etrFE+#H+A
The Japan Association for Language Teaching
College and University Educators Newsletter

ON CUE[See Back Cover for Table of Contents]

A MnssAcE FRqM CUE Co-coonorNAToRS:
1998 has been an energetic year for CUE. (1) Expansion of ON CUE s original-content format has
produced a surge in subnnissions by college educators from Japan and abroad. (2) l^aunch of the CUE
Members Network (CMN), CMN-Links and CMN-Talk has created CUE-specific Internet facilities to
put teachers in touch with teaching resources and other teachers. (3) The CUE Merit Award, new thisyear, provides public recognition of outstanding professionals who have recently entered college oruniversity education. (See page 3- and 5- for essays by this year's two Award recipients.)

As we approach JALT98, we rue planning a greatly augmented CUE presence, including CUEsponsored workshops and presentations, inauguration of the CUE Forum on Higher Education(previews from each Forum presenter begin on page 18), as well as CUEs Annual General Meeting(AGM). (Refer to page 2 for schedules and further details on all these events.)
We want to call particular attention to the AGM, since we both are committed to handing over
responsibilities to a new teem of CUE folks. This year's AGM will present a perfect opportunity for
fresh voices and ideas to take CUE forward. Voting for the coordinator position(s) and other offices
takes place at the AGM, Sat. Nov. 2L,6:15-, Room 901, so we invite you to come and let your voice
be heard. We really hope you can make it. And thanks for particpating with us in this enjoyable year.

Hugh Nicoll & Jack Kimball

ON CUE
Edited by Jack Kimball, <kimball@post.miyazaki-med.acjp>
Vol. 6, No. 3, November 1998
V is

it C U E O nline : < http : / / inte r s erv e r.miy azaki -me d. ac j p / * c ue / I .html>

CUE AT

JAt?g 8
Sonic City, Omiya, Saikima

FRJDAY, NOV 20, I l :30- 14:30, RooM 9os

DR. AMY TSUI
CUE-sponsored WorkshoP:
Understanding Classrootn Discourse-

SATURDAY, NOV q I , l6: l5 18:00, Rool\ 90l
CUE FORUM ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Cheiron McMahill, David McMurray, Brian McVeigh-

SATURDAY, NOV 2l , 18: 15 19:00, RooM 901
CUE'S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Vote tor Officers, Welcome Merit Award Winners, Meet Amy Tsui
Join GUE coneasues"nn,r:[:r,,,iijn|,t""loo,1lil*ear drinks and dinner:

MONDAY, NOY 22,9:30 - lo: t5, RooM6ol
DR. AMY TSUI
CUE-sponsored Featured Speaker Presentation:
Cognitive Dimensions of Classroom Interaction

I uaql\ lt uo tur{rom ,(pee:p eJ€ pue sselc
eprqno f,ltuepuedepul tI uo {Joa\,(eqt ueUo
'pueol EuruurEeq uor;,$trulce oql q pellolul
f,lptotere sluepn$ puu (suorl4ueserd pury
eqt Eurpnlcur) spoued sselc aeJqt ol oaq se_{slssacord eloqa eql sesselc tsotu uI 'qs11EuguI Jeqlo qc?e ol s€epl Jleql elsJlunluluoJ
sluepus dyeq ol tcefo-rd eql Jo seEels tuereJJlp
te tqEnel eq IrBc eSenEuel InJesn 'punoJ
ercq ,{eql leqat Jo uotlelueserd e se:edeld ueql
dnorE qcee pu€ ss€lc ul(eruns eql lcnpuoc'suorlsenb ua\o lleql uEtsep,{eqt '(plerJ ctdot
repeolq € Iuo{ uesoqc sdeqred) fe.uns e ro3
crdol e uo eplcep sdnorE uI sluepnts ',{enrns
e Euqcnpuoc sI u?etu I leqa\ seleJ5nlll leql,$ylpcu euo 'plJo/!\ eplqno eql Jo'seletusselc
Jleql'sanlasueql lnoqe Euqleuos Euuerrocstp

sluepn6 eAIoAuI l€ql sellllllce go dnor8
crgneds € lnoqe EuHIut tue I lnq'lepueuadxe
sr Suru:ee1 II€ teqr,(us lq8tur ouos

'pltotur aplsflo aql rc'salotassop naLfl 'sa^Iasualfi

ruoq0 Sutqtauos 8mn^ocslp
sruaprys a^IoLur wql

sav\^ttr0 moq0 8u1t17o7 Irrc I'Eurureel eru,(eqtueq^r ssoJcB euroc,{eql sruelqo-rd r(ue punore,{em rreqt pulJ ot elqe eJ" pue'sesseu>1es,trJreqt pue sqltuuls Jleql 'seIUIqe Jleqt Jo eJsl\eere oq,lr qsrlEug go sreleeds pecu€leq-lle^\ Jo
luerudoler.ep eql JoJ,,{resseceu eJe slool eseql
leqt eru tq8nel eAeII secueFedxe Eutumel eseql'8uturse1 pue Eurqceel lnoq" Eururuel,(tupuu 'Eu1qcee1f,ru eseq ol enulluoc ol EutoE ure
pue'eleq I qcH,!\ punoJe suoddns ulelu eql
ueaq el€q srellrd olu eseql 'lueussesse-Jlaspue Suru:eel pltueFadxe :uaql JoJ elqe,tolue
pue Sut6erslul eJolu Eurureel e>1eu pue dnuedo sluepnls dleq ot sple omt tutsn peuels I'sserEord rreql Surxcolq sI Je^el"g,&\ul\op Jee.r\ o1 sgcueuedxe Euureel a\eu Jlaql
8ursn,{lsnoatrellnu$ pue secueuedxa Eutureel
snonard ulllo Jleql uo Eu1p11nq fq se,tlesueqt

ileql op ol ueql ecroJ
roJ 1l op 6nru'(eqtlouuuc I 'ua\op ueql e{sl ot e^eq ,(eq1os 'dn

sJeLilBq eqt tnd ,(eq1 'srsu-reel sB IIIeql lnoqes,lr'Jeqceel e s€ elu lnoqe lou st Eurureel JIoL{I't,uop 1l€ql ew tqEnet seq ecuegedxe,(yq 6ut
tueql pue lno eru dee>1o1dn tnd sluepnts eql
1eql sJeLU€q Ned fum .(u putg I plnoc A\oq 'oS'puDI eruos Jo uollJnJlsul

qsrlEuggo sreef lqEte p€q Ip p€q pue tuexe

ecu€-rtue qEno1,fuen e pessed IIe pgq,(eql ecuts's-ro1ce; e^rlceJJe [q,(lpdrcuud pelenJ ueeq

eleq lsntu ecusJlleJ slql lnq 'esud.lns peJ ou
serrr'ueql .>1ueds ol ecueclleJ luenbesuoc rteql'qs11tug Eurleeds;o ecueuedxe ou peq [eq1'se^leslueql r(q suotlesreluoc EuqcnJlsuoc
ro Supleeds r(11en1ce ueql Jeqler uoltesreluoc e
Eulreq eldoed.;o sEoprp uenu^\ 8ut,(pn1s se,t.
sselc eql Jo {lnq eql lnq 'uotlectuntuluoJ IeJo
pefiec ss"lc € peq p€q Aeql l?ql pms luelll Jo
etuos 'eroJeq looqcs-q8rq uI sselc qstlEug 1uo
uB p€q JeAe peq ulerll Jo euo lou leql pepe^er,{lrsrezrrun ulqdog 1e s}uepn1s reef-1s"tq,(go;;o,(euns V 'le^el ecuelues UoIIs Jo'p:om

eqt u"qt eJow l€ qsqtug ur regcsJt eql to Jeqlo
qcee ot >1eeds ol pe{se ere.u ,{eql qclqa ul
euo lou r{prqrar--eroJeg sselc uo4€clunwluoc

Iero puq re^eu peq ,{eqr lBqt pere^ocsp I lllun
sluepnls rrreu r(ur $,ittuee uopsJlunluluoc
Iero Jo {cel eql Aq peuunls AII€4IuI s?,t\ I'seEe11oc ptrc seBIsJeAIun uI eurtl-iled Surx:orrr

ol Iooqcs aEenEuel € IuoU penou 8unep1'ecueuedxe
1du1u elrnb ueeq s,11
urrro ,{ru 3o sree,{ o/!u 1s3l eql ueql ,/(1ree1c
eJoru eru ol lueweJlnber srqt JoJ suoseeJ eql
petersuoruap e^uq plnoc Surqtou'11e16 'qof
eql uo ecueuedxe sreer{ ol$ JoJ {sB ue}Jo os
sJeqcuel so sre,{oldue r(qm peJepuo^r s,{emp 1,{11s.ra,r1u11 BIrIdoS

6erzueycBtr

I UBIV'ecueclleJ luepnls
uo fBsse Suruurm pr€r!\V 1!retr41iInJ V,,

epoJuolJedxfl noa oJV,,

acknowledged and developing a sense ofwalk into the classroom. This is not a special
activity that I always do that always works but
itdoes typify the kind of activities that I am
using more and more in class, because they
provide real-life experiential leaming
opportunities which are neglected by mostcurrently available EFL textbooks.

self-awareness within students is the purposeof self assessment. This can be done formallyor informally, after a task, a lesson, a numberof lessons, or as part of an end-of-term
assessment. I try to incorporate some form of
self- or peer-assessment on all these levels at
different points during the term in an attempt tohelp students look more closely at themselves
to see what they can do to improve their own
English ability. When students have to explain
what they did, how well they did it and how
they think they can improve or continue theircurrent level ofperfonnance in the future, they

Experiential tasks involve the whole person.
They appeal to the intellect, stimulate theimagination and involve the students being
creative not only with language but also withthe content of the task. They also necessitate
utterances of longer than one word and canhelp to stimulate real, meaning-centeredexchanges. This focus on meaning generates
real language for a real purpose. Students findthe tasks difficult but interesting and become
involved in them often to the point where theycannot be stopped even if I want them to!

seem to see that they need to open themselvesby bringing down their personal affective
barriers and allowing themselves to learn. It
also appears to help break down the relianceon the teacher as the center of all knowledge
and to help students become more independentby allowing them to see that I cannot learn forthem. They have to do it themselves, and theonly way they can gain experience in speaking
English is by taking and making opportunities
for communication both inside and outside theclassroom.

