User:DLEE83/Bilingual education by country or region

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Japanese Bilingual Education

Japan is one of the countries that has adopted English as their second language. One of the reasons Japan has adopted English as its second language is that it is one of the most significant global lingua franca due to globalization (Nyree 2016).[1] Nyree states that Japan performs poorly in English, evidenced by its ranking as number 29 out of 30 Asian countries that took part in an English test despite choosing it over languages close to it, such as Chinese and Korean, to mention a few (Nyree 2016).[2] Due to fewer hours dedicated to learning English, the Japanese have challenges communicating in English (Ikegashira 2009).[3]

The Japanese school system is as follows: six years in elementary, three years in junior high school, three years in high school, and 4 or 2 years in the university (Ikegashira 2009).[4] Jones (2019) also states that about 20% of Japanese children learn English in private elementary schools.[5] The percentage of individuals learning English increases as the education level increases. For example, more individuals learn English in high school than in junior high school.

In the past, most students began studying English as a compulsory subject in Junior high school. However, since 2002 studying English was not mandatory, and students could choose to learn another foreign language other than English (Ikegashira 2009).[6] However, with the increase in the need for Japan to achieve globalization in various ministries such as Education, Science and Technology, and Culture, to mention a few, Japan has intensified its effort for people to learn English (Aizawa 2019).[7] The Japanese government intensified its effort for people to learn English by increasing the emphasis on English Medium Instruction (EMI) programs in 2014 by increasing investments in these programs. EMI programs are programs where different subjects are taught in English. EMI programs have been used in undergraduate classes.

Few students are attracted to EMI programs in undergraduate courses despite the increase in EMI programs (Morizumi).[8] According to Jones, English was compulsory for sixth and fifth-grade students (Jones 2019).[9] The sixth and fifth-grade students were taught English weekly through games and songs. In junior high school, an English lesson takes thirty-five minutes a week. English takes approximately 612.5 hours in high school. 97% of junior high schools administer an entrance English exam to high school, encouraging students to take English studies seriously (Jones 2019). [10]

Approximately 80119 non-Japanese children cannot speak Japanese as their first language.[11] Out of 80119, approximately 29363 take other foreign languages other than English. According to Butler (2007), Spanish, Portuguese, and Filipino are the other foreign languages.[12] Less than 20% of all the non-Japanese-speaking kids in Japan are involved in bilingual programs. More than 63% of them are engaged in studying Japanese programs to enable them to communicate in Japan since most of them are immigrants (The Japan Times Ltd. 2019).[13]

Most individuals learn a second language after attaining the age of six. Therefore, Japan has late bilingualism, which happens after an individual has acquired the first language. Japanese students start learning English as a second language in junior high school. In elementary school, the Japanese do not put a lot of emphasis on the language. The Japanese bilingual education is different from other countries, such as Australia. Children in Australia begin learning a second language when they are three years through their primary caregivers and preschool programs (Center for Community Child Health 2014).[14] Hence the type of bilingualism in Australia is the success of early bilingualism. [1] Nyree, J. A. C. O. B. S, "The effectiveness of bilingual education in Japan: A way forward," The journal of Nagasaki University of foreign studies 20 (2016): 1.

[2] Nyree, J. A. C. O. B. S, "The effectiveness of bilingual education in Japan: A way forward," The journal of Nagasaki University of foreign studies 20 (2016): 1.

[3] Ikegashira, Atsuko, Yumi Matsumoto, and Yoshiko Morita, "English education in Japan: From kindergarten to university," Into the next decade with (2nd) FL teaching (2009)

[4] Ikegashira, Atsuko, Yumi Matsumoto, and Yoshiko Morita, "English education in Japan: From kindergarten to university," Into the next decade with (2nd) FL teaching (2009)

[5] Jones, Brent Allen. "The role of English education in Japan." Memoirs of Learning Utility Center for Konan University Students 4 (2019): 23.

[6] Ikegashira, Atsuko, Yumi Matsumoto, and Yoshiko Morita, "English education in Japan: From kindergarten to university," Into the next decade with (2nd) FL teaching (2009)

[7] Aizawa, Ikuya, and Heath Rose, "An analysis of Japan's English as Medium of Instruction Initiatives Within Higher Education: The Gap Between Meso-Level Policy and Micro-Level Practice," Higher Education 77, no. 6 (2019): 1125-1142

[8] 史Morizumi, "EMI in Japan: Current Status and Its Implications."123.

[9] Jones, Brent Allen. "The role of English education in Japan." Memoirs of Learning Utility Center for Konan University Students 4 (2019): 23.

[10] Jones, Brent Allen. "The role of English education in Japan." Memoirs of Learning Utility Center for Konan University Students 4 (2019): 23.

[11] Yoshida, Reiji, and Mizuho Aoki. 2017. "Number Of Foreign Students At Public Schools Who Lack Japanese Language Skills Hits Record High". The Japan Times. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/06/13/national/number-foreign-students-public-schools-lack-japanese-language-skills-hits-record-high/.

[12] Butler, Yuko Goto. "Foreign language education at elementary schools in Japan: Searching for solutions amidst growing diversification." Current issues in language planning 8, no. 2 (2007): 135.

[13] The Japan Times Ltd. 2019. "Helping Foreign Residents Learn Japanese". The Japan Times. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/06/27/editorials/helping-foreign-residents-learn-japanese

[14] Center for Community Child Health, "Practice Brief: Promoting Bilingual Children Communication Development", 2014, https://www.rch.org.au/uploadedFiles/Main/Content/ccch/CCCH_Practice_Brief_March2014.pdf