Essays

The ALT: An Overview

In Japan, students leave school able to read simple books in English and write essays, but barely able to interpret the question, “What is your name?” when asked by a native speaker. The will and confidence of the students is low and teachers speak to the students in Japanese. Recognizing this problem, the Japanese government created the JET Programme in 1987 to increase cultural awareness and English communication within schools across Japan by introducing an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) into most secondary schools and some primary schools.

Chuo Kookoo is a very academic senior high school. There are 3 grades and students’ ages range from 16 to 18. The ALT is considered an aid to communication in the second language and is therefore only made use of in conversation classes, which seem to be a rare occurrence. This is because, in Japan, the students’ communication and speaking abilities are not tested. Grammar translations seem to be the main task as they are the easiest to grade. On Monday I have no classes because students take quizzes which review the work they did in the previous week. I reach each class for 45 minutes once every two or three weeks. For the majority of my day I sit at my desk in the teachers’ room planning lessons that will never be taught or learning Japanese.

I do not see third year students because they are busy preparing to enter university. The help of the native speaker is not required as communication activities are irrelevant to the students’ study, even though English is an entry requirement for many of the top universities. The sad truth is that within the current education system in Japan a native speaker and qualified English teacher cannot be of major value, as they are usually unable to help the students complete the grammar translation exercises by which the students are tested.

The JET Programme has effectively introduced more foreigners into the general landscape of Japan. Gaijin (foreigners) are less likely to be pointed at in the street and met with curious stares and giggles. However, the schools and examination boards have not been altered or adapted to make efficient use of the ALTs. If the improvement the general language ability of the students were the main concern of the students and teachers an ALT could be of greater use and more would be done to incorporate the ALT into lessons.

Finally I am making inroads by volunteering to lead a communications club. After getting permission from the school, it will be called ESS　(English Speaking Society) and will take place every Monday after school.　I intend to focus on drama games, for confidence, intonation/pronunciation, error correction and the use of the creative imagination in a foreign language!