Watching students who went
through this process of selfexamination was wonderful.
They opened up and allowed

Watching students who went through thisprocess of self-examination was a wonderfulexperience. They truly blossomed. They
opened up and allowed themselves to "makemistakes." They laughed more, not at eachother, but because they were finding
interesting and enjoyable things to say. The
classroom became noisier as more and more
students realizeA from watching theirclassmates that it was okay to "sound stupid"
and that trying was more important than"getting it right". More students stayed in
English for longer and we actually managed tothemselves to "mekemistakes." They laughed
more, not at each other, but
because they were finding
interesting and enj oy able
things to say.
Another whole-person-centered activity is
self-assessment, which is an integral part oflearning any'thing. Whenever we are in alearning situation (which is most of the time, if
we are honest with ourselves), we areconstantly subconsciously examining our
performance: "I didn't do that very well"; "Iam quite huppy with that"; "I wish I hadn't
done that." Making this a conscious act,
opening wounds up to air and letting them

have three weeks of student-generated
discussions on current topics of interest tothem. In the final evaluation of self andcourse, it was evident that many students
realized they had come some distance. Some
said they had taken a first step, others that they
had come a long way. These views were bothright. They had come a long way, and they did
still have a long way to go, and so did I.

breathe, allowing successes to be4

eEelloJ e Jo Jeqrueu e se pue JeperE tu?xe
ue qtoq se ecueuedve f,u uo prseq sr sn{lpue) seroos tuexe oql'serlrsJelrun puu seEelloc
ellle-uou olur ecrrB4ue JoJ N€el le 'eJouueqilnc'eEe11oc eseuedel e olur le8 ol f,e,t.
,(po eq1 lou sr ruuxe ecrr?rue eql uo sseccns
l€tll (6I 'd'L66l 'prolapue^ 19661 'preuoel)
pelou el€q queuodord uuoJeJ IeJeAeS
6,{11ee-t ecuenuur s1ql sl Euorls A\oq tnq 'eyoqn
e se ruelsrft puo4ucnpa eql ul seSuegJ e^eqc€
IIrA\ euo'surexe eql ol seSueqc qcns Surlnlrlsur,{q leqt goo-rd se lueluoc tuooJssulc ptm,ffiolopoqreur Euqieel looqcs qElq rorues pue:orunf uo sru?xe eseql Jo acuenuur p;remod,{lqrsuefo eql 01rupd ('Jre '4661-'piopepuen
16661 'o:qm1 Tr u>loetuFls:966I 'qqBNcI tr
i 11661'e4nzlqsl :S66I'elF{s"ru?A ?g u^\org
19661 'unorg ees) uuoJer qcns Jo selecolpv'sllp{s uo4€crunruruoc
I€Jo lueprus Surnordrur ol ,{resseceu se8treqc
umlncl. " nc eql e{etu ol sJolcruNur looqcs q8q
Jolues pue rotunlEurcJoJ Jo sueeru e se (surexe,{tlncey -ro eEelloe lenp4lpul pore6runupe,{leleredes pu? pqereueS {ltuepuedepur snouun
eqt ol pue uo4eulllluxe eJlre4us leuolleu
eq1 ot qtoQ ''e't) suexe aclra4ue,{lrs:elrun

eqt ot seEueqc Eulleru uo sesncoJ psodo-td
qrns eug 'rruoJeJ qcns luaueldur ol 1seq
1(oq se peJeJJo Euteq suorlseEEns go rfiaue.,re qlp\ 'uudul ur qsrlEug Euyqceel ol qceo:dde

peJqueo-uo4sclunuuoJ [BJo ueJo eJoru JoJ
pueruep lueE:n.{lSurseercul ue ot pel s€q leql
uelqord slqlJo uorlruEocar leuorl€u EumlorE
eqt sI lI 'peepul 'qs11Eug ur,(1en4cege
etecrmwtuoJ ot elqeun ere qsrlEug;o sJetueel
eseuedel ;o,{lgofeu eql teql tueussesse
eql qtpr enSre plnom eldoed,{ueur 1o51,(11s-ra,r1un F{nd6.(4,r1ntr41 uJoB

'tulpeer ul emlleJ tuepnls Jo
ferrms Euruuvrr prB^\V llrery AOJ V

oldrrruxfl EuIpBaU

eqI -- srrrBxfl ocuBJlufl'ueluoc Euqceel meu
sllil
seqrpqrssod eqt eroldxe o1 Euruur8eq
Jo
1snf ,(1uo ru€ I prre 'ocueFedxe;o 1o1
eloq.tr e o1 dn sppe rruol .,{rene yo uossel ,fuele
Jo elnunu ,fterrg luerudolerrep leuorsseJord
prre l€uosJed u.tro fu "ro; glasfru o1
pu? sluepnls ,{ru ol Eurlse;elur lsow eq III^\ leq}
sqtud eqt ro;8ur1oo1dae1 l pue',(1r1lqu ,(ulJo lseq eql ot ',(lsnoeueluods tceeJ ot e41 1 '.{r1pu pFoqs e,[ eqr(eur pue,tlrsue os sql loJluoc
louuBc sJeqcBal selulleluos 6lxeu eJeq,tr'oS

tqEu Suqleuros Europ se,lr I,tretnl I esneceq
panueuedxe eroru Eurruoceq ffiAr Il€ql lloJ
1 's.teleeds peqsrldruocJe eJotu olul Eurdoleneppue Surqleuros Eutureel e:e,l {eqll€qt ees
ppoc I ueq1ysJeru€el e8en8uel pocueuedxe
Eunuoceq ueql ees I ueq^\ lro,l r(u qlrn
gJlJsll€s IeeJ rrec I 1eql eru t{Enel e,req s:ee.{,t.eg tsud eql JeAo secueuedxe sluepnls eql'geu oE e1rr eJeq,{ eplrep ot prre Surureel
ere r{eqt IIea\ A\oq ssess€ ol eluF peeu oslB
I esrnoJJO 'weqt dleq o1 SuroE lou sr ruual olerotu rueql Eum€ ueql'Jeloc I pqa\ Euru;ee1
lou a:e.{eqt JI 'Je^oc ol peeu I leq/!\ u?ql
lueilodrur eJoru $ eced urrro.treql le Surureel
rreql ezrl€eJ 1 lcedxe I ueql erurl eJoru totr
e'uago--uree1,{p1 pue slqEnoql rreql sseco"rdol eultJo tol B peeu os1u,(eq1 'se^lesueql
puIJ sess€lc f,ru ur slueprus qclqn\ ur uorlrsod
eql puqsJepun ol ew pedleq osIB srql lnq 'oo1
'ern1n; eqr ul eq 11tm 1 ,(es eJBp I 'suors€cco
JO Jequnu € uo lsol se^r I prrB spue peep A.u?ru
peJelunoJue 'selnoJ JelncJrc Jo lol e lool I'uo pr€A\JoJ enoru ol qtud u pulJ pue ur eples olpelcedxe l ueqt reEuol tol e {oot 11 'ur;1es,(rupmoJ I uorlsnlrs eql Jo eml"u eql pu4sJepun.(1ru1o1 ewn pepeeu 1 pue 'qSnoue Jeleu sr

eJeqJ ,,'ecuesse eql Jo sr erurJ$ 'elurl ueeq seq
srue,{ ourrl6ed eql relo ,{euno[ puueFedxeu,r.o .{ur ur rolce; lueuodrur Jeqlouv'uaLlt \aq ot Suto? tou
fl utoal ol alout uaufi ?utttg'8ututoaq lou atv sruaprys {Icommittee that decides who gets accepted andwhy) are used more as a supplement tothe
qudta systemx that controls acceptance intosuch schools than anything else (for elite
public and private colleges, the importance of
succeeding at these exams is certainly greater).
And, even granting the importance of the exam
for many students, does said importancenecessarily translate into pedagogical change inall cases? In other words, objectively
speaking, the implied (and sometimes very
overt) assumption of many of the writers
referred to above -- i.e., that because of theimportance of these exams, the presence of amore demanding oral skills diagnostic section(even one, say, with an interview requirement)
will necessarily have a marked, nation-wide
effect on improving either pedagogy or student
abilities -- is a somewhat controversial premiseworthy of a more open and critical debate.

English is taught the way it isbecause there is a centuriesold tradition of what andhow teaching should be
conducted in this country.
Indeed, it is the belief of this writer that
English is taught the way it is in Japan notbecause of the influence of the post-Worlc
War II college entrance exams per se (after all,people have been criticizing English pedagogy
in Japan -- and for the same reasons -- forover 100 years -- see Mantanle, 1996), but
because there is an entrenched, centuries-old

tradition of what and how teaching should be
conducted in this country. Furthermore, that it*E.9.

