Preface

　

English Education in Japan has changed enormously over recent years.　The focus has shifted from teaching rote memorization, grammar and direct translation to the development of the four skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. There is an increasing emphasis being placed on using ‘communicative English' in the classroom, with a need for making lessons more interactive and exciting for both students and teachers.

Team Teaching plays a vital role in teaching communicative English.　The firsthand exposure to a native English-speaking AET provides students with an unparalleled opportunity to see studying a foreign language as a practical tool for actual communication, rather than just a set of grammar rules for translation. Also, the interaction between the AET and the JTE shows students that non-native speakers, like themselves, can communicate in a foreign language.

Although many teachers are changing their teaching style, some have found that they have received very little practical guidance about how to teach English 'communicatively'. At the Education Center it is our aim to provide both JTE’s and ALT’s with more information about how to approach English education.

This year's edition of Communicative English: a Practical Guide is a revised version of last year’s site and is aimed, yet again, at both JTE’s and ALT’s. In particular, the goal was to make the website more user friendly for both ALTs and JTEs. All the formatting was re-done in the hopes of accomplishing this goal. A site-map was added for easier navigation; some sections have been expanded, others condensed, and most sections have been updated.

This website has been specifically designed for Japanese Teachers of English (JTE’s) and Assistant English Teachers (AET’s) who are actively participating in Team-teaching. It addresses a multitude of topics ranging from teaching ideas, methods and approaches to advice about strategies for self-improvement as well as some ideas as to how to establish an effective team teaching relationship between the JTE and AET.

　

I hope that you will find the information on this site most helpful!

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Lena Ginsburg, ALT

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Education Training Division

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Gifu Prefectural Board of Education

in Japanese/

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　In English

Photos:

Photos supplied by Rich Beal, Norman Cook, Matthew Lane and Lena Ginsburg:

　 **All web links and quoted information were correct at the time this site was launched**

This edition was published in July, 2005

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