English in Elementary schools

Is formally taught to grades 5 and 6 usually using the ‘Hi Friends’/ ‘Eigo Noto’ textbooks.

It is recommended that they study for at least one period each week. (So when you aren’t there too.) There is no current obligation for schools to teach it to lower grades.

However most schools encourage English classes to lower grades as part of their integrated study or cultural awareness.

Most, but not all schools will already have a curriculum or plan for subject areas within teaching English.

FREEDOM!

“I don't really team teach in elementary school. I have an incredible amount of independence; I make my own schedule, telling the head teacher every week what grade levels I will be teaching the following week.” “The curriculum from 1st-4th grade is completely up to me to design, and besides the request that I cover the textbook material for 5th and 6th grades, I'm also free to do whatever I want there.”

Freedom? But at what cost?

“I really found ES entirely different from JHS in most aspects. During the couple of ES workshops I attended, there was a gentle mention that ES teachers are not required to know or speak any English, but I don't feel at any point it was clearly stated that you may find yourself walking into a classroom with a teacher who takes a seat in the corner of the classroom, speaks and understands no English, offers no translation of your instructions/ explanations, no discipline to disruptive students and in general, doesn’t give off the vibe of wanting to be in the situation with you. “ Classes of this type are classes where the ALT becomes the main teacher.

So, what is the English language like with teachers at Elementary School?

You will get a wide range of responses.

Some Elementary Schools have teachers with strong English language skills. (These teachers are often few and far between.) Some have not used it for a long time.

Some have much better English ability than they tell you.

In all situations, you have to coax it from them.

Japanese?

You will need to use Japanese at Elementary School to teach effectively, not high level Japanese, but enough to facilitate communication, explain your lesson plans . (Diagrams help too.) Often the students will ask you questions through your teachers, so work hard to understand them as best you can.

“I had heard from my predecessor before I began teaching that at 2 of my elementary schools, I would be responsible for the lesson planning. I worked over the summer to brainstorm lesson ideas and games. I had still anticipated, however, that before my first lesson, after the initial introduction at school, that I would have the chance to discuss the lesson with the teachers before class. I looked about the teachers room two minutes before my very first elementary lesson but the HRT had ran out – no chance to talk. I got to the class and they stood in the back and quietly nodded for me to begin.” “I found myself in many situations like this one; no prior communication before class. I would recommend to new ALT’s to not be afraid to be a little proactive in these situations. It’d be good to talk with the HRT in the morning or even before your visit, one thing I started doing was explaining my game ideas to the HRT beforehand. This made the class run so much smoother and also saved a lot of valuable class time.”

Meet the teachers

If you can, (and this is completely voluntary,) I suggest making time, maybe a week before teaching, to visit the school and discuss your plans with each of the teachers.

Going in to school to meet with them, especially outside of the allocated teaching day goes a long way to demonstrating your commitment to helping make the best classes you can for their students. It is hard and requires sacrificing your time, but I find it immeasurably helpful.

What do I teach?

The grade 5 and 6 books are designed to enable teaching English from scratch, but the reality now is most students have had several years of English before, in the lower grades. (Students are being taught earlier). So often it is beneficial if you can generate additional activities to reinforce grade 5 and 6 learning materials, (to do with you, your experiences and your home culture,) and maybe even to leave for the teacher to use in your absence.

If material is ready they are more likely to use it, and if it is fun, the students are more likely to ask their teacher for the extra activities…

At grades 1 – 4 you most likely, to be T1 all of the time. It is not a bad thing, but remember, you are part of a team. You will most likely be expected to plan and prepare all of your lessons. The effort you employ is at your discretion, how much you put in is up to you, but be mindful of the expectation on you from the students, and teachers. Bring your teachers in to your plans with discussions before class, listen to what they say, they know the students better than you do, they should know how to get them on board and what sort of activities they will respond well to, and what they won’t engage in.

Topics to teach may be very specific for each visit (When is your Birthday?), or very loose (Numbers, Animals, Weather), but beyond this it will be up to you how you use the 40 minutes. There will be an expectation of greetings, maybe a game or activity and some structure to the teaching. Plan the time, but have flexibility, make parts interchangeable in case the students are faster or slower at completing your activities. Be patient with students, encourage them and praise them.

“What do you think of it?” そのことについてどう思う？ (Sono koto ni tsuite dō omou?) The teachers are then involved in your team plan, if they want you to change aspects; you still have time to make adjustments. If they feel you are pitching to the wrong level, they can advise you on how the children might benefit more from different approaches, maybe they have tried your ideas before. Often they will have ideas themselves, some of the best classes come from collaborative thinking, tweaking each other’s ideas. Remember you are a team, they are not giving you the students just to play games with, they are relying on you, (initially a relative stranger) to help teach their students, that they are responsible for, about a subject which you have more experience of. Sometimes teachers may not initially want your help, you must win them over, reinforcing the team elements and teaching together. Don’t forget, you are just a small part of their teaching role, you need to work to help them, being as useful as possible during your time with them.

Games vs. Activities

English at Elementary School should be as fun as you can possibly make it. The students will study English in earnest at the Junior High School level onwards. Trying to incorporate ‘games’ at every opportunity is great, but remember, the students are there to learn, and, their learning always needs structure. This is a very important period for the students, in terms of English. Remember, you may be the first non-Japanese person they have ever met, let alone spoken to. Some will be nervous, some will be excited, but everyone will be curious, and not just on your first visit.

Empower your teachers…

Even if you are T1, you should try to persuade a teacher to take the role.

You may have prepared everything and give it to them.

Like with JHS it is important for students to see their teachers take charge, and hopefully to continue teaching in between your visits.

Beyond the Classroom

“There will be good days and bad days, good classes and bad classes, but when ES teaching goes well, it can be the most rewarding part about being an ALT. When a 1st year ES student, who had no English prior to meeting you, sees you in the corridor and voluntarily says “Hello, my names is ______ , nice to meet you, goodbye!” after only one lesson with you, you realise the difference, no matter how little, you can make to your students.”

ES presentation slides

Transcript ES presentation slides