Say High School A and High School B both havea long tradition of sending LO students a year to College C-- even if one year High School A's students do very
poorly on the exam compared to High School B's students,
the 10 best students from each will still be accepted -- i.e.
the acceptance ratio does not change.

is this archaic tradition -- and especially, theteacher-training in this country whichperpetuates the old-fashioned methodologies
and ways of thinking which form thefoundation for this tradition -- which needs tobe addressed before other systemic reforms
can be considered. And while no one canargue with the overall intent of the reformists-- speaking skills do need to be improved, andat least in theory, a greater emphasis on
speaking and listening practice in theclassroom would go a long towards improving
them - what is disturbing is that members of
this reform movement seem to be ignoring
both the progressive and increasing failure ofJapanese students to learn to read English -supposedly their strong suit (see for instance
Shimaoka & Yashiro, 1990) -- and especially,
the lessons that this on*going failure mighthold for them in their efforts to make English
in Japan more communication-centered.
Certainly, at least with respect to reading, farfrom the test pulling the educational horse, thecontents of the various Japanese university
entrance exams seem to have had negligible
effect on reading pedagogy and/or improving
overall student capabilities. For example,
despite there being adult level, well-written,
grammatically and stylistically correct reading
passages on the exams, the English readingmaterials used at the junior and senior highschool-level in Japanremain simplistic andpeppered with grammar and punctuation elrors(Kimura & Visgatis, 1996;see also, Pai,
1996), and indeed, outside of college-prepclasses at elite high schools (which also use
old entrance exams), many Japanese students
will never have exposure to adult level,
well -written, and error-free reading passages
before sitting for a university entrance exilm(Pai, 1996, p. 153; see also, Kimura &Visgatis, 1996). Even in those programs
which use old exams for teaching, most
students will receive little training in thereading strategies (e.g., skimming, guessing
from context, etc.) that might help themunderstand such passages or function as morecompetent readers of English (Kitao, S. K.,

'Og6t 'oetry ry ep1qsol) uort"uuoJur
ueillln\ sseco-rd {lerrrlcog;s ol rfuessecou
umrulurru eql eq ol sreqlo pue (ZSO1) qtlus ,tq
punoJ ploqserql eql .&\oleq sr sluepqs etelloc
esauedel lsoru Jo peeds Eurpeer eql leql punoJe^€q serprus 'r{1ruo1s ool peeJ.,(eq1 '1s-rrg (1'p0at Mql IDIIM puqsDpun
ol ttulnqo)o^ q?noua a^Dq
tou op sruapnls asaundola'suorleueldxe elqrssod euos puu qs118ug
Jo sJepeeJ eseuedel q punoJ sercunbepeur eql
olul qJJBeseJ eql Jo ,(errrns e eptlotd I A\oleq'qeqep ruorlecunruruoc IBJo,, eql ol fcuenelereleq JUJ os pelueuncop seeJe uelqord aqt
Jo eluos se 'rene,tro11 '(r(s:errorluoc Eurnlorre

sql Suryunorrns eJrueJolrl eql Jo uorssncsrp

raqilnJ roJ '066I 'qqog ry ressng i4651'yzzrl.;ueg ees) uo4nlos pue eJrquu sU ol su plelJ-t{g eql ut lueuraerEeslpJo le^el tuexnc eql
uelr8,{lprcedse -- uouewoueqd sg1 ureldxe
01 euop ueeq sBq leql qcr€eser eql IIe lrelep

IIB'^reJ e erueu ot '(996I) loellx pu Bprqsol'GgOt)'Bplqso1'S'(ggOt)'epqso1'H 'Gg6I) 'u{eueJ '(ZqOD'elnJe{el'(SOO1)'urulfrqsr51'(ggOt )'"plqso1
pue oB1l){'(9got) ''yr1 'olotueurel ry"y'B1rr€zoN '';4'oelDl '') 'S 'oel.r)'(SOO1)'){ 'S 'oell;4 prre 'X'oeq)'(ggOt) 'our11 .(qpelcnpuoc sluepnls aseuedel go sesf,pue slrxs
Eupeer'peepul ',&toq rueql qceel ot sllDls eqt
Eurureel lou aJe sJeqc€el Jleql -- AtorJoruol Jo
sreq*-et qs118ug eql euoceq ,{epo1;o quepnts
eql sB qcnw os ur pu€ -- peeJ ol Eurumel
lou eJe qsylSug Jo sluepnp eseuedel r(uey.l'(WA;t',{en1n4i) ,tt1nceg ernlerelrl eql urreleeds elqeu qslpug ouo'uorldecxe euo eql-- poqleu uorlelsue4 eull-,{q-euq eq1,{q pue
esermdel ul Woq sess€lc eJnleJetrl pue Eupeer
Jleql Ip qceal .{1rsrelrun eql le srosse;ord
erueretrl qsllEug S eql Jo tno ? punoJ-- e;nlcegerd eql ur uerSord serpus frerelrl
TEurpee"r Z:Ipecve^W,t1uo eqt pue ruu:Eord

Eupp4-reqcue1,(1uo eqr qloq Jo ewoq --,$lncug rfimrerrrun rn{nC;o f,errrns ele"ludes yuenlJlr e ur'peepul 'turpre: ur Eurura1'(SOOI 'e{nzqsl eas -- dn euoE erreq'(ercet ',{enpyrl)
sesrcJexe uo4elsu?4 ruooJssslc sB euop
Fmq r(eq1 ,,EuIpeeJ,, ler1lll pezuepelrap o/oZL
IInJ e pue 'qErq rorues pue ronmf ur (1no rosselc ur) qsrpug Eurpee: qluotu € sJnoq Zlm;q1
ssel lueds peq ,(eqt teql pl€s o699'srcef. Z reto
AtlsJelrun F{ng 1e (s1uepn1s 71g) ueuqse:geq] qldsep Suurncco sr emlrcJ srqt'ureEy

ur ssncsrp o1 alqrssodtur ,tlsnornqo sl lr 'edocs
pue ezrspellwll Jo reded e u1 'pe:epueEuee^?r.l plnorls r(lqrsuelso ecuese;d srql
1uq1,(8o1opoq1eur Euqcuel paraluec-Eupuer
eql pue sruexe eclreJlue eEalloc eql uo seEussed
Surpeu leney:eqeeds elqeu tlnpe 3o ecueserd

Eunuocur o1 eseuedul ur uerrrE,(en:ns

seJocs Euqeeds elq,r.'flpcruorr) sree,( 0Z N€ler0 JeAo r(ppuels esBeJoop ol penu4uoc eABq
peepur prm '(82 'd'2,66T'ple"S pue i9661'ermfp1st51 eeg) ppom eqt ur Neaol eq1 Suoure
umrueJ qsg8ug ur sJerueel eseuudel rog seJocs
Eupeer 1ggg1etere^e eqll€ql tceg eqt,{qpegoddns JequnJ uolsnlcuocB'qs11Eug p€er olperueel lou eleg eseuedel 1eqt ,{lEuruleqm:errosI llnser eril '(6S6I 'lesseg ,t eEegg ees) puru
ur p"q JelFAr eql sturtreetu aql lcruNuocoJ
pue s1oqu,{s uenF^r epocep o1,t1111qe e4,{11usr'f,pcurccns erour stuql tnd ot Jo -- (S 'd'gLGT:fedls pue sureg) ,;sloeluf,s leqre^ palulrd:oueilFnr Jo uoqelardJqur p;Eurueeu eqt,,,',{11rar
sr turpeer JI :uorsnlcuoo eru€s eql ol lurod

Jeqlo ou peAIeJeJ Euneq eEelloc elunparS
IIL$ quepus r{ueu pu€'(696I 'JessnSry qqog osIB:986I ''yA1 'olorueum1 ?p "X")'oelry'')'S'oell))'e,uezo51e8e11ooolut ecuenue Jleql ol dn Eupeel s;ee,{ 9 eql ur
Jelunocue ilIa\ sluepus lsolu po{teru r(po eqt
surPrueJ uo4elsue4 eu11-,{q-ern1' Gg6 I'e4eue1
i9461 'qse,(eqo;'1:gg6l 'ourH ees) peer
ol ,$oq umel ol Jo suoqsenb peseq-tueluoc
Euue,trstru (ro; erederd ol euoeuros qceel ol to)ro; erederd o1,{em elqer1eJrm pue luenryJeur,{1swa4xe ue sr uo4€lsue4 suq-r{q-eur1
p4sulruop-JeqJ€ol pu? pel-req*q l"ql tcsJ
eqt ettdsep pu"'peslsul '(%6I 're4 pue 19961";/q 'o1otu€UIEA ?p ''y'e,t.ezop')'oelryExplanations suggested for this phenomena
are: problems recognizing the Roman alphabet(Weaver, 1980); problems due to an
unfamiliarity with horizontal script (H.
Yoshida, 1985); problems with regression(i.e. reading then re-reading the same words orphrases over and over again) due to an
inability to relate the pieces of information they
have read orto keep enough information in
their short-term memory (Takahashi &Takanashi, 1984) ; problems processing
English sentence word-order (Kitao, 1979);
and finally, a lack of training in proper
dictionary usage and guessing from cont€xt(Kitao, S. K., Kitao, K., Nozawa, K., &Yamamoto, M., 1985).

Text is used in an almost
Confuciqn sense as ateaching unit to nudge
students into personalreflection, with the teacher
responsidle for moral.,
guraance.
2) Japanese students simply do not haveenough vocabulary to understand what theyread. Kitao, Kitao, Nozawa, and Yamamoto(1985) have shown that most Japanese
students have leamed less than 3,000 English
words by the time they graduate from highschool, a total made even less impressive by
the fact that, for the purpose of the study, allforms of the same word were counted as
separate words -- 9.9., am, is, are, was, andwere counted as five separate words. Also
included in this total are many archaic or
obscure words, and many words in common
or daily usage are not included (Kitao & Kitao,1985). Finally, student understanding ofeventhese words is limited, both because many
students learn only one meaning for each word
despite the fact that even the most common
words have many meanings, and because they
do not learn the relationships irmong words --such as among antonyms or synonyms (Kitao,
Broderick, Fujiwara, Kitao, & Sackett, 1985).

