The Latest News in ELT

December 2005

English Dominates Language Software Market
A recent ranking of the best-selling foreign language software titles shows that English is still by far the most popular language, but that Chinese is a clear second. The market share of English language titles is an overwhelming 90.1%, while Chinese has 7.9%, according to the latest BCN Ranking. Despite the current boom in Korean popular culture, the language only accounts for 1.4% of the learning software market. It's followed by French and German, neither of which account for even 1%.

The best seller in the English language sector is "Ikinari Eikaiwa Special Pack," complete with a microphone for practicing speaking, which captured 13.1% of the market. The special pack includes three levels and covers all four language skills. The product is from Sourcenext, which leads the market overall with 35.7%. Another product in the same series ranked 5th (4.9%). In 2nd (11%) and 6th (3.9%) places were two versions of the "iPod de Dokodemo Eikaiwa" from Holon. The software allows users to study general English on their iPod. Holon's "Eigo wa Zettai Benkyo Shinaide!" based on the best-selling book of the same name, was in 3rd place (7.4%). Completing the Top 5 was a new version of Plato's "Eigozuke," which can be accessed from mobile phones and will also be available for the Nintendo DS game console next month.

The BCN Ranking is based on sales data from about 2,000 stores nationwide.
BCN Ranking (Japanese)
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A Christmas Carol Podcast
eigoTown.com recently launched its new Classic Stories Series podcast service for English language learners. The series starts with a version of the Charles Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol." The site gives a brief background of the story and a biography of Dickens. The podcast is available to download free, and there is also a bilingual list of key vocabulary and an easy-to-follow script of the entire story.
Classic Stories Series: "A Christmas Carol"
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EnglishTown.com Launches Podcast
EnglishTown.com has launched a new podcasting service today aimed at users of the Mypop RSS reader developed by GMO Media. Mypop, which delivers news and information feeds directly to a user's desktop, has over 600,000 registered users (as of December 20, 2005). Among the dozens of channels already available is HungryFor Words, which sends out a mini English vocabulary lesson daily.
Mypop website
EnglishTown.com website
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Former Teacher Up for Major Award
Carl Shuker is author of the acclaimed novel The Method Actors (Shoemaker & Hoard), which has been short-listed for the Prize In Modern Letters in his native New Zealand, and which earlier this year the Japan Times called "as close to being a purely postmodernist novel as one is likely to find." An ambitious debut that runs to almost 500 pages, it is set in Tokyo at the turn of the millennium, a time that Shuker spent working as an English teacher in the metropolis. It is a story of twenty-somethings, from teachers on the JET Program to the children of a New Zealand judge who have use of a penthouse at the Shinjuku Prince Hotel. Shuker has lived on and off in Japan, where he is currently an editor of financial reports. He plans to move to London with his girlfriend Anna Smaill, also a writer. The Prize In Modern Letters is the world's largest literary prize for an emerging writer. The 2006 winner, who will receive NZ$65,000, will be announced in March. (photo © Shoemaker & Hoard)
Carl Shuker interview
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Speak English or Find a New Job!
The president of Turkmenistan has given his new oil and gas minister six months to master English - or get a new job. Saparmurat Niyazov, who as leader of the former Soviet republic has banned all political opposition and maintains control of all government branches and the media, gave the ultimatum to the new official on the basis that many foreign delegations are visiting the Central Asian nation to discuss access to its vast reserves of natural gas. "Get a private teacher, study at night at home if you like. Just learn English. If you haven't mastered it in six months, if you can't get by without a translator, you won't be minister anymore." The president's word is law in a country where everyone is obliged to read his book, 'Rukhnama,' and his likeness can be seen everywhere from golden statues and busts across the country to every banknote and coin in circulation.
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The Ghost of Global Education
In his latest Indirectly Speaking column in the Daily Yomiuri, Mike Guest takes to task the whole concept of bringing global issues into the language classroom, all in a kind of Christmas Carol spoof. He is "visited" by the Ghost of Global Education, who demands to know why he has not join the movement which "has been spreading rapidly among English teachers in Japan." Guest voices his doubts about teachers impoing their world views on their students, but in the end concedes that classes can focus on global issues without resorting to indoctrination, and can be taught at all but the lowest levels.
The ghost of global education (link will expire)
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Nellie’s ELT Workshop & Book Fair Series a Success
Nellie’s Group, a major supplier of ELT and other educational materials throughout Japan, recently completed its fifth annual series of ELT Workshop and Book Fairs. This year's events were held at six locations: Osaka, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Yokohama, Sendai, and Tokyo from October through December. Most major ELT publishers supported the events, displaying their latest publications and sponsoring presentations on the latest materials and teaching ideas. The events have grown in recent years, and this year over 1,300 people attended, leading to a large increase in overall on-the-day sales. The Tokyo and Osaka events also featured English-language rakugo for the first time. The traditional Japanese form of comic storytelling proved a big hit, with over 250 people attending each performance by Chris Lee. (Click for larger photo)
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TOEIC Pilot This Month in Japan
ETS, the US-based nonprofit institution that developed the TOEIC test, announced this week that "hundreds of Korean, Japanese and French test takers will participate in a pilot test of the Speaking and Writing sections scheduled for this month." The pilot test follows a first round of field testing which took place last April. ETS plans to launch the official test with the new Speaking and Writing components first in Japan and Korea, in the fourth quarter of 2006. The TOEIC test has been undergoing several changes, with the introduction of "authentic reading and listening tasks," which will continue to be administered through the paper-and-pencil format, and moving speaking and writing components to an Internet-based assessment format.

