Elementary School…
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.”
“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.”
But remember…