3) Japanese students lack the reading training
and cultural background knowledge necessary
to understand meaning in English at the clauseor paragraph level, and especially, have notleamed to decode context or differentiate
between literal and implied meaning (Kitao, K.
& Kitao, S. K., 1995; and Kitao, S. K.,
Kitao, K., Nozawa, K., & Yamamoto, M.,
19t35). Despite an ability to translate individual

words, these researchers believe that the
majority of college-level Japanese students
remain unable to decode the meaning of thesesame words when placed in context with otherwords. uWhat most Japanese students
consider 'reading' is the finding of a Japaneseequivalent for each English word. They know
the meaning of each word in Japanese and of
the Japanese sentence, but they do notunderstand how the individual sentences fit
together and whatthe meahing of the passage
as a whole" (Kitao et al ,1985, p. 133).
And while one can certainly argue that
understanding implied meaning is a taskdifficult even for many native speakers, therelevancy of these comments and researchshould still be clear: as so much of reading
comprehension (of both literary and moremundane work) depends on an ability to
extrapolate, an ability to delve between thelines of a text in order to illuminate the blankareas of implied meaning latentin it, students
lacking sufficient cultural insights or training
to make such extrapolations will clearly be at a
disadvantage.

4) Students with poor Ll reading skills or
reading difficulties (such as dyslexia) receive
no special assistance or even official
acknowledgment of their existence, and thepercentage of such students in the general
population may be significant. This area isstill in the beginning stages of research, but the
research that has been done has been quite
suggestive. For instance, it is widelybelieved, as Vogel says in his well-known

e{eur {eur aSen8uel uAto Jreql ur 6uru1er1
Jo {cel eql se lsnl'eroru;eqlJnC 'suos€eJ

ewes eql JoJ lI {eeds ol Eurure'el se4lncrJJrp
e^uq IIr^r eEpelmoull puno:E:1ceq lerntpc pue,fuelnqecol pelltull Jo esnuraq e8en8uel u8rerog
B peer ol elq€un sluepus 'Jeelc eq plnoqs
fulunoc slql ul s11us Euueeds errordur olSurlees esoql roJ eloq€ eql ur suorleclldul eql

su JeIIc"el eql qll,&\ '('4a 'unqnosue{ Surllrm

qEno;ry) uortrrueJ puos.ted olur stuepnts
e8pnu o1 (nqsqe8 ueEuq) lrun Suqcesl

3 se esues uercnJuoJ lsolup u€ ur pesn srlxel
eql 'spJo,u Jeqlo uI 'r{es ol Euy{rl sr JellJ.{r eql
teqAf JoJ txet eql ez(leue ot quepnts Suqcvel
o1 pesoddo s€ '(ggt 'd'866I'oue1e11),esues uotutuoc l?Icos,, Jo ,, 'ueunnsl le>leqs,,
Euqceel Jo (S9F 'd'8661'enou1 -- ,,8urpeer
e1,(6e;{,,) ,,Iruo,{ nsle{Ies,, Eupr,rord go

eAIaJeJ quepnls eseuedel Eururerl Eurpeer eq;

plnoJ 'e^oq€ 01 peJJeJeJ eJnlcruls uenlJA\
pe-ue;etd;o suorldecuoc Eupe3l1p eqt qtl&
peldnoc'ecue;egyp sryl puv luere;grp,ften

sueeru e se eml€Jelr1 Sursn uo pemld srseqdue
eql qlIA\ 'uenup tyel-uou Sureq;o .{rolsrq 8uo1

'luecgruErs eq osle r(eu qcrqll lnq 'parpnls
uaeq tou seq J€J os qcrqa\ qs118ug Jo sJeru?eleseuudel uo lceJJe ue Eurrreq eq r(lqrssod

sr ,{qdosolrqd Suqcuel tuelsel6 pue eseuedel'Surpeer ol pruSer qtrA\ Neel p '1eq1ree1c
eq plnoqs tr'secrlcerd pcrSoSeped urelselA
puo4lpB-u srA-€-sIA nopqs oqsDlop Jo suJeu
eql lnoqe sleeJ euo Aroq Jo sselpreEer 'paapul'Sutpoat{o ssacod aql Surmp rcqruo
aw w!( .uouostaLuo? l0ruaut
0 ur SurSo8ua [q &l1nuosadto tapot0qc {o a8o$nq8ry pawnsatd s,tot0tno aLIt
utult0 ot pltqc o SurSotnolua
sapnlru! nop?qs oqsnYoQ'figZ'd '9651 'o1orueryS) Surpeer go ssecord
eqr EuFnp -ro4ne eqt qlrl\ uorFsJeluoc 1eluew
e ur 8u€e8ue ,(q ,(lrpuos:ed ro-telcereqc;o e8e6 isqSrq peurndexi s,roqtne eql urclu ol
plFlc € turEernocue sepnlcur nopqs oqsrulop'{ooq elqqrns
Eupeer eqt Eufernocue

puu Suqceles"Jos€ senrlrlc€ qcns ol uorlrppu
u1 ,qsrfug ut poolsJepun eq plno^\ suuel
eseql leql osues eql uI ,,uo4crulsul Eulpeer,, -tou,,acuepmE Eurpeer,, Jeqlreu :sr,(Eolopoqeu
Eugceel sql'(,,uo4cru6ur Eurpeer,, Jo',,ecuuprnE 8urpeer,,,(1pre11),,noprqs oqsn{op upelpC 'uorcueqerdtuoc txsl Euunsue

JoJ se ecueprnt'1erou

ro; elqrsuodseJ qcntu

e s€q sesselc erqerelrT (oEqoy) I-I rleql ul'euole slceJep Iemlcruls pezrrecred Jo srseq
eql uo stxet EurpuelsJepunsru -ro Suqcelar

uelgo'luerudolelep cnerueql pue uoqucqdxe
Jo spoqlew pe-ue;e:d ol s€ suorplcedxe
tuereJJlp,{rel eneq sreleeds e^neu qsllEug
puu eseuedel 'pelueuncop e^Bq (trct)

1tleln1 pu€'(/36I ) otuecry' (fSe),{anlnyq'(066I '€86I) spulH sV 'uorlrsrnbce Eurpee-r
TIW1M ere1:elu1 tqElul drysuo4e1e: reqreel
AOp€er/JelFA\ erll Jo suoqdecum Suusy;rpreqleq,$ ol su uor6enb eqt sr ereql '.{11eurg (g'llncIJJIp
eroru qcnu 1eqt e8en8uelTIeLqur pBeJ
o1 Suureel rreql Sunluru'senlncrJJrp J€lrurse^Bq ol sesselc qsqlEug ur quepnts essuedel go
e8elueored luecr;ru8rs,{11enbe rre JoJ Ierluetod
aql sI eJeql ueqt 'flrsee eseuedel ur ueuFlr
s1xel puaqeJduoc ,t11n; ol elqeun 'Jeqloue
Jo uosse: euo JoJ 'sr uo4elndod eseuedel
eql Jo eEeluec:ed luecgruErs € Jr :Jeelc eq

plnoqs uotltsmhre Eurpee; Tloy KcuetteleJ eql'lceJJoc e:e s8urpurg enoqe eql JI 'seulunoc ,uJ4sed[ r(rmu ur punoJ sel€J erll ol lueprrrnbe
lceJ ur Jeqrrmu € -- serlrpqesp Surpesr
eneq,(eu uo4elndod eseuedul eqt Jo ob6I

ol o/olT ueeaqeq 'lue6xeuou lsourle Sureq,{1pp13go elydsep't€ql punoJ seq (896I) elleHpue esoJrH,{q,(pn1s e'erorurequnJ' (zLl'd) uorgesse srqt tcrperuoc luql serprus preles
etlc qqo5 prre Jassns 'lelemo11 '(Ztl 'd'066I 'qqou 4, Jessns uI petrc iIgI 'd '086I)
uuudel urluesge rtlpnurl sr elul\ pu" peeJo1 ,{1111qeur,, eql pql 'eug JeqrunN su uedel

that would-be teachers meet much stricter
requirements in reading and oral competency
before becoming teachers -- and these stricter
standards need to be imposed without regard
to race or gender. Raising (and equalizing)
the qualification bar for those wishing tobecome teachers in Japan would go a long way
to ensuring the kinds of results that examreformers hope to achieve.

learning to read in another more difficult forJapanese students, so might the lack of
speaking opportunities in Japanese classes
make thernmore hesitant and less able to speakout suddenly in a foreign language. And mostimportantly, in the same way that including
native speaker-level reading passages andanalytical reading questions on the entrance
tests seems to have had a negligible effect on
raising English reading skill levels in Japan,
merely adding a more intensive oral/interview
element to the test -- in itself-- will probably
have a similar (i.e., negligible) result.

-- With much thanlcs to Bernard Susser andCharles Jannuzi for their advice on earlier
drafis -References & Suggested Readings

How can teachers who havebeen educated in only one

Brown, J.D. (1995). "English Language Enhance
Examinations in Japan: hoblems and Solutions.. JALTgs
C onfe r enc e P r oce e ding s, 273-243.

way be suddenly expected tochange methods in
mid-career?

Brown, J., & Yamashita, S. (1995). "English Language
Tests at Japanese Universities: What Do We Know About

Them?" JALT Joumal, 17, 7-3L.

This latter point, perhaps, represents my mostserious qualm with the exam reformmovement: How can teachers who have been
educated in only one way -- and one whichalmost has preordained them to having serious
deficiencies inL2reading and speaking skills-- be suddenly expected to change methods in
mid-career and begin teaching successfully inthe very subject areas they are personally
weakest? The problem with improving student
oral communication ability is that, in myopinion, due to the nafure of the training andeducation they received, many Japaneseteachers of English may not have the ability tochange even if asked. Hence, as they do now
with reading instruction, and regardless ofwhatever is actually on the test (or how
accurate that test may be as a diagnostic tool),
Japanese instructors in oral communication
classes will probably continue to teach in theway they know, and achieve similar results.