“These changes will increase the value of the new TOEIC test to individuals seeking success in the international business arena and will help companies determine whether their employees have the English-communication skills needed to ensure that success,” explained Paul A. Ramsey, Senior Vice President of ETS Global. Other improvements to the TOEIC test include enhanced score reports that will provide performance feedback within a test section, and strengths and weaknesses in specific skill areas. Test preparation materials will also be created to help test takers prepare for the new exam.
ETS press release
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Gaba Launches Online Writing Course
English school operator Gaba this week launched a new online writing course. "Gaba e-write powered by reallyenglish" is a collaboration with reallyenglish broadband Co. Ltd., who created the software program to help Japanese students develop their business English writing skills. The course is made up of 30 45-minute lessons, with gap fills, jumbled sentences and other exercises leading students to a completed business document. These are submitted to and checked by reallyenglish teachers based in London, and feedback is sent to the student within three business days. Gaba students can acess the program through their "myGaba" member's page. Gaba is in its tenth year of operations and has seen some 88,000 students attend its "learning studios" in the metropolitan area, and recently opened in Osaka and Nagoya.
Gaba website
reallyenglish website
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Early English Education Booming
The Asahi.com website ran a feature on the continuing boom in early English education in Japan. The article looked at the case of one "charisma mama" and her 3rd-grade child. The woman, Yukari Morifuji (30) from Ehime Prefecture, introduced her child to English, using picture books, CDs and videos, at the age of seven months. The child, now 9 years old, watches American TV shows, reads novels in English and has even started writing original stories. Morifuji started a website five years ago that records her child's progress with English, and the site has received over 3 million visits. Morifuji also stresses the importance of not neglecting the child's Japanese language skills.

The article also looked at ALC Press's magazine "Yochi Yochi Eigo" for parents of children aged up to three. In a survey of readers, when asked to what extent they wanted their children to acquire English ability, 70% said "Enough to be able to communicate easily with foreigners" while 20% said, "Enough to be able to work anywhere in the world." And according to another survey by Benesse Educational Research & Development Center, the number of pre-school children attending English conversation schools in the metropolitan area has increased to 14.2% from 5% in 2000.
Article in Japanese
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Nova, Teacher Settle Out of Court
Japan's largest English conversation school chain has settled out of court with a former teacher. Nova agreed to pay ¥400,000 to the Australian who sued them after he was financially penalized for associating with a female student. The company's standard contract includes a rule prohibiting teachers from associating with students, although the Osaka Bar Association last year recommended that it be removed following a similar case where a teacher was fired.

The Australian teacher joined Nova in October 1999 and was promoted three years later, entitling him to a monthly bonus of ¥20,000. But the company refused to continue paying him the bonus in February 2004 citing his "inappropriate ties" with the student. The teacher sued his employer for ¥1.8 million, for compensation and unpaid bonuses, in May 2004 saying that the relationship was a private matter. The district court urged the two sides to reach an amicable arrangement, which they did last month.
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Bobby's Advice: Don't Learn English!
Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine has a little advice for Kenji Jojima: don't waste time learning English. The former Fukuoka Softbank Hawks all-star catcher recently signed to play with the Seattle Mariners, and much of the English language media has focused on his limited English skills, considered vital for communication with pitchers. Jojima seems to agree and has hired a private tutor to teach him English before he heads to the US to join his new team. But Valentine, speaking at a winter meeting last week, advised the player that he has all the communication skills he needs. "You'll regret it if you spend time studying English. You don't need words." He added, "If I were his manager, I'd put together video and statistics on his pitching teammates and on opposing batters and send them to Jojima along with someone who could explain them to him. I'd leave English and info on opposing pitchers until later. Knowledge, rather than communication, is the key." Valentine is a prime example of someone who overcame the language barrier and achieved great success, this year becoming the first foreign manager to win the Japan Series.

