Eigo Noto - 英語ノート discussing the new Japanese elementary textbook - Part 1

This is part ONE of Two.

**In this two-part vlog I discuss the new textbook - Eigo Noto (English Notebook) - that is being introduced in Japanese elementary schools for 5th and 6th graders. The books are set to be officially adopted in all Japanese primary schools starting in April 2011. But most schools have started to use them this year.

**This vlog is really a response to an article in the Daily Yomiuri
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/columns/0002/
(the above link takes you to a part of the Yomiuri website in English that features a column that helps you learn Japanese)
written by a woman named Helene Uchida. She writes a recurring column for the DY in their "Language" section.

Here is a link to her article hosted on a blog about teaching:
http://educationinjapan.wordpress.com/edu-news/english-language-education-in-...

I hope this is of interest to current and new ALTs who will be teaching at elementary school. I invite all comments from JETs that have used the books - what are your thoughts on them?

If you want to know more - quite an interesting array of info about Eigo Noto is already online - simply google the words "eigo noto" in romaji and a bunch of interesting links pop up.

Someone has even taken the time to translate all the unit lessons into English - go here:
http://jettisoned.net/blog/eigo-noto/

Good luck teaching with this book - part two will be posted soon.

-Jason

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Eigo
• Noto
• 英語ノートJapanese
• elementary
• school
• JET
• Program
• ALT
• Japan
• Jason
• Daily
• Yomiuri

[travelour]

I train Japanese teachers of English and elementary school teachers who do foreign language activities. It's very important to distinguish between the two. Eigo Noto, despite its name, is not really about learning English. This is something most foreigners don't get. There are 3 goals for 外国語活動 1) to improve kids communication skills 2) foster an interest in foreign culture and 3) get kids familiar with foreign sounds. These are foundations for foreign language learning.  Nothing more.

[myargonauts]

@travelour good point - thanks for posting.

[impactjapan]

wow, your first decent person to give accurate views about teaching in Japan. I mayself have taught in Japan at various levels. I checked up information about JET, why is it, that if you alreadly live in Japan have to be interviewed abroad?

Secondly, have you had any issues with your Japanese teachers- in terms of methodologly.

How do you see the current situation of treatment towards ALT's- dispatch companies.

[myargonauts]

@impactjapan you have to be "recruited" thru a foreign embassay - but you can do the whole app process from Japan - but you're right - you do have to fly to your home country for the interview.

No real issues as far as methodology - I always respected my position as an Assistant, and tried to offer more as was needed. I'll be fully in charge for the first time when I return soon to start work at the uni - so that'll be an interesting change.

Dispatch ALTs have a tough time - good luck to them

[Danoftouni]

Subscribed =)

[myargonauts]

@Danoftouni cool - I'm soon gonna return to Japan so fresh Japan-based vids are on the horizon

[xenocrisis0153]

I HATE Eigo Note. I came to Japan in 2008, so I had one year of Eigo Note-free teaching where I taught the students things like counting to 1,000 and whatnot. Having to teach 5th-graders how to count to 20 was a total waste of my classtime. I tried explaining to my schools that the EN program was an insult to the intelligence of the students, but no good. The BOE fired me, but the PTA loved me for defending their students against such an awful program.

Use either EN OR an ALT, not both!!

[thinker900]

Thanks for the reply, but unfortunately I won't be working in Japan for another 2 to 3 years from now. If you knopw of any exciting and relatively new text series, please don't hesitate to give me a ring.

[myargonauts]

@thinker900 you want to order the Eigo Noto textbooks? You can't. They are a government supplied textbook in Japan. If you work in Japan, you could perhaps buy a copy thru your school to have as a personal copy.

[thinker900]

What the site to order this series? If at all possible?