Harris, A., & Sipay, E. (1975). How to Increase Reading
Ability. New York l-ongman.
Hatano, Kanji. (19%). "Bungaku Kyoiku wa Naze
Hitsuyou Ka?" [Why is the Study of Literature
Necessary?1. In: Takio Hida & Junya Noji (Eds.), Kokugo

Kyoiku Kihon Ronbun Shuusei [A Collection ofFoundational Essays in Japanese Educationl, Vol. 16.
Hinds, John. (1983). "Contrastive Rhetoric: Japaneseand English." Tert.3.2.1,83-L95.

(1990). "Inductive, Deductive,
Quasi-inductive: Expository Writing in Connors andJohns (Eds.), Japanese, Korean, Chinese, andTai.
Coherence in Writing : Research and Pedagogical
Perspectives. Alexandria: TESOL.

Hino, Nobuyuki. (1988). "Yakudoku: Japan's Dominant
Tradition in Foreign l-anguage lraming." JALT Journal,
10.45-53.
Hirose, T. & Hatta, T. (1988). "Reading Disabilities in
Modem Japanese Children." Journal oJ Research in

If I do have a suggestion to make, it is this:reform in Japan needs to begin with changes inthe training and qualifications needed to
become teachers -- for example, demanding

Reading, I1.2.152-1.60.
Inoue, Toshio. (1993). "Bungaku Kyoiku ni Okeru:

10

II
JA'r r'slarrrsg aql Eulruocra^o, '(966I) 'uu^lqsv 't?d

'8El-LZI '[sredeg palcelloC i(.rcsrarruuy WOI I']Vfl
nqsunquoy uau?X uauruts OI J.TV1 :uodo1 u7 ZSAJ '( spg)

'Ll-yaz 's,uago?ooloru?ure; '41 4' 'lrotut8ng 'n 'qqod 'J '?pO I'?^ruzoN') 'o?ll11 ';4 :u1 ,,'uede1 ur qs113ug 8urqcea1,, '(9961)'I 'oloul?ru?A ? ") '"^wzoN ') 'o"ll) ') 's 'o"ll:,'8u1peag 3o ,{11ncrgrq eqJ. '(656I) 'f 'less?O 5l e8elrg'saunluodop aq1 :o(4o1 'eseuedel
aql qll^r Suqzcrunuuro3 '(1set) 'n 'f i(udnlsnep'LVr-AU '79'q473ug
u, salpryS Drlslqsoe '[sroilg u1 se8ueq3 prrp senuepueJ qstltug Surpee; ur suelqord ,slueprqs eEa11o3 esauedell
ImS ol olle; ou notro5 -- uelr?puol4l ou nlof:re>p1oq
o8rg ou resnleEreq '(ggef) 'H 'oloureftyq ? '11 'ou1r,11'OE-82 :W 'rylott oSrg '[l,qsryEug 3osJauJpe1 esauedel ur suerv {BeA\ eql ere 1eq6l ,,eel rueN?^r uelnryl ou o61g u1fuoq1p' '(9661) 'oesrg 'eurrfrqsr5l'(peqstlqndun)'rE-az'il 'otty mry1og ry1oty o31g ry1q3 nqnp '[peedg
pue uotsueqardruo3 turpeeg qstlSug ,sluepnls e8e11o3
Jo,tpnls y] .n,{1ua; ou paadg ouos ol n1o,furw1o6
oErg ou resnqe8req" 'GgOt) S '?prqsol T ''11 'oslt;1,(1rs:earun mInC le sJossaJoJd turpeeg:o7puu
ernleralrl o1 uearB {earng '(q466I) '--------------'(peqsrlqndun) L66l-9661 :uerrrqserg f,ps:a,rrun
rnlng Eunuocul ol ue^r5 ,{e,ung '(e465I) '---------------'VLI-aqI 'VI 'ottx 1oryt1og npoty
o?ru ryltJ nqrup 'fpeadg Eurpeag ,sluepnls e3a11o3 go,{pnlS Vl un,&pe;E ou opn{os re11oq o8rg ou rusn)pEreq,,'ourpreuJag ueg'fltsrerrpS'Prlsurqs

IBcFoleqU qsq8ug pue eseuedel '(Zegt) 'u:ag 'i(ealnyq'G86I) 'H 'eprqsol A '.)'S 'oEIN ''X 'oqr-X

elels pC :uoqeilessrp srels?I4l peqsrtqnduS'suoqecrldrul
pcrSo8epeg qlrm srs,{1uuy elos?JluoC y :ser8ale4g

eqsoqcrg '.o(>1o1 '4osoyg uv4tawv (SgOi) 'f 'Ue{cesA ')'S 'opll) ''g 'eremrfng ''A 5lcueporg') 'oelr)I'zl
e8ed '97 Jeqolcg '!illutoA tlloe aqJ r'sruuxA i(1rue,rtu61
uro:; qsllEug Burleurunlg uO,, '(966I) '8e.rg 'a 'qqpucl' Lgl ',,

Lil'?qsoqrrg'.o A>1o 1' a cycot d'qotoaraA' f,rcaq1:3u1qcoa1 qs118ug '(SOO1) 'X 'S 'o"lr-X T€Z-ZZ' E'tlsg?ug tlloctruaqfiV

JIeslI sl?elq-ed f:o1s11-1* '(9661) ra1a4 'eluele4') 'oEr-)'?qsurqs eqsoqcrg :of1o;'suoaca{ay uo4raw (986I) .11 'S 'oulDl ry '.11 'oslt;1

LZ-SZ'€'ZZ 'y,qcDal a3on3uo7 aqJ ;unorg'c 'f 'r(I qlr^r /r\er^relul uv :suorlsurlu?xa aclrE4ua{lrsraarun eseuedel. (gggt) 't(uf ppoJ 'pr?uoa'I''69I_SSI ,62 ,atruua|lT DrlslqsoQ's6-I8'I 8I 'Ioutno[

go ,$rs.rearun 'uorlprngd ;o luerupedaq 'uopu1Jessrp'CI'qd peqsrlqndup 'qceorddy prplrC V :qsrrtug,'eseuedel prn suscueruv uee/rrle8 -- uoq?crunuuoc
I?uorl"urelul 3o ftpc1grq,, 'GteD '>I 'o?ll>I'oluoJoJ

looqcg q8rg,, '(9661) 'sqe8sl1 p?rg T IfUHS '?rntury's6I -88I

gy1 ;fiqncrlyq a8esse4 Surpea;;o uosuedtuo3

puu esauzdul Jo,lrolerp e^[s?rluoC '(Zeet) U 'qoqn)

V :suoneulu?xg ecu?4ug aEaylo3 pu? slooqlxeJ qs113ugt@-E) eI 'utuo4 34qcoa1 qs173ug ,,'uerEo.I4 eteylo3

eq1 ur Eurpeag l? Iocv-I ,rleN Vu (Srci)'U-L'Z'I tsailuln7 ssotcy (cota4t7'oln,l 'rqse,(eqo1'(tgel)"'froeql

erueqrs:fce.ta1r1 -19 ur sldacuo3 i(eX,, 'Oegt) 'selr"qC 'rznuu?f'qEL-LEL :?'ou '8I t1t4nn8 7OSflJ ,,'esevedel pue
qs11tsug ul suralled l?orrolaqgr'tr1 e8ed'€Z eunf 'Qt1aa17p6ttN artJ .'qsq8ug lnoqy
IluJ e e^?H 01 speeN uede1,, '[661) 'o:11qeseyr1 t{nzqsl'H 'rqse,(eqo;1'€I -8'S I'9I '106 '[uoqecnpg asauedul
ut sfessg puorlepunod Jo uolltelloJ tgf nsnmlg unquoy
uor1ty ntltoty o?ru1oy'('sm) lfoN e{un1 ry ?prH oDI?J:u1 '[uogecnpg emleJell'I o1 Surp.roccy .ctdo;.] ,ppnqs'ot1y 1o41o9 rqloty o31g tltttC nqryJ '[qslpug Eutpeeg
ur sualqoJd ,sluep$s ete11o3 esauPdef Jo sesn?cl uruec
ol la{lnd ou noloD - uellepuohl ou nlorfuterploq oSrg ou
resn:p8req '(SSef) FI 'Epqsol 4' ''S '"pqso1 ''X 'oqIX

Exams.n ONCUE,5, No. 3, 19-24'
Ricento, Thomas K. (1987). Aspects of Coherence inEnglish and Japanese Expository hose.

Ph.D. dissertation: UCLA.

Unpublished

Vogel, E. F. (1980). Japan as Nwnber Onz. Tokyo"
Tuttle.

Weaver, C. (1980). Psycholinguistics and Reading: From
Robb, T. N. & Susser, B. (1989). "Extensive Reading Vs.
Skills Building in an EFL Context.n Reading in a Foreign Process to Practice. Cambridge, MA: Winthrop.

Language, 5.2.239-25L
Yoshida, H. (1985). CAI Sokudoku Kunren (Speed

Gaikola4o Reading: Training by Computerl. In: K. Kitao, K. Nozawa,a Foreign Y. Oda, T. Robb, M. Sugimori, & M. Yamamoto (Eds'),
Studying
for
Methods
Gakushuuhou [Scientific
TEFLinJapan: JALT 10 ShunenKinenRonbunshuflAlJ
Tokyo:
Koudansha.
l-anguagel.
Saeki, Tomoyoshi. (1992). Kagahrtekina

LOth Anniversary Collected Papersl, 45-53.
Sakamoto, Takahiko. (1995). "hoblems in Translation: A
Japanese-to-English Example." In: T' Hanis & R.

