Foreign language was recently added to Japan's national primary school curriculum. Phoneme-Grapheme Recognition (PGR) skills are a critical step in both L1 and L2 development. Due to its simplistic approach and the lack of new investment in teacher training, research regarding the impact on PGR skills are important. This study tested the relative…

Background: This study investigates how the criterion-referenced (CR) approach has impacted relationships between goals, classroom practices, and student achievement in English education in Japan from 1994 to the present, a period covering three government-mandated administrations of a national curriculum (Course of Study). No study has…

This article reports a multiple case study that explores the potential impact of Japan's national curriculum for senior high school English as a foreign language (EFL), specifically in relation to the integration of grammar teaching with communicative work, a key component of the curriculum and an area globally underresearched in high schools. The…

In 1997 English became a compulsory subject in Korean elementary schools. The education of English teachers for the elementary level was accelerated. The training curriculum was reformed according to the educational objective to enhance students' oral communication skills in English. Coupled to this change, the introduction of English Teacher…

Discusses current problems with English-language education in Japan. Highlights the new features that the Japanese Ministry of Education is planning, including the compulsory study hours for all students at all levels. (Author/VWL)

Analyzed the sixth and seventh national curricula of Korea and middle school English textbooks that were adopted on the basis of both curriculums to critically compare the differences between the two the curriculums. Also compares Korean curricula with those of Japanese, considering the situation concerning English education is similar in Japan…

In Japan, objectives and content of high school language courses are stipulated in the National Curriculum of Japan or The Course of Study. The last major overhaul of this curriculum in language learning occurred in 1989, and it aimed at the enhancement of communicative competence and understanding of international relations. Accordingly, now…

As the second volume of a seven-volume series, this book describes curriculum development as three interrelated processes: planning, enacting, and evaluating. Curriculum development is a dynamic process that happens among learners and teachers in the classroom. In this volume, readers will encounter teachers, curriculum developers, and…

In the communicative approach, English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners use scripted and unscripted language. In practice, scripted language is typically over-utilized at the expense of unscripted language. This study explores the characteristics of scripted and unscripted language in 11 beginner-level EFL students in a Japanese junior high…