English Education at Elementary Schools

　

　Few years ago, Japanese Ministry of Education announced that they will implement English education as a compulsory subject in elementary schools for 5^th and 6^th grade students from 2011. Until now, people have usually started studying English from junior high schools but I think from junior high was too late to learn and master a new language. In fact, in Japan, there are only few students who can speak English well after graduating high schools. Starting earlier is better for studying languages. Therefore I agree with introducing English classes into elementary schools.

What makes me strongly think that students should learn English from elementary schools is my memory at junior high school. I still remember that many students of first grade at junior high already had gave a wide berth to English even before they started studying English, and such students soon became not able to keep up with English classes. I suppose the reason why it happened is that English classes came out suddenly from junior high schools without having been accustomed to it during elementary schools or earlier than that. Before studying grammar, students need enough time to become close to English singing English songs or watching cartoon films, for example, as children learn Japanese.

Thus, though only for 5^th and 6^th grade students and only once a week is not enough, I guess students’ consciousness for English will be changed in some degree by English classes at elementary schools. However, I hope English education in Japan become more active and it should be introduced more often and in early elementary grades, too.