Hodges Yoshida, S. (1935). Daigakusei no Eigo Dokkairyoku:(Eds.),The Literury Dictionary. Newark International
Reading Association, 261.
Shimaoka, Takashi and Kyoko Yashiro. (1990). Team
Teaching in Engtish Classrooms: An Intercultural

Approach. Tokyo: Kairyudo.

Kodoku no Shiryo Toshite [Japanese College Students'
Reading Ability: Data from College English Coursesl. In:
K. Kitao, K. Nozawa, Y. Oda, T. Robb, M' Sugimori, & M.
Yamamoto (FAs.),TEFLinJapan: JALT IOShunenKinm
Ronbunshu UALT 10th Anniversary Collected Papersl,

Ll7-125.

Smith, F. (1982). Understanding Reading: A
psycholinguistic Analysis of Reading and Learning toRead (3rdedition). New York, Rinehart and Winston.

Yoshida S & Kitao, S. K. (1986). "Itsutsu no Dokkai Test
wo Riyoshita Daigakusei no Eigo Dokkai Sokudo Oyobi
Rikaido no Kenkyu" [Japanese College Students' English
Reading Ability and Speed- A Study Based on Five Testsl.

Stevenson, H. W. (1986). t eaming to Read Japanese." Chubu Chiht Eigo Kyoiku Galrkai Kiyo, 15.183-188.
In: H. Stevenson, H. Azuma, & K. Hakuta (Eds.), Child
Yutani, Y. (1977). Cunent English: Translation of News
Development and. Education in Japan. New York W.H.

Articles and "Nonsequence" of Tenses. Academic Bulletin:
Kyoto Bulletin oJ Foreign Studies. 18: 52-63.

Freeman, 214-235.
Susser, B. & Robb, T. N. (1990). "EFI- Extensive Reading
Instruction: Research and Procedure." JALT Journal, l2-2-

161- 185.
Takahashi, M., & Takahashi, Y. (1984). "Dokkai Speed
no Kijun wo Doko ni Okuka?" [How to Set the Criteria for
Reading speed?1.

EisoKyoiku,33.e.36'3e. NOte: The CUE Mefit AWafd
Takefuta, Yukio. (1e82). Nihoniin-eigo no Kasaku: Sono iS gfanted tO neWCOmefS tO
Genjo Asu noTembo [Scientific Analysis of theEngrish of the Japanese peoplel. Tokyo: Kenkyusha. College teaChing Who havebeen nominated by CIIE
ranaka, chie. (1e8s). A study or the Errectiveness of
Reading Instruction at the College l,evel in Japan Based membefs. ReCipientS in 1998
on Phycholinguistic Theory. Unpublished Ph.D.
y_ ^t. ^ - .
and
MaCKenZie
afe Lawfence- -^,dissertation, university of Kansas, DAr 86084s3.
to

e

1

unger, J. M. (1987). The Filth Generation Faltacy.
York Oxford UniversitY hess.

New Bgfn MUlVey'

Vanderford, S. (1997). "Oral English in College Entrance

t2

ET

JoJ peeu eql ur esueJcur I€JaueE € seeseJoJ

elerodroc s€ sees eq leqAr;o seldurexe eeJql'NJIJ etp uuql puelsrepun ot Jers€e pue cgrceds
eroru 'fesse puoces u ueillJlr eours seq elqoN

eH 'ftusseceu ejoru ue^e JeqJeel eql SuDI€tu'peopltom eql uI eseeJcul uu pesnec,{1pce;pu€ $ueprus ueenrteq uorledtctued eutluoleqt
Surpurg e-ren ,{eqt 'yexerq 1e teql paureldxe
ag 'dnorg 8u4psuo3 qceJeroJ eql Jo uoqces
Ieuorlecnpo eqt Jo JolceJp fpuerrnc pue'lueugedaq sJuercs uoq"uuoJul s,,{lrsrentu3
IexeJC Jo rl?ec ,(1rew:o3 su,t\ eq se 'sBIq€ pelou I 'elqoN qlrm poe:Eesry f,lsno.reycon
ep,{1 p-reqclg'rCI'tuedtctged euo'suolgesses,elqoN esoqc 1os '1!rdy ur f,lruerrmn
eldruel p acueJeJuoc pe:osuods lueufiuelog
Sne 1e (11) fEolourlcoJ uorleuuoJul
Iuuorlecnpo ur senssr le;nllnc uo sctdol
IursJeloruoJ eruos lueseJd o1 pa>1se sem 1'.{epor suonruqsul 1euoqecnpe
Jo lueuncryur 8u11qc u 'elclge e;4ue
eql ol {uI3 JoJ A\oleq ees 'suorleJlsrufiupe
Jleql pue sJeqluelu,$1nce3 l€npr^pur usr^\leq
srseq roq pe ue uo euop ueeq seq drqsreu,uotueted ro; uoqeqoEeu {11erurog ',g1nce;
eq1's:e:elocs1p eqt o1 peEuoleq slueled eqt
leql sl ruelgord eq1 'r$rsrenrun eql1ou 'spun;
JO ecJnos eql Jo ,(uedord eql eJeA\ stueled
Euqpser,(ue ruqt Sune6 dn u,r.e.tp ere,r.
slueuee:Ee ueUO'suorl€cgldde lercJeruuoc
ro;8urxoo1 eJenr 1eql s.rosuods e1erodroc
o1 sluer8 lueururerroE sEuuls-ou,{q pepun;

FDnqou oltrJ,

qcJeeseJ,,eJnd,, ruo:; Sur8ueqc'se4tstelrun
qcJ€eseJ qll/$ Usls pueJl eql A\€s elqoN'sesJnoc eull-uo qcuel 01 rselelcoss€8uqcee1,, Eulsn go ,$111q1sueg eq1 Eur,{pnlssr u?ep eug 'eleduged llrn uosse;ord'Euru:ee1:eqErq Jo suonrurlsur le sseursnq
ot ,{EoEeped uror; remod Jo ecwleq eql
dq ol uee:cs e{orus e se uounloleJ uorleturoJur
srrll A\es eH 'sruooJss€lc uo pecrog Eureq
ere,t. seSuuqc eseql;oord se sleueleru esJnoc;o {:eltlep cruor1cele ol VlCn 1e esuodser
luepnls err4eSeu e puu flrsrenrun srq lB e{Flsrel{cuel E pallc e11 'flpcruo;1ce1e palpped eq
ppoc r(eq1l€ql os sl€Felelu esJnoc ol lq8u,tdoc
Jo JJels pue ,{11nce; dgls ol suorprodroc
e8rul qtru Eur,{1p seqrsrenrun eEml
Jo uorluJlsrufiup? eql /!\es eH '1cnpo:d B olul
Euumel Eutumt'uo4ecnpa ;o uorlecrJrpouruoc
eqt peuJep elqoN 'ereq peluuder

rlclrlA\ epu8rsep uec,$tueatm eqt'pE IeeU ol
Eurprorcu 1nq 'mou ,fte1un1o,r st uotlednq:e4, 'sesJnoc eurl-uo JoJ sl"ueleru Eurdolelep

eJoJeq tqEu,{doc Jreql JeAo uErs tsnru &1nceg
eql ',(rmduoc eql qllAr UJoueq cnuouoce eql JO
tsoru prre seqrpqrsuodser luewdolelep 'spueqs,.firs'telrun eqt uI leue1etu esJnoJ go 1q8!r,{docseceld 1eq1 lueureorEe aqt ut e8unEuel qtla\'lnc Jeelc lsotu sr opeJoloc w uoll?nus eqJ'lesunsJ ,{lrsrelrun pue ,{euotl€ JeIruoJ e pJIril
eql pu" repno:d letuelul IIe Jeqlolre ',fi1snpu1
elqec eql tuor; euo lspuno;E>1ceq puollucnpe
eluq lou op seprrd-ogut elanofuoc
eql l€ql sr,$lleuoutuoc Jeqlouv'1ueur,{oldule,$lnceggo uorqpuoJ B er$reyoJ 1qtu,{doce{€w ser}rsJelrun ueqlr 1es Euteq st luepacerds€1rr 'o1uoJo1 ur r$rsre,rr-un {JoA 1e-tosse;ord'elqoN plA?C,{q,{esse ue oEu senssr oArJ

luorun8.ry aql

snoretuup € l"ql sa1uls elqoN 'IeFe1eut esmoc
o11qEF,{doc 'eluq l,uop ,(eg1 Euruleuos
reno tuuErs eJe suonellsrutrupe,{tlsrenrun eqt
lel{l }cE eql sI suo4"ruIs eeql eql ol uolutuoc,(11s.re,rpn s,uotuol\ B,rtoqs
6ue,{11 u1,ray,,'slllhtr Buroldrc IellEIQ,, s,elqoN
pI^B(I ol uorlcBer I€cIllJc raqung'uollecnpg l"eu
qlr.rr op"rolo3 3o ,$rsrer'Fn eql puB'Iov tlllal,{s1e1m g Jn' (NAI{I) ryom1s51 uollsJngd
e{uoH eql qtl^t pep s,V-IJn :reded eq1
Jo{lnq eql esudruoc uo4ecnpe olul uolsrulul

assorord eql surto oqal

education overall (ongoing throughout life)that eliminates any fear of teachers losing theirjobs. Drexel saw that the online courses wereserving a student body that would not haveaccess to the traditional class, thus opening a"new marketu and increasing the need forteachers. Less convincing, thotigh, he also
thought of the market as a good arbiter ofeducational quality.

