Job Discussion Forums

[jrwhisky]

So I know this is a common and prevalent rule especially for foreign English teachers in Japan. Though it has never affected me until today. After being here for two years, I've never had complaints. I try to use Japanese only as last resort or to keep the ball rolling so to speak. Trying to gesture every little misunderstanding or new word can take up a lot of time. but enough with the details here is the story.

Today's class went like any other, I was teaching some very new students two 6 year old girls at a Juku/Kaiwa I work at. We were playing a dice game and One of the sides is cat and we call that, " meow meow Mono Mane Imitation", where the students draws a card and has to imitate. Or "Inu Undo Exercise" etc. well I thought it was cute. But my associate teacher was not so happy with this. Now she tells me from now on I can't use Japanese in class. blah blah blah, I need to play the role of a proper gaijin, bla blah blah if you can't explain a word in Japanese you can call me in and I'll come out and translate it for you, even if you know the translation yourself.

My thoughts...absurd but more importantly what are you thoughts on this? How do these meticulous rules really reflect on the student teacher relationship and who here has been successful at using the "Absolutely No Japanese" rule? Does that rule even work? I think so, under circumstances that you have a group of enthusiastic children with a high aptitude for language learning. Then again, when it comes to overworked, academically abused Japanese kids I think situation changes for them a bit.

Your thoughts?

[Maitoshi]

I think it's funny that this is still a debate on the Japanese EFL scene. At any rate, I think she is afraid for her role in the lessons. If you don't need her to serve as translater, what do you need her for?

[TokyoLiz]

Ideally, instructors highly proficient in Japanese should instruct lower-level students while instructors highly proficient in English should instruct the higher-level students. Preferably, all instructors should have some knowledge of the L1. While L2 use should be maximized, occa- sional strategic use of the L1 would be beneficial. Students need exposure to the L2 first, but the L1 can assist when L2 examples and explanations cannot alleviate confusion. L1 support could benefit lower-level students during test prepara- tion, but not appear in the tests. Lower level students should have access to bilingual texts that include L2–L1 definitions and L1 explanations of L2 grammar and usage. The use of L1 should not be punished, and the use of L2 encouraged.

This is the conclusion of reaearchers who surveyed learners to find out what put them at ease.

I second what Maitoshi said. She's probably got some stereotypes about what "gaijin" teachers are supposed to do. But then, she's in the business of selling gaijin caché to Japanese parents.

I work in a school. Non-Japanese teachers are expected to be conversant, if not fluent, in Japanese at our school. We judiciously use Japanese when it is more efficient to translate than to use circumlocution.

By the time our students reach junior 3rd year, all instruction is in Emglish, led by both non-Japanese and Japanese teachers.

[marley'sghost]

Don't sweat it.
With the little ones, "The Happy Cat Game" or whatever is just as good as "Meow, Meow, Mane Neko". Once you demonstrate it, and the kids know how to do it, what you call it is not so important. With small groups of little kids learning simple vocabulary and sentences, you don't really need to use Japanese.

"....need to play the role of a proper gaijin.."
Did your associate really say that?

[nightsintodreams]

No, no, no, you're getting it all wrong. You're not supposed to do what will actually help the children learn English, you're supposed to do what Japanese people expect of you, the silly little gaijin. However backwards or deprimental it is to the learning of your students, learn that and you'll get along better.

[mitsui]

Can't do it.
I have tried but you can use simple English but after that just give them directions in Japanese.
Do this to maximize the time they are spent learning.

I mostly teach lower level students now.
To say we must only speak English is incredibly idealistic and not practical.
English only means that the lesson plan must be easy enough for every student to follow, but what you find is that it is never the case.

Japanese teachers tend to teach harder lessons since it is easy for them to explain things in Japanese.

With team teaching you can only use English if the other teacher is very helpful with helping the lowest level ones, but I find many teachers cannot handle the laziest students, especially boys, which forces me to deal with them.

I have been told that when I am strict with bad students in Japanese that is fine, but only then.
I tend to whisper in Japanese when certain students don't know what to do.

For years I only spoke English in class but what I found was that class went better if I did use some Japanese, since students wanted to communicate with me and I was able to build rapport as other foreign teachers could not as they never bothered to learn Japanese.

[TokyoLiz]

[Maitoshi]

If you do number 2, what's the difference between that and repeating what you said in Japanese (other than for the already proficient student)?

[mitsui]

No, I mean reading lessons with hard vocabulary.
For high school the textbooks do get harder and students can fall behind.

Did choral drills yesterday.

[kpjf]

[TokyoLiz]

Maitoshi, good question.

My fluency in Japanese is not native, so I refrain from giving instructions in Japanese. However, I understand Japanese well. With junior first years, I give task instructions in English with modeling, realia, chalkboard illustrations, whatever it takes. I ask the students to cooperate with one another to confirm what they understood. I may explain up to three times. More proficient peers explain to less proficient ones, repairing any misunderstanding. To follow the instruction, when time allows, I get students to examine key words or phrases I used in explanation, and chorally drill. The next time I explain, they comprehend more. It's not the only way to do things, but it works and my students enjoy the exercise.

The more proficient peers become coaches, stretching their own capacity, while helping less proficient peers with word meaning.

[TokyoLiz]

Kpjf, that's another good rationale.

I won't write the translation on the board. In some lessons I give a word box, and the students look up the word in dictionaries. The first to find the word and confirm it with me writes the Japanese word on the board. I can read well, but cannot write at near-native level. To prepare for my lessons, I look up words in my materials to confirm I know it in Japanese.

Most of the activities I do with junior high are vocab activities.

[Maitoshi]

Tokyoliz, your strategy is sound and the class does sound fun!

[Maitoshi]

Sorry, I couldn't resist a little polysemous humor, but my post is sincere.

[TokyoLiz]

I'm still learning new things every day, and finding out what works with the age range I work with. I'm also learning heaps of new things - Japanese vocabulary, classroom management techniques, appealing activities and types of practice.