Post by Otaku on Sept 10, 2008 15:22:25 GMT 8
I taught for 5 years in Niigata prefecture and now have moved onto teaching in another prefecture. I thought for the longest time the JHS English textbooks were the mostly horrible thing that has ever touched Japan's English education system, but I think I was wrong.
While the textbooks have many errors and mistakes, I think the JTE is what makes the textbooks good/bad. One of my new JTEs has a new "English Only" style of teaching in his 1st year classes that works extremely well! And, instead of letting the textbook guide and dictate the class, he uses it as more of a reference than the Holy Grail. Inaccurate little mistakes in the textbooks, he simply glides right over and replaces it with his own worksheets.
This guy is remarkable!! It's the first time in all my time in Japan that I've actually felt really comfortable teaching from the textbook. His style isn't original cuz' he stole it from another teacher. He told me this style of teaching is a secret cuz' he and a small group of other teachers are trying to slowly change how English is taught in Japan. What's even more amazing is this guy is only 26 years old.
But the coolest thing is when we are talking shop and mechanics, I can see a sparkle in his eyes cuz' he truely loves doing what he's doing...he should because he's quite talented at it. Right now, he's training me in his style of teaching and once I'm up to speed, I'm going to work on getting permission to record a class and post it online.
Will the real 'Geek' please stand up...<Otaku stands up>
While the textbooks have many errors and mistakes, I think the JTE is what makes the textbooks good/bad. One of my new JTEs has a new "English Only" style of teaching in his 1st year classes that works extremely well! And, instead of letting the textbook guide and dictate the class, he uses it as more of a reference than the Holy Grail. Inaccurate little mistakes in the textbooks, he simply glides right over and replaces it with his own worksheets.
This guy is remarkable!! It's the first time in all my time in Japan that I've actually felt really comfortable teaching from the textbook. His style isn't original cuz' he stole it from another teacher. He told me this style of teaching is a secret cuz' he and a small group of other teachers are trying to slowly change how English is taught in Japan. What's even more amazing is this guy is only 26 years old.
But the coolest thing is when we are talking shop and mechanics, I can see a sparkle in his eyes cuz' he truely loves doing what he's doing...he should because he's quite talented at it. Right now, he's training me in his style of teaching and once I'm up to speed, I'm going to work on getting permission to record a class and post it online.
Will the real 'Geek' please stand up...<Otaku stands up>