Abstract
Ever since 1989, there has been an intensification of efforts to reform English Language Teaching (ELT) in Japan. Policy initiatives such as “The Action Plan to Cultivate Japanese with English Abilities” launched in 2003, the implementation of “Foreign Language Activities” in elementary schools in 2011, the “Global 30” Project in higher education to promote English-medium learning in 2009 and the 2013 implementation of the revised national senior high school foreign language curriculum are all efforts initiated by the Japanese government to improve ELT practice and increase international awareness among Japanese learners. In spite of these initiatives, however, a continued disconnect between policy declarations and the realities of pedagogical practice has resulted in stasis in terms of policy implementation. We argue that the central agents of English language education policy in Japan – the teachers – are often left to their own devices to interpret and deliver policy initiatives that themselves may have conflicting messages, and may not provide teachers with specific educational tools to engage in meaningful, substantive pedagogical change. This disconnect must be addressed systematically in order to better empower teachers at the local level.
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Notes
- 1.
The Course of Study is the Japanese national curriculum. It is revised approximately every ten years and encompasses what subjects and courses are to be taught. There is a Course of Study formulated for elementary and secondary education in foreign languages.
- 2.
We utilize the terms “Inner Circle” and “Outer Circle” derived from Kachru’s Three Circles Model for convenience, but fully aware of its possible limitations.
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Glasgow, G.P., Paller, D.L. (2016). English Language Education Policy in Japan: At a Crossroads. In: Kirkpatrick, R. (eds) English Language Education Policy in Asia. Language Policy, vol 11. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22464-0_7
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