undue pressure on faculty to become
technologically literate and distance students
from faculty. He dismisses these arguments bystating that most administrators are former
faculty and understand their plight. Pressure
for computer literacy comes not from corporate
pirates or mean-spirited administrators, butfrom the world at large.

l

The stereotype of the

The Educom Review is an online journal for
online education, one of the companies Noble
mentions in his first essay. As a response to
Noble, the editors assembled four leaders in
the field to comment. Ben Schneiderman,
well known for his pioneering work in
hypertext and current explorations ofinterface design, says Noble is "Whipping the
Boogie Monster" of technology. He brings
forth many historical examples of corporate"meddling" in education. Schneiderman
thinks this discussion is distracting us from theimportant task of integrating technology into
education so that teachers may more effectively
evaluate material s, innovate, guide, moti vate,
and mentor-thirigs technology cannot do.
Richard Herman, also from the University of
Maryland, concurs with Dr. Lytle in thatonline delivery will increase the need forteachers. He rather dubiously quotes VannevarBush, science advisor to F.D. Roosevelt,
saying that scientific investigation should not
be so pure as to be useless to society.

individual scribblingprofundities at his desk in anivory tower and later"professing" them to theworld is long outdated.
Phil Agre, professor at UC San Diego (now at
UCI-A) who has written for WIRE and often
comments on Internet developments with aclarity I find in few other places, wants Noble
to "Meet Me at the Crux." He savs that
focusing on the technological or 6conomic
aspects of Noble's arguments will yield theleast results. Agre thinks Noble is not looking
at the relationships between the forces at workin education and how technology might beused, as it has in other professions. Instead,
Noble only looks at how computers replicate
brainpower cheaply and restrict power of theworker. "Noble's argument likens higher
education to factory work, an analysis some
may find offensive" (Agre, 1998). The crux
between technological and economic
understandings is a clear conception of higher
education as a place to develop meta-skills
such as analytical thinking and working in asocial network. Traditional study is not going
away, it will just be augmented by technology.

Online participation b etw e en
students and faculty makes
the teacher more necessary.
Peter Denning, of George Mason University
had the longest rebuttal, asking us to "Skewer

the Stereotype." He divides Noble's
arguments into two categories. First is theadministrator's desire to control the
educational process and take power from thefaculty. Denning follows with the (what I
consider misinterpreted) asserti on that Noble
thinks that technological advances will put

Other Thoughts
Technology exponentially complicatestraditional relationships in education. Before,
all a teacher had to worry about were thestudents and administration (and sometimes, to

I4

t

I

9I
pue sesJnoc lnoqs uorpulroJur 'uorsr^elel;oge-d elqelgord lsoru eql'eplng AI e{l-I'peeu Aeql uonBcnpeJo puHlBq/$ euruuelep
pue'secloqc Jeneq e{eru uBc,{eqt'e1qu1rc,reAIIpeeJ eJo(u uo4"rruoJul l"ql e^"q sluepnls
ecug 'r(cueJBdsuert Jo leepl eql ol Jesolc
euocaq ilpl (sl teql Jeno1uq,r. 'uoqucnpe)
lcnpord oql lnoq€ uoneuuoJur eJeq/!\.(ruouoce rernd e prel\ol r(e,t. slr ryo,r\ IIrl!\,le{J€ru. lpuo4ecnpe eql pue'selroqc Surletu(s1ue"red Jreql Jo) sluepnls ees plnoqs e^\'luepnerd euoceq slelJe1eru cruor1cele eseql sV'ecuepueilB Euqnt'sluepnls eql Eurtunpne'eJuauJos p{I? eJ€a\pJ?q 3o ure1s,{s rreqt

qEnorql 11 Euue,rllep',(11erpo"r1cele elqeJe^rlep
eqt Euget sr pH
tl Euqeru pu? IBue1etu^rer 1nq 'acue181srr3
Ieeu l?ql Jeprsuoc no,t ueqr*
te pecuel€qun Iuees feur srql'(g6dt 'elqoN),,(1uepnls;ed s:e11op peJpmq euo snld
pedolerrep es:noc qcee JoJ sJ"llop puusnoql
oAIJ salrsrer pA peg) 'JelFereql luecredueeurJ pue 00O'9ZIg o1 dn senueleJ 3o luecred
uel Jo se4p,{or snld srelpp pu€snoql euo
se^receJ Jeqrueu r{llnce; eql 'f}rsJe^run eql olsleueteru esJnoc 1p uo 1q8u,{doc EuruErsse
pIIB asJnoc UpeJc-eeJql pcrd,fi e Eurdolerrep
JoJ runleJ uL, op€JoloJ l3l3rll pmoJ
suq elqoN 'drqsreuged Jeelc € pJBA\ol psoJ
srql tuolu {uql e.& ueql reqlmJ eJe ellr sduqre4'^,ftesseceu uoq/${JoAr l€rpetueJ
op ol elqe eq IIIilr sluepruS 'esrnoc e&^rlJos

qcee Eurzllenpl^lpul'sluepnls EurprnS
pue Eu4enple'tursrlpe 1e lecxe IIr/!\ sJeqceel

eluos 'lelJsleur /l\eu qlr^t qrorrr o1 e1fts
rteql eEueqc ol ,troq a\ou{ III^\ ,teql esneceq
pu?luep ul eq IIIA| sleqcBel pooc 'eJB^\esJnoc,neu aEeueur pue el"etc ol seuo eql eq ill$.{eq1;o; pu€tuep ul eg IIps 11m s:eqcee11eet8
pue'U ArotDI errr su uorl"cnpe eEwqc II!a\ eull-uo pedolerrep sesJnoc Areu eseql ',{plege3'lsJIJ enssl eql pe^IoseJ e^€q leql suluel,{q[vqeeJc seuo eq IIrA\ sesJnoJ elqeldecce lsotu'ffiepleq1 ',{lpetqnopun
eqt Jo -ra8alced eql
Jo JoleeJc eql 'uruqc pooJ eql uo reqEq sr or{,r\Jo enssr eql sellos uorsrcep srq; 'esrgedxe go"teseqcrnd eruos,{q Jo JeuA\o s1r ,{o peranrlsp
esJnoc e woJJ Jeneq rrJeel uec euo Jeqleq^reppep ot tuepnp eqt ot dn eq f,1e1erur11n IIVn U'ereg uonsenb sqt go ged NrrJ erp uo peryo^re^?rl el[ esluepnN llJeueq tsql seop /!\oq pu?

'pelqluess€ eq louuuc uorleJnpe;o slcedse euos lnq'Eururee1 ur ,(Eolouqcel
uI esBeJcur eql Jo uorl€nurluoc e ees IIrl( eA\'.{lpetqnopun'f8o1ouqce1 Sulppe pe^lolur

IBFo1eIU eql su/lro oq^\ sr uorlssn| Erg eq11ng

eseql Jo AUBIAI 's06 eql ur secr^Jes l?rJueurJol pue'sg4 eql ur (suroclrs) luetuure1.tslue
ol'sgg oql ul (uosuqol pre.rog) ecldsoq
pue (s,ppuo(Icry) tuelnslser ot'(proC)'alq0npL atoul
awocaq nlu suouryusul puo
sastnoJ moqo uouuuto{ulsgg61 ,{pee eq1 ur EuFnlc€Jnueu ol pecnpolurqceordde eurl-,{lquesse eql uees el€q efl\'uornta\al {o ltDd aqut{otdlsout aLfl 'ap1n9 AJ a)il.l'Eurc4ue IIps mq'peleplno tuol sr plJo^r eql
ol ueql ,,8utssegord,, JoIBI pue Jea\ol ,(ro,rl ue,uI {sep srq t€ serlrpungord turlqquJs'l€nphrpur'uodsuer1 peseq-esror{ ueql eldoed erow
-Ie3 pe,(o$ure uoqcrulsuoc peoJ pue 'Eu1m1e:
euqose8 'Suunlce;nueru JsJ e{ll seulsnpur
ueq^\ PJpunoJrm luea\ 1usu,{oldure Jo ssol Jo
srueJ rreqJ 'f,rruuec eql Jo ruru eql 1e srel€ru
dq,n ,{EEnq eqt legered ot,uees sseco"rd
Ieuo4"cnpa patecnsqdos f, 11ectEo1ouqce1

eqt Jo ed,{perels er.It snqJ 'runlnclr.'nr pelJlun

1" uoJJe ru€el E 'pellolur esoqt {q tndur" w slFseJ .,{cuepuedep sql'serlrpqedec
eJolu'
leclEolouqcel Jo uo4rsrnbc" ur seu€rpeuuelur
se lJu ol uoqul1srurrupe eg uo puedep ,(llnceC'eJeaqJos eql eleelc prreryolqeu eq1 eEuueru
1eq1 eldoed Fcruqcel eql uo,{cuepuedep
luqlnsJJ er0 pu" IeuelBru JeAIIep olelqu tureq lnoqe selJ- oA\ eJu eJeql 'ueemleq ul:elnduoc € qq.l$, '(sluerud eql 'luqxe Jessel ee ul puTrleq rye1 Eureq Euuue-; esoql'alqenp^ eJoru euoceq IIrA\ suo4nlrlsur

handling the mundane aspects of claqsroom
learning-, we get some peispective..The actual
pav of IOVo of revenues may actuilty De
buite lucrative, considering the material iscieveloped onlY once and the course may betaught manv times. Updating material isutroih"t consideration. But the writing is on thewall. As the saying goes, any teaghgl that canbe replaced by a computer...should be' That

works both waYs.

