The National Curriculum Standards for Grade 3 and Grade 4 in Elementary School
Chapter 4 Foreign Language Activities
I.

OVERALL OBJECTIVE
To develop pupils’ competencies that form the foundation of communication as
follows through language activities such as listening and speaking in foreign
languages while activating the Approaches in communication in foreign languages.
(1) To develop the pupils’ understanding of languages and cultures through various
experiences by using foreign languages, notice the differences between Japanese
language and foreign languages such as in sounds and become familiar with thesounds and basic expressions of foreign languages.
(2) To cultivate the base for the ability to communicate their own thoughts and feelings
by listening and speaking about familiar and simple matters in foreign languages.
(3) To deepen the understanding of languages and the cultures in its backgroundthrough foreign languages and cultivate the attitude of attempting to proactively
communicate in foreign languages while giving consideration to someone they
communicate with.

II. OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS OF EACH LANGUAGE
English1. Objectives
To develop the competencies specified in I. (1) and (2) in an integrated manner,
through instruction that aims for the realization of the goals set in the three skill
areas of listening, speaking [interaction] and speaking [presentation] specified
below, and to develop the competencies specified in I. (3) through this process,based on the characteristics of learning English.
(1) Listening
a. Listen to and understand simple words and phrases regarding themselves andtheir surroundings when spoken to slowly and clearly.
b. Understand the meanings of basic expressions regarding familiar and simple
matters when spoken to slowly and clearly.
c. Recognize the (alphabet) letters by listening to the names of letters pronounced.

1(2) Speaking [Interaction]a. Greet, thank and give simple instructions and respond to them by using basicexpressions.
b. Exchange their own thoughts and feelings regarding themselves and theirsurroundings by using simple words and phrases and basic expressions withgestures.
c. Ask and answer questions about themselves, someone they communicate withand their surroundings by using simple words and phrases and basic expressions
with support.
(3) Speaking [Presentation]
a. Talk about their surroundings while showing the actual objects, etc. in front ofpeople by using simple words and phrases and basic expressions.
b. Talk about themselves while showing the actual objects, etc. in front of people
by using simple words and phrases and basic expressions.
c. Talk about their own thoughts and feelings regarding familiar and simple
matters about daily life while showing the actual objects, etc. in front of people
by using simple words and phrases and basic expressions.
2. Contents[Grade 3 and Grade 4][Knowledge and skills](1) Items related to the characteristics of English
Give instructions to enable pupils to acquire the following items through various
experiences in language activities using English.
a. Knowing the pleasure and value of proactively communicating by using
languages.
b. Understanding the languages and cultures of both Japan and foreign countries.
(a) Becoming familiar with the sounds and rhythms of English, knowing thedifferences from Japanese language and noticing the interest and richness ofthe language.
(b) Knowing the differences in lifestyles, customs and events, etc. between
Japan and foreign countries and noticing the fact that there are diverse waysof thinking.
(c) Experiencing exchanges with people from different cultures and deepening
understanding of the cultures, etc.
2[Abilities to think, make decisions and express themselves](2) Items related forming thoughts while organizing information, expressing
themselves and communicating.
Give instructions to enable pupils to acquire the following items through setting
specific tasks and expressing information and thoughts in accordance with thepurposes, scenes and situations where communication takes place.
a. Exchanging themselves and familiar and simple matters by using simple
words and phrases and basic expressions while giving consideration tosomeone pupils communicate with.
b. Coming up with ways to ask and answer questions in order to communicate
their own thoughts and feelings about familiar and simple matters.
(3) Items related to language activities and language functions(i) Items related to language activities
Give instructions about the items specified in (2) by utilizing the items
specified in (1), for example, through the following language activities.
a. Listening(a) Activities to listen to brief talks about familiar and simple matters andlargely understand their contents.
(b) Activities to listen to simple words and phrases and basic expressions about
their familiar people and their surroundings and match the phrases andexpressions with illustrations and photographs, etc. representing them.
(c) Activities to listen to the names of letters pronounced and match thereadings with letters written in block letters.
b. Speaking [Interaction](a) Activities to exchange simple greetings with acquaintances, express
gratitude, give simple instructions and make requests and respond to them.
(b) Activities to exchange their own thoughts and feelings such as preferencesand demands with gestures, regarding matters about themselves and theirsurroundings.
(c) Activities to ask and answer simple questions about each other’s likes andwants, etc.

