 23rd at Sapporo Gakuin University. Questions about submitting for JALT should be submitted to Michael Mielke at JALT Hokkaido. Regarding submissions for ETJ, contact Peter Schinckel. Questions pertaining to the CALL 2004 Workshop should be addressed to Don Hinkelman.
Submission Form (April 19, 2004 )

BC Looking for the Best Team Teachers
The British Council is running a competition to find the best "team teachers" in Japan. Entries, based on effective teaching ideas on the theme of "environment", will be accepted from pairs made up of Japanese teachers of English and native-speaking ALTs on the JET Program. Lesson plans should be based on the standard 50-minute public school class time. Entries will be accepted until May 6, the winners will be chosen by education specialists at the British Council and the education ministry, and will be announced in June. The winning pair will receive prize money and return business class tickets to London, while the runners up will travel by economy class.
Competition details (Japanese) ()

eigoTown Launches English Test Database
eigoTown, the parent company of ELT News, has launched an online database on the Eigo Kyoiku News site of all the English-related tests available in Japan. The database includes detailed information about each test as well as dates for upcoming examinations, all in astandardized, easy-to-read format. Currently there are 56 different tests in the database.
Eigo Kyoiku News (Japanese) (April 16, 2004 )

Seminar for Teachers of Children
eigoTown and David English House are producing the latest one-day seminar by renowned author and teacher David Paul. Taking place in Tokyo on April 25th, this popular seminar provides teachers with new insights into how children learn, how to keep children focused and motivated, and much more. David Paul is the author of such famous titles as "Finding Out" and "Communicate". Participants will receive an "Introductory Certificate in Teaching English to Children". The fee is ¥12,000 on the day or ¥9,000 for those who pre-register or for ETJ members. See below for more details and comments from teachers who have taken the course.
Introductory Certificate in Teaching English to Children ()

Dow Jones Business English
Mitsui & Co. Ltd. recently launched a new online English program called "Dow Jones Business English" in conjunction with the famous US company. The program uses material from such sources as the Wall Street Journal to help users develop reading and analytical skills in particular. Site contents are updated daily and the original articles are rewritten to suit learners at eight different levels. The subscription-based service costs ¥27,000 for six months. the company has an initial target of 100,000 users.
Dow Jones Business English (April 15, 2004 )

English Essential for Job Hunters
Yesterday's Daily Yomiuri carried an article on the importance of English skill for Japanese job seekers and new employees. The article reported on the views expressed at a recent forum by managers responsible for hiring new recruits at major firms such as Fujitsu, Itochu, Sony and Nissan. Of the 160,000 employees at Sony, for example, only a third are Japanese, meaning that English is indispensable for intra-company communication. Many companies have set the bar high for employees - the average TOEIC score of new hires at Itochu last year was 662 points. After undergoing a compulsory six-month training course before becoming fully fledged employees, that average increased to 738 points.
Attention workers: Executives say English essential to your careers (link will expire) (April 14, 2004 )

Japanese Kids Less Confident in English
Japanese high school students lack confidence in using English compared to their East Asian counterparts. The survey of 13,600 students from Japan, South Korea and China, carried out by Benesse Corp. and an international team including Sophia University professor Kensaku Yoshida, also showed the Japanese scoring lower on a standardized test. On the Global Test of English Communication (GTEC), the Chinese students averaged 432.6 points out of 800, the Koreans 414.1 and the Japanese 407.8. The test assesses reading, writing and listening skills. Korean students had the best scores in reading and listening, but were considerably weaker in writing. But even Korean students with a lower overall grade were more confident than the Japanese when asked to assess their own ability to handle everyday situations, such as answering a phone call or listening to their favorite songs, in English.

