Navigating English Policy and Practice in Japan’s Primary Schools

First book to examine the introduction of English language education into Japan’s public elementary schools

Examining the implementation of English as a foreign language within Japan’s public elementary schools, this book reveals the challenges faced by policymakers, school principals and elementary school teachers in creating, transmitting and applying new language education policy.

This book investigates recent changes in language education policy and the implementation of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Japan’s public elementary schools. Through interviews with policymakers, school principals and elementary school teachers, it examines the challenges in creating, transmitting and applying this new language policy. It reveals not only the contents of language policy documents, but the political and socioeconomic rationale for introducing EFL into Japan’s national curriculum. This book will aid understanding of various macro-level discourses, such as progressive and conservative views of schooling in Japan and how globalization has affected attitudes toward English education. It will be of interest to researchers in language policy and planning, second language acquisition, second language teacher education and Japanese studies.