 The most common problem students in Japan face when learning English Japan is a country facing rapid change. Due to an aging population and a scarcity of workers, Japan is opening its borders to foreigners, many of whom speak English This, along with the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, has led to an increase in demand for English teachers I currently work in Japan and have had the experience of teaching English to high school Japanese students for the past year Over the course of this year, I've learned of many problems that students in Japan face when learning English Of those, the top three problems for students in Japan are pronunciation, shyness, and large class sizes The phonology of the Japanese language is such that every sound ends in a vowel, save for one the end sound It is very difficult for students to become accustomed to and pronounce the hard consonant sounds of English Students face an additional barrier in the form of wuseigo or loan words from English These words are commonplace and use the Japanese phonology So for students used to saying Koninku, the word Koning is very difficult to pronounce In addition, meanings have shifted as words have been adopted Koning, for example, is a word used to refer to cheating on a test and not someone who is exceptionally clever as it does in standard English So, Japanese students face many problems as they adjust to the phonology and meanings of standard English Another major problem students face here is shyness Japan is a collectivist society The emphasis is on the group here Thus, students are often reluctant to speak out or state their own opinions separate from the group This becomes a problem in the English classroom as many assignments designed to practice spontaneous creation of language rely on students speaking their minds Often, even students with advanced English ability are reluctant to participate in assignments such as debates which are commonplace in the foreign language classroom in western countries As I've learned, it isn't common in the Japanese education system for students to engage in creative assignments Even in their native language classes, lessons tend to focus on concrete facts rather than on creativity Even young students struggle with this and for high school students being asked to imagine what comes next in a story can invoke great anxiety and have further reluctance to participate in the class This is a problem not only in my classroom but in classrooms across the country Class size in Japanese schools The final problem I will discuss is class size English is becoming a required subject for many Japanese students starting from elementary school However, class sizes tend to be quite large 30 to 40 students make up a homeroom class on average This works fine for regular lecture-based classes For foreign language classes, it becomes a problem With so many students in one room, it becomes very difficult for students to work in small groups and for teachers to be able to help individual students with their English In such large classes, it is easy for the noise level to get overwhelming and for shy or quieter students to slip through the cracks and get away with not speaking or participating in assignments Thus, despite many Japanese students studying English as a subject for 10 or more years, the majority of Japanese adults cannot speak English Are you ready to teach English in Japan? In my one year of teaching English in Japan, I've learned a lot about being an English teacher and a teacher in general However, the problems mentioned above, as well as many others plaguing the English education system here, make it very difficult for the vast majority of students in Japan to have meaningful language learning experiences A teacher who wishes to work in Japan in the public school system will have to adapt their teaching practices, often in ways that don't agree with current educational literature in order to meet the requirements of their employer and the education department Still, an English teacher can easily find jobs here and make a difference in the lives of learners Despite all of these problems facing learners in Japan, it is still a wonderful country to live and teach in and one I recommend to aspiring EFL teachers Apply now for your TEFL TESOL certification course and start teaching in a matter of months Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad Send us an email or call us toll free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today