Exploring the education system in Japan
Seiko high school — one of the best high schools in Japan from my knowledge — greeted me with the warmest welcome. This business field trip gave me a chance to directly talk to middle and high school students– the potential customers of the product that I am developing. Exploring the school with the guidance of Saki-san, the only English female teacher in Seiko, in retrospect, shed light towards the education system in Japan, especially English learning in Japanese schools.
I first met brilliant Seiko High School students in San Francisco when I took charge of presenting Minerva concept to those students during their visit to Silicon Valley. That time, Seiko students came to Minerva Headquarter as honorable guests, and I was the host.
This time, I came to Seiko high school as a guest and was welcomed with the warmest greeting. It took me 1.5 hours to reach that prestigious all-male school in Yokohama under the boiling sun, but the tiredness was soon replaced by excitement and curiosity. At first sight, I noticed Saki-san and two other Seiko students to whom I talked in San Francisco a few months ago. I exuberantly made a handshake before being led into different floors of this middle-sized school, yet full of bright and talented students.
My journey around Seiko schools
I came to Seiko when all the exams have finished, and students were supposed to have started their summer. Contrary to my expectation that all students must have gone back home, I still noticed several students lingering around the campus, immersing themselves in club activities about film production or further practicing their mathematics for the university entrance examination next year. The determination in every person in Seiko high school is unquestionable, seeing those people trying hard every second has constructed my first impression on the unyielding study culture in Japanese students.
From the eco-friendly roof-top, I can broaden my viewpoint to observe students practicing their favorite sports, from Olympics sports to traditional Japanese ones. Compared to Vietnamese educational system where the academic record is the ultimate priority, and physical education is poorly respected, Japanese students seem to be able to maintain both physical health and knowledge absorption at school. Those two things are inseparable, as learning without a healthy body puts some hardship in digesting new lessons. Exercise towards a stronger body and a fresher state of mind, that concept is beautifully crafted with the focus on physical education at Seiko school.
Insightful conversation
The next destination after the rooftop was teachers’ office. Had it not been for Saki-san’s introduction, I would not have been able to talk to different faculty members, from the principals to well-known English teachers there. I spoke to several teachers, each held different ideas on the future of Seiko schools, but all mentioned the rise of English education in Japan, as Japanese education ministry will incorporate speaking tests into the national university exam a few years later. For that reason, Seiko school has been integrating weekly English speaking with native speakers for middle-school students online. If all Japanese students can expose to English speakers like those in Seiko, Olympics Tokyo 2020 will witness a new Japanese appearance, where the host country has both cutting-edge technology and a decent amount of people being able to communicate in English. Language learning is not eating instant noodle, especially when English alphabet is different from the Japanese one. A structured and comprehensive preparation for the young generation at this moment promises a new era of English-speaking thriving in Japan in the next few years.
Besides conversing with faculty members, I also had a chance to exchange perspectives with two other Malaysian interns at Seiko high school. I met them as they were conducting a cultural workshop preparing English for Seiko students who would go to Canada in a few days. Even though the interns could not speak Japanese and Seiko students had difficulties in communicating in English, the workshop still witnessed several positive aspects. Firstly, students could comfortably perform play-role with other students in English, which implies that they have the ability to communicate in a new language if being exposed in a cozy environment where mistakes are not judged or punished. Secondly, students accumulated some writing materials about culture, which would, hopefully, help them make the most out of their home stay period in Canada.
While Japan is still sticking with the traditional English testing system with reading and writing, the new wave of comprehensive learning focusing on all skills (exams, yet I believe, interns should be free to integrate all of their creativity into teaching English shortly as the examination system requires more verbal ability in a few years. At the end of the day, passing an exam is nothing but just a certificate. On the other hand, positively speaking in English, despite making a few mistakes, satisfies the aim of a language learning process. With the new policy ahead, I have a belief in the future of English education in Japan, as can be seen in the weekly speaking English with native speakers in Seiko school. As time is always the best conclusion for every hypothesis, I will wait for time to reveal future of English learning in Japan.