According to Yoshida, the Korean students overall have more opportunities to use English outside the classroom than those in Japan. The number who have made a phone call in English, for example, was almost two thirds, compared to less than a quarter of Japanese. Almost three quarters listen to news in English, as opposed to only about 38% in Japan. The emphasis in Korean classrooms is also more on practical English and expressing opinions in assignments rather than the Japanese approach of mastering grammar and set phrases.
Story in Japanese ()

US Woman Finds Roots as a JET
Cristina Quinn, a native of Dorchester, Massachusetts, joined the JET Program in 2001. But unlike most of the dozens of other participants who came through the Japanese consulate in Boston, Quinn was in search of her roots. She requested and received a teaching post near the rural town in Fukushima Prefecture where her mother Toshiko came from. During her three years on the program Quinn, who is half Irish, found her vocation was not strictly as an English teacher - she became a DJ with her own radio show, ''Let's English."
The Boston Globe (April 13, 2004 )

First Stock Company-run School Opens
The country's first private school run by a stock company opened its doors on Saturday. Asahijuku Junior High School in Mitsu, Okayama Prefecture was founded by Asahigakuen, a legally incorporated educational institution based in the city of Okayama. The new school is a flagship of the government's efforts to deregulate the education system and give a boost to regional economies. The school will introduce many innovative measures, including teaching such classes as arts and music in English, and will not be restricted by education ministry guidelines. Another radical system is to refund all tuition fees to students deemed capable of entering their chosen high school if they should fail to do so. (April 12, 2004 )

Kids' English Business Booming
Last week the Japan Times carried an article on the booming business of kids' English education. As one example, it looked at the growing number of young students attending classes organized by Benesse. The company has 260 classes throughout the country with a total of 4,600 students, and aims to grab a much larger share of the preschoolers' market, which it estimates at about ¥800 billion in 2002 and growing about 4% annually. And this figure does not include mail-order English education materials, CDs, picture books and toys. The article also quotes Kanji Watanabe, a supervisor at the National Institute for Educational Policy Research of Japan, who said that English education at elementary schools has produced "unexpected good results of making taciturn children more assertive" through participation in English games.
Japan Times ()

Award-winning Punctuation
"Eats, Shoots & Leaves", a surprise best-seller about punctuation, has been given the top prize at this year's British Book Awards. According to top tabloid The Sun, the book received the The Book of the Year award in recognition of having sold 582,000 copies since its publication last November, raking in £5 million. Author Lynne Truss said there was still much to be done in improving the nation's understanding of the language's finer points. "I got a taxi to an event and told the driver I was doing a talk on punctuation. He said I'd better get there on time, then" she said. The book takes its title from a joke about a panda who eats in a restaurant, then shoots the restaurant up before he leaves, though there is also a more lewd Australian variation, describing a wombat who "eats, roots, shoots and leaves". (April 09, 2004 )

EF Cafe Update
EF Cafe is the website for the English Firsthand series, authored by ELT News regular Marc Helgesen. The site includes features such as student chat (free key pals), homework students can do on-line, extra expansion activities, etc. One recently updated feature is an area for teacher discussion. Helgesen has just written expansions for the new editions of English Firsthand 1 & 2, which can be accessed in the EF Series Resources section. Teachers are welcome to make use of the activities, whether or not they use English Firsthand.
EF Cafe ()

English Teachers as Economic Migrants
Scott Sommers runs the "Taiwan Weblog", which he describes as "a forum for the discussion of scholarly opinions of issues on language and language education with a particular emphasis on Taiwan and East Asia." It currently has an interesting ongoing series of posts about English teachers in Asia as "economic migrants". Among the issues discussed are whether the children of English teachers in Japan and similar countries can be classified the same as those of "expats" and military personnel, and whether such children "may be linguistically and socially handicapped".
Scott Sommers' Taiwan Weblog (April 08, 2004 )

Chomsky's New Blog
Turning the Tide is the title of a new weblog (or Blog) by renowned – and often controversial – MIT professor of linguistics Noam Chomsky. His focus to date seems to be on geopolitical issues and US society rather than on English or linguistics, but the many fans and critics of this famous political dissident will no doubt be keeping an eye on what he has to say here.
Turning the Tide (April 07, 2004 )

