English-language boot camp in OSAKA

As is often said that, generally speaking, Japanese are not good at speaking English, despite their enthusiasm for leaning. However, it is true that quite a few Japanese are very good commanders of English, but it is also the case that many of learners do not have confident to speak English in front of native speakers or they seem to believe they cannot deal with that language well from the very beginning.

To overcome these situations, Osaka education authorities decided to ship their teachers to English teachers boot camp, where ALTs(Assistant Language Teachers) are their instructors, the October 27th issue of ASAHI Online reported. According to the article, about 600 teachers will have attended by the end of fiscal 2007.

One of my extended family members is an English teacher for junior high school, but I've heard that he recently started to listened to an NHK radio course because he cannot speak English well and would be tested in the near future. Unfortunately, I think it is a matter-of-fact.

This is why such a drive must have a good impact on English education in Japan, but in addition that, in my view, what material would students learn is also important. Though I don't know how English is now taught at a junior or senior high school, I recommend them to use material that would attract students' attention. In other word, as a rule, the text books they use are too boring, stuff and stodgy. For example a piece of article of TIME, an American weekly newsmagazine, that include Ichiro or Matsui or some outstanding Japanese must be more intriguing even if it is too difficult for them to read without a dictionary. However, you can learn real English and students can sense how those people are described by top-notch writers of native English speakers.

Anyway, I hope Osaka's education body's approach should expand to all across the country and contribute to boosting this country's competitiveness in an Interatnaional arena.