The recent Japan Times article of the survey ripping elementary English as useless motivated me to unearth a model class lesson that I led while on JET. This lesson plan is available at my online store for free. Constructive feedback and collaboration would be appreciated.
Summary:
In February 2006, I led a model lesson
at one of the many elementary schools that I served at in Kawaguchi City,
Saitama a city that borders on Tokyo’s Kita Ward. The aim of this model lesson was to show the
other native English teachers that were being dispatched to elementary schools
the best practice in terms of utilizing the class’s Japanese homeroom teacher,
getting the students involved by facilitating a positive experience with
learning English through games, listening and
singing.
A decade has passed and while this
model lesson took place during the dark ages of English training at elementary
schools in Japan, much of what was or wasn’t getting done remains today. The elementary school visits for a native
English-speaking teacher can be a mixed bag in terms of outcomes and
support. Today’s teachers are more tech
savvy and have done a great job of putting lesson plans, activities, etc. regarding
elementary school visits online.
However, this still doesn’t solve the language barrier that many native
English-speaking teachers have due to a lack of Japanese ability combined with
the teacher’s inexperience and the absence of a set of goals and objectives to
accomplish at the elementary visits.
English education was
formally introduced in Japan for 5th and 6th graders in 2011 and is still in
its early stages. In 2020, the formal
visits to elementary schools with be required to spend 70 hours of English
language instruction a year, doubling current requirements. To that end, this model lesson serves as the
bridge between “just winging it” to actually being prepared and hopefully will
provide a positive experience with learning English through games, listening and singing in the classroom.
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