46% of Universities Teach Classes in Foreign Languages
While almost every university in Japan has English classes, just under half actually teach some classes in foreign languages, mainly English, according to an education ministry survey. Of the 687 four-year schools polled in 2002, 318 (46%) taught some classes in a foreign language, up from 246 (38%) in 2001. Of the 318, 210 were private universities, 79 national and 29 public. Examples of classes taught in English included economics-related subjects at Otaru Commercial College in Hokkaido and 20% of classes in the theological studies department at Tokyo Christian University. 72 institutions set achievement standards in English ability for their students. 265 had classes focused on preparation for TOEIC, TOEFL, Eiken and other standardized English tests (up 32% from 201 in 2002). The number of schools with native English-speaking teachers was up slightly at 588, while there was no change in the number using language labs or other multimedia. Those with classes divided by ability have become more common, increasing to 56% of all universities.
Ministry Report (Japanese) ()

Former BC Tokyo Teacher Gets Elton Award
An article in the Education Guardian looked at the winners of last month's Elton Awards, given by the British Council for innovation in English language teaching. One winner was Richard Cauldwell, a former teacher at the British Council in Tokyo, for his online publication on natural speech. The 10-step Streaming Speech programme allows advanced students to study authentic recordings of English by native speakers. "There are lots of new things to be learned about speech in any language, and technology allows us to demonstrate this and make it accessible to students," he says. "It's enabled me to learn things about speech that people don't believe are true."
Education Guardian ()

Anime Sparks Japanese Word Boom
An article in the Mainichi Shimbun looks at how the growing popularity of Japanese anime (cartoons) and manga (comic books) abroad is bringing more and more Japanese words into common use, at least among young fans. Words like "kawaii", "otaku" and "hentai" may have their English equivalents but also have unique nuances. Japanese popular culture is enjoying something of a boom, particularly in the US, where circulation of the English version of the "Shonen Jump" manga has reached over half a million copies.
Mainichi Daily News (April 06, 2004 )

Computer-based Testing On Increase
The Japan Institute for Educational Measurement (JIEM), part of the Obunsha Group, recently announced that the number of people who have taken its computer-based English test has passed the 100,000 mark. The CASEC (Computerized Assessment System for English Communication) test began in 2002. The last year saw a doubling in the number of institutions using the test, including 133 companies, 40 universities and 27 junior and senior high schools. From this spring, it is being used by such prestigious schools as Waseda and Aoyama Gakuin Universities. The test costs ¥3,500.

According to JIEM, there are two types of computer based testing (CBT): first and second generation. First generation tests are basically computerized versions of standard paper tests. Second generation tests, such as CASEC and TOEFL, include measures to prevent cheating or the leaking of test questions, have shorter testing time and use Item Response Theory to make tests more adaptive to individual examinees, what is called a Computerized Adaptive Test.
JIEM (Japanese) | JIEMStory in Japanese ()

Third Level Education Bill - ¥2 Million a Year
The average cost for a year in higher education in Japan is about ¥2 million. According to an education ministry survey carried out in November 2002, the average college student pays about ¥1.16 million in tuition and ¥860,000 in living expenses. The figures reflecting a increase in tuition fees of about ¥40,000 from a 2000 survey, offset by an ¥80,000 decrease in living expenses. The nearly 10 percent drop in expenses marked a new record for the survey since the government began polling college students in 1968. The cost of attending a private university averages about ¥2.15 million, considerably higher than the ¥1.6 million needed to go to a state-run school. But students at national institutions tend to spend about ¥135,000 more on living expenses. (April 05, 2004 )

Seiko Sponsors Song Translation Competition
Seiko Instruments is sponsoring a new English translation competition for high school students. Entrants must choose from five pop hits from the 1970s and 80s, including Blondie's "Call Me", "shake Your Booty" by KC and the Sunshine Band and Kharma Chameleon by Culture Club. There are two sections: the "Phrase Section", where entrants can translate a single phrase of up to about 40 words; and a "Freestyle Section", where they can translate a whole song, including the title. The competition is open to all high school students and the top prize winners will go on a one-week study tour to London, sponsored by Virgin Atlantic and the Ryugaku Journal. Other prizes include Seiko electronic dictionaries, Sony computers, DVDs and DVD players from Toshiba, and subscriptions to the Mainichi Weekly. There are also prizes for the schools with the most entrants. Winners will be announced in November.
Seiko Instruments ()