References
Noble's original article: Digital Diploma Mills' ONCUE6'
2: 3-lI: also available at:<http://home. i star. cal-acj ames/ noble. html>
Noble's second essay on the subject:<http: //communication. ucsd. edu/dl/ddm2' html>
Response by a team of educators at Educom:<http: //ivory. educom'edu/web/pubs/review/rev iew A rti c le s I 33322.html>

Other Web .Sites
Students "revolt" against online requirements at

University of Washington:<http: i /w ww. idg. net/idg-frames/en glish/content'

cgi?vc=docid-9-62655. html>
Christian Science Monitor reports on Noble's essay:<http: //www.csmonitor. com/durable/ 1 998/06/30/fp57s 1 csm.htm>
Views by many on commidification in educational

technology:<http: /i www. ctf-fce. cale/what/restech/commodif ' htm>
Drucker's article in Forbes Magazine onthe future withsome interesting ideas on education:<http://www. forbes. com/forbes/97l03 1 0/59051 22a'htm>
Response to Peter Drucker by Nancy Dye, President ofOberlin College:<http: //w ww. csmonitor. com/durable/ 1 998/06i 08/>

(story in index)

About distance learning:<http: //www.dailynorthwestern'com/daily/issues/ 1998
/04/02lcampus/di stance.html>

Are Textbooks lfleeting
Needs of Target Markets?
A wake-up call to Publishers.

Ian Richards'

Tottori UniversitY[The author responds to'Rube' Redfi'eld's
piece in June's ON CUE, where he reviewed
Atlas: Learning Centered Communication'/'Rube' Redfield's recent criticisms of the Atlas
series of textbooks in the June issue of ON

CUEwasa useful attempt at providing
Dractical feedback for a-book which looks finein theory. Teachers are often given very little
informa:tion about what sort of 'road-testing' atextbook has had, and thus published feedback--the more critical the better--is an important
responsibility for teachers. Textbooks are big
business for publishing companies these days,
and teachers should be encouraged to bechoosy. Redfield is right about transparency'
which he defines as when'the activity
sequencing and set up are self-explanatory andreciuire litt]e or no prb-lesson preparation'' In
faCt, most teachers would choose transparency
above any sort of methodological correctness'
That said, I haven't used Atlas, so I do notplan to contribute to any debate on the relative
merits. or otherwise, of the book. It was
Redfield's comments about the usefulness of
textbooks that seemed most significant in his
article, especially when he stated that he tried
the book 6n a large class (100 students) andtwo smaller clasGs (5-15 students). It is, ofcourse, hard for a textbook to be expected toprovide conversation material and activities fora class of 100 or so students, but it is not
unfair. That is the tvpe of class which most
university English linguage teachers face.
Textbooks along the Atlas line may, 9I may
not, work satisfactorily for small, wellmotivated classes at, say, a private language
school. Nevertheless large university classes,

T6

'

LI
slBeAeJ doqslooq,{ue olllsr,t y 'eJnpoJd 01,$oq ArotDI,{aqt asneceq sJeuJ/lt {ooqlxel eweu

LgI :\ooqpuoH ?cuatatuoS

J'M'sassu13 3rg
staprog Suprsot3 oulltso4H 69
roJ serlr^qrv ssslo ll?urs :dn Burpcg '(9661) 3 'sruo1-8rq erq e1( :s€Ar doqs4-rom eql Jo seSesseru
umtu eql Jo eug 'esud:ns sq pesserdxe'rszru€EJo eql 'uelrs urlf l€ql os qcnu
os--pepuen€ 11en,(1eure4xe se,rl ecueJeJuoc'ol-L :z'g gncNo'uortErrunuuoc

peretueJ Surureel :sepy '(9661) 'I 'plelJpe11

966I I-IVf eql 1e,slducsnuelntr {ooqueJ,&eunurle:4 go enb4F3 l"uorssaJord,
eql uo doqsl-tom CISN sretlrlA sleFet€nt V'{ooqlxel u,r\o Jleql etu^\ ol e{ll psepul plnoa\'8-gg :sraprog Sussot3 96 JWt z6t 'sldrrcsnueyl{ooqlxal {reuluqar4 ;o enbgu3 luuorsseJord:doqs1ro16 CISN srerpiA sppalul/{'(rcei l 'lpp?alg,(eqt teqt IeeJ sreqceel lsoru 'Jelul Jo Jeuoos

socuoJaJou'Jles/(tu >looqtxel eqt 8ung.r\ tu,I l€ql
IeeJ ol ul6eq I 'uzno r{ru Jo seepr elq€{Jo,rr qlr/!\
dn euoc 01 trun Jo uossel qcee Jo pue eql te
e18Eru6 1 su ,(1rs:e,uun uoltoJ 1e '{lSursFdrns
loN 'sselc e8rel e qtl.r\ os op ol elqrssodur sr'sassulc ,filsrerrrun e8J3l JoJ s{ooqlxel
lueJedsrrBJt prrc'sass€lc loorlcs qErq eErel rols"{ooq fueluawelddns lnoqe {uqt plnoqs /(eql'sle{.rctu leSr4rreql{uHte: pFoqs sreqsrlqnd'slooqcs aEenEuel el€AIJd ur'suorleruls uetu
-ol-u"u Jo 'sess€lc lletus ur Eurureel eJB oqa\
Eururleap sr sluepnls Jo Jequnu eql puu 'JeAo'roJ sJsluar
sr wooq e,trle)Ilg eql l€ql
etuuu-8rq eql fed ol Eurllr^\^\oN
rql l€q/\r sl tuql
lnq 'elua ol fs€e sl {ooq € qcns pueleJd l,uop
I'slueprus Eu!:eeul8ue pele^rloru-/tlsnou"A'le^el-plnu ss ol lueserd ppor I qcFIAr{ooqlxel e ee.s ol eAol pFoltl 'sleryelu eqcru
JoJ Eurlool uer.ll Jer.ileJ 'lles pJ€rl pu€ f^Aes
8u4e1ruur eJoul turfldde errlorrur ol srusJs
le>lJeru looqlxel eql Jo eJruBu e^rlrleduoc,{lEursuercul eql ol sJeqsrlqnd Jo esuodseJ er.{JU pu"'ueuecrlod 8ur,{e1d ,tofue 1,uop sJer{ceeJ'sesluexe Jo spuDl aseql Ue^qns o1 s,te.,upeJpunq e e^sq sluepnls 'uorl€Anotu,sluepqs ern uo r(lyreeq puedep serlr^4c?
uo4cnpotd e1,{1s de8-uoneuuoJur'Jelenoq'sEentuul lsJrJ uoruruoJ seJeqs leql dnorE u" ereqJ 'ptremez
tlll A 'llea\ pe{Jo^r eneq,{eqtr*s51'frlunoc un\o,{tu ur eJlueJ eEentuelqsllEug f1ruelrun,(esseyrl eqt lu sessulc
eEen8uel tsJrJ-rtlnu qlrm (seFes eSueqc:e1u1
eql flpuorsBcoo prre seFes fempeepleql) s{ooqfxel uoqesJe^uoc pesn e^eq I

I'esrcJexe deE-uorleur:oJul uB rtpepeluleJe qctt1l\ 'sequrqce uorlcnpord eql qlp\ seruoc'spTt0ut

eql'pJr1sruerr seq ,{cuaredsuurl
ruepord,{pee-rp lnq 'ldsp" ol l1n rJJrp 1no,(e1e qcns purJ lou ,teu reqceel y 'sse1c eErel

aqclu tof SuDlool uutlt Druot'uas pfir,l Qddo snqs\qnd

e ;o; peuSrsep lusr--{ooqlxal uoqesJeluoc

e ro31no,{e1Jo uos pJepuels eqt--suo4senb
uezop e31eq ,tq po^rolloJ 'entolerp ueql pue
uorlcnpoJtur uy 'sdnorE eErel rog tueredsuerl,{ped uele eJ? qcFlr!\ qooqtxet pulJ
ol IFOIJJIp sI 'JoJ
ssUJ^a .Ie,re ,{poqou
1I
{ooq
"
ss"lc Jo uoslnq--lnoq€ surelduoc euor{razre
eq1 rquepnls Supaoufue gg Jo sselc euo eler{osl€ I 'lou etuos pu€ 'pele^rloru eJe ruoqa\ Joeluos 'sluepnls 0€ Jseu Jo sesselc uorlBsJe^uoc'sesselc loorlcs qEq lueprus-o€ srq roJ
selou snordoc Eup1e1 su^\ oq^\ Jeqcsel tusJSojd
I 'ecuelpne sll ,{q dn peddel
EIg JoJ serlr^rlcv sselJ II?us-IAf e ot lxeu l€sse,u:dn "sessBlc
Eurpcs, 'stuoJ urloC .(q uonuluesaJd eecueJeJuoo I-IVf etuss eql lv 'speou Jreql leelu
ol sldluens ue^e qJrqa\ {ooqxel eJoJ ure^ ur{ool lllrlr sassep eErel3o sJeqmel r$rs.Ierru61'sluepnls le8r4 erll Jo uorlenlrs ssulc-ur
eql Jo /!|er^ ,sJslu/rr eql ul ue^e Jo 'scrdol Jreql

qsllEug ollrl elerl 1fi1sre,r.run uonoJlV'sreqsrlqnd {ooqxet $oru JoJ le8Js} tueuodturu€ er? .seps Brq ,(1p4ue1od rleql qlla{'uorlslueseJd Jo rruoJ JrerD ur uo4er.re^ elnrl
Aroqs qtrqa $looqlxel uorlssje^uoc Jo s/(oJCaE Forum PFeview...
[What fotlow are previews of CUE s Forumon Higher Education featuring Cheiron

McMahill, David McMunay & Brian
McVeigh. The Forum talces place at JALT98,
Sat., Nov. 21, 4:15-6:00, Room 901.1

Feminist Contributions to
ELT: A Critical Approachto Language Learningpedagogies that tenured and/or Japanesefaculty may feel they