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c. Speaking [Presentation](a) Activities to talk about the numbers and figures, etc. of surroundings while
showing the actual objects, illustrations and photographs, etc. in front ofpeople.
(b) Activities to talk about their own likes and dislikes and the things they want,etc. while showing the actual objects, illustrations, and photographs, etc. infront of people.
(c) Activities to talk about their own thoughts and feelings regarding familiarand simple matters in daily life such as times, days of the week and places,etc. while showing the actual objects, illustrations and photographs, etc. infront of people.
(ii) Items related to language functions
Pick up the language use situations and language functions mainly from thefollowing items when engaging in language activities.
a. Examples of language use situations(a) Situations related to pupils’ familiar lives• Life at home

• Learning and activities at school• Local events• Children’s playetc.

(b) Situations where typical expressions are often used
• Greetings• Self-introductions• Having meals• Shopping• Asking and giving directions

etc.

b. Examples of language functions(a) Making communication smooth• Greeting• Making agreeable responses

etc.

(b) Communicating feelings• Expressing gratitude• Praisingetc.

(c) Stating facts and information• Explaining• Answeringetc.

(d) Communicating thoughts and intentions• Offering• Stating opinionsetc.

(e) Encouraging someone to do something• Asking questions• Requesting

4• Orderingetc.

3. Syllabus design and lesson delivery in Engish(1) In designing the syllabus, consideration should be given to the following
while taking care to ensure the connections with the instructions in Grade 5and Grade 6, junior high schools and high schools.
a. Anticipate the unity of contents and lessons such as units and aim for therealization of the proactive, interactive and authentic learning of pupils
toward development of the competencies fostered in those contents andlessons. In working towards these goals, set specific tasks and aim for theenhancement of learning so that pupils carry out activities with anawareness of the communication purposes, scenes and situations while also
activating the Approaches in communication using foreign languages, andutilize knowledge of English sounds, vocabulary, expressions, etc. incommunication in the three skill areas.
b. Set goals for each grade properly and aim for the realization of theobjectives of the foreign language activities through two grades.
c. Give instructions as necessary for understanding and practicing the items
specified in 2 (1) when actually engaging in language activities in English
such as exchanging each other’s thoughts and feelings. Furthermore, giveconsideration to the fact that pupils are learning English for the first timeand organize language activities through various experiences that valueinteractions with friends while using simple words and phrases and basic
expressions.
d. Come up with ways to ensure that topics in the language activities matches
the interests of the pupils, utilizes what the pupils learned in other subjects
such as Japanese language, music and arts and crafts, etc. and is linked towhat pupils do in school events, etc.
e. Deepen the pupils’understanding not only of the foreign languages andcultures, but also of Japanese language and culture through foreign language
activities. The topics in the language activities should also be useful for
cultivating their attitudes of increasing the interests in the culture of Japanand the culture in the background of English and attempting to deepen
understanding of those cultures.
f. For pupils with disabilities etc., come up with instruction contents andinstruction methods in accordance with the difficulties that arise in learning5

activities in a systematic and institutional way.
g. Enhance instruction forms, for example by obtaining the cooperation ofnative speakers of English and local residents fluent in English, etc. andcome up with more effective instruction methods when teachers in charge ofclasses or teachers in charge of foreign language activities design thesyllabus and conduct the classes.
(2) Consideration should be given to the following items for teaching thecontents specified in 2.
a. Giving consideration to the developmental stages of the pupils, selectappropriate expressions and set communication situations familiar to themwhen giving them opportunities to experience communication in English.
b. Treat letters as supplementary tools for oral communication, in effort not
to give too much burden to pupils.
c. Since non-verbal communication is also an essential means ofcommunication, focus on gestures, etc. and help pupils understand theirfunctions.
d. Come up with learning styles (or activities) such as pair work, group
work, etc. as needed so that pupils develop the abilities to ask questions totheir friends and answer questions from them regarding familiar andsimple matters. In working towards these goals, for pupils who haveproblems with communicating with other people, come up with instruction
contents and instruction methods in accordance with the characteristics of
the individual pupils.
e. Effectively utilize audio-visual teaching materials, computers, informationand communications networks and teaching and learning devices, etc. tofurther increase the interests of the pupils, to streamline the instruction andto further enhance the language activities, in accordance with thecompetencies for pupils to acquire, the circumstances of the pupils and thecontents of the teaching materials, etc.
f. Enable pupils to anticipate and reflect on the learning by clearly
establishing purposes, scenes and situations where communication takes
place and clearly specifying the competencies that should be developed
through the language activities when engaging in instruction of each unit
and in each lesson.
6III. SYLLABUS DESIGN AND LESSON DELIVERY
1. In foreign language activities, give instructions to have pupils deepen theirunderstanding of the language and the culture in its background and in principle touse English when engaging in the language activities of listening and speaking
using foreign languages.
2. Give proper instructions, in accordance with the characteristics of foreign
language activities, regarding the contents specified in Chapter 3 Special Subject
Morality, II. while also giving consideration to linkages to the Morality Period,etc., based on the objectives of moral education specified in Chapter 1 General
Provisions, I. 2 (2).

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