Linguist Larry Trask Dead
Noted linguist Professor R.L. (Larry) Trask died on 27 March 2004, after a progressive illness lasting about two years. He was 59. Trask was a professor of Linguistics at the University of Sussex in the UK and one of the world's foremost scholars of the Basque language. Among his recent publications are a popular introduction to linguistics, an edited volume on time-depth in linguistics, and a handbook of English usage.
Obituary | Larry Trask's Homepage (April 02, 2004 )

Elmo's Turning Japanese, I Really Think So
NHK is to stop its bilingual broadcasting of the Sesame Street show this Sunday, and TV Tokyo will begin a new, localized version from around October. The move is the result of three years of efforts by distributor Sesame Workshop to have the show adapted to suit Japan, as it is in 23 of the 120 countries where it is aired. NHK refused to get involved in production of the program, saying its appeal lies in the portrayal of US culture and its role in promoting the English language. Though the show was never designed for teaching English as a foreign language, NHK has used the characters in its own EFL materials. But according to Gary Knell, President and CEO of Sesame Workshop, on a recent visit to Tokyo, "It is not up to us after all to impose a curriculum on a country with a rich culture and educational system." The focus of the show has long been the promotion of cultural diversity and the development of imagination, though the latest moves were no doubt prompted by a slip in the show's ratings and its impact on a potential multi-billion yen pre-school market in licensed products. The new 30-minute show will feature muppet characters unique to Japan, while five or six minutes will be dedicated to basic English-language skills. Sesame Street was first broadcast in Japan in 1971. ()

When is a Teacher not a Teacher?
A recent Letter to the Editor published in the Korea Times illustrates the view that native English speaking teachers are "adulated" by many students. Entitled "Why Western Teachers Are Revered Here", the letter gives examples that will be familiar to many of us here in Japan. One extreme case was of a "teacher" who didn't know the diference between a verb and a noun.
Korea Times ()

Japanese Pay to Work in NZ for No Salary
Officials in New Zealand are investigating the case of a young Japanese woman who paid an employment agency to get her a job without salary at a hotel just to improve her English. Officials said Tuesday that Kayoko Sakamoto, 25, paid 2,400 New Zealand dollars ($US1,565) to Christchurch-based East Wind agency to secure an unpaid job at the city's Centra Hotel. She knew she would not get paid when she signed up, believing that was "normal". For the last month, she has worked eight-hour shifts, serving meals and cleaning rooms and only became suspicious when she saw that another Japanese employee was paid. 60 and 70 Japanese students applied to East Wind every week for work placements and were required to pay a weekly fee of up to $NZ60 ($US39). "I didn't think about money, I wanted experience of working with New Zealanders and using English. I thought it was better than going to a language school," Sakamoto said. "I saved for four years to come here, and now most of my money is gone." A spokeswoman for the Centra Hotel said Ms. Sakamoto was offered a three-month "work experience" placement and the hotel was unaware she had paid East Wind. It is now considering paying her and another Japanese intern.
New Zealand Herald (April 01, 2004 )

SELHi in Action
The Daily Yomiuri this week ran the ninth installment in a series on the government-designated Super English Language High School (SELHi) pilot project. The report looked at a Mie Prefecture public school which was designated a SELHi in April 2002. The school has had setbacks in developing a curriculum based on new ideas and teaching methods, but has also learned a lot from the experience. The curriculum – which to date has focused on improving students' writing skills – applies only to selected students, whose progress is compared to those on the standard track. Teachers also elicit feedback from students at the end of classes.
School focuses on task-based approach ()

Genki English launches "Genki Pill"
Ever wondering how the guys at Genki English stay so genki all the time? The answer is here, the "genki pill". It has taken several months to clear patents and to obtain permission from the Health Ministry for them to sell it in Japan, but it's finally here. "This is so exciting. Now any teacher, anywhere can become super genki just by taking this pill," said founder Richard Graham. If you feel you need a boost of genkiness, check out the Genki English website now!
Genki Pill ()

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