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Drop in University Entrance Examinees
The total number of students who plan to sit the National University Entrance Examination (known as the Sentaa Shiken) in January is 551,382. This is a drop of 18,568 people, or about 3.3%, from last year.
Discuss this on our message board (December 12, 2005 )

Juku Student Murdered by Teacher
A 12-year-old Kyoto girl was stabbed by her juku teacher on Saturday and died later in hospital. The attack happened at the Uji Shinmei branch of Kyoshin, a major juku chain school, in a residential area of Uji City. Sayano Horimoto, a 6th grader, was stabbed by her 23-year-old teacher following a quarrel. The teacher called the police himself and was arrested for attempted murder, a charge later changed to murder when the girl died. Kyoshin is listed on the 2nd section of the Osaka Stock Exchange and coaches students in entrance exam preparation from junior high school to university level. The company also runs English conversation classes and dispatches home tutors. The case comes in the wake of several other recent child murders, but is particularly shocking for the millions of parents across the nation whose children attend jukus after school and at weekends, and who consider the cram schools as something of a safe haven for their kids.
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Ai Comfortable, On the Course and Off
Golfers Miyazato Ai (20) and Moromizato Shinobu (19) underwent a marathon course in English after both players qualified on Monday for next year's US LPGA Tour in a tournament in Florida, according to the Chunichi Shimbun. Miyazato easily won the event, leaving the field in her wake and winning by a record 12-stroke margin. She was also noticably more comfortable than her countrywoman in the two 8-hour courses, which prepared 38 rookies for taking part in the tour next year and included an IQ test and group games organized by a psychologist. Miyazato, from Okinawa, has always been interested in English and has the confidence to use it when paired with non-Japanese players, several of whom have become friends. Both players made use of the services of an interpretator.
Article in Japanese
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The Play's the Thing
Saturday's Asahi.com carried a feature on former JET and university English teacher Gart Westerhout, who runs a musical theater troupe in a small village in Ishikawa Prefecture. Osugi Musical Theater is based in mountain village of just 75 people, but has 40 members and has been a big success, even receiving recognition from the national government for its regional revitalization activities. Westerhaut, born in the Netherlands and raised in the US, came to Japan on the JET Program in 1987 and taught English for several years at Komatsu College. He is currently an associate professor of early childhood education at Kinjo College in Hakusan.
Tiny village hosts big-hearted troupe
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The Impact of Internationalization
In the second of a series of six articles entitled "The Impact of Internationalization," yesterday's Daily Yomiuri looked at the issue of the nationality of children born in Japan with one non-Japanese parent. The law stipulates that such cildren must choose between japanese and the other nationality when they turn 22. The law has many opponents, mostly parents who feel forcing their children to choose a nationality can ruin their efforts to overcome cultural differences and is akin to making them choose between their parents.
Nationality Law leaveschildren in limbo (link will expire)
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Back to Basics in Britain, Australia
There was an interesting column in The Times yesterday for anyone who teaches young children or is interested in phonics. The British government recently announced that schoolchildren are to return to the traditional method of learning to read by "synthetic phonics." The move follows an inquiry into the effectiveness of various teaching methods which found that synthetic phonics is by far the most successful. The method begins by teaching children letter sounds, an approach that is used by many native teachers of English here in Japan, but has been out of favor in the British public system for a generation.

A separate article in The Age describes how the Australian education system is moving in the same direction. According to the article, "a literacy inquiry will recommend that all children learn the phonics system as the basis of reading." It also mentions that the National Reading Panel in the US has pushed for explicit phonics programs.
The Times: Read my lips, Mr Peacock: phonics work
Sound schooling gets nod for basic skills
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Man Arrested for Pirating Eikaiwa Software
A Yokohama man was arrested this week for selling pirated English language teaching materials on the Internet, according to the Association of Copyright for Computer Software (ACCS). The man, a 27-year old company employee was arrested by Shimane Prefecture police on November 30 for violation of copyright law. According to the police, the man sold fake copies of the "Perfect English" CD-ROM, published by Shichida Educational Institute, on Yahoo! Auctions between the end of March and the end of April this year. He sold 90 illegal CD-R discs of the software, put together with photocopies of the accompanying textbooks to make three sets, for which he received a total of ¥75,500.
ACCS Website
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Meeting of Minds in the English Classroom
In today's Daily Yomiuri, Marshall R. Childs looks at learning and teaching English "an inherently social effort, not an intellectual one." In his regular Practical Linguist column, he has recently focused on the idea of teaching language as a way to help students to have a "meeting of minds" with speakers of that language. He points out that humans have a natural "drive for heart-to-heart understanding" which can be seen in infants and which "shows itself before language and in fact motivates the learning of language." But language education in Japan fails to capitalize on this natural urge and instead creates "a mechanical, objective, and above all heartless tour--seeing the language from outside. It is like a trip through a safari park, seeing a wild animal through the glass, but being unable to smell, touch and play with it."
Harnessing the human drive for meeting minds (link will expire)
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Kyoto JALT December Meeting
The Kyoto Chapter of JALT will be having meeting and presentation on Friday December 10, 2005 at the Kyoto Kyoiku Bunka Center from 6:00-8:00pm. The title of the presentation is "Learning about TOEFL: Focusing on the new TOEFL-iBT" and it will be presented by Megumi Kawate-Mierzejewska of Temple University. In this presentation, the new TOEFL-iBT (Internet-based testing) will be introduced and the following will be covered:
(a) new test format - description of each section (speaking, reading, writing and listening), sample questions;
(b) understanding and setting score scales, rubrics for writing & speaking, speaking and writing samples, CBT and PBT score comparisons;
(c) TOEFL iBT registration, fees, and policies;
(d) resources and skill building tips for test takers.
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