Half of middle school teachers unaware of grade-school English

A recent survey shows that less than half of the nation's public middle school teachers know what English-language programs are on offer at their surrounding primary schools, despite a new curriculum set to go into effect in 2011 that requires fifth- and sixth-graders to study the language. In the first survey of its kind, educational service provider Benesse Corp. sent questionnaires to head

English teachers at 9,300 public middle schools nationwide in July and August. The surveys included questions on teaching methods, desired training programs and attitudes toward primary-school-level English. More than 3,600 teachers, or 39.1 percent, responded. With the 2011 implementation of the revised teaching guidelines for primary schools, middle schools will no longer be the official starting point for English education.

The survey found 48.5 percent of the respondents said they knew what kind of English lessons were offered at primary schools whose graduates enter their schools. Just 14.8 percent said they occasionally conducted English lessons at primary schools, while 13.5 percent said they modified their ways of conducting classes in line with how English lessons were offered at the lower level.

In this sense, Yoshida is concerned that only half of the respondents were aware of the English programs offered at their respective local primary schools, as the survey shows. "If middle school teachers still consider English education at the two school stages to be unrelated, it will be difficult for them to take advantage of what primary school graduates know and to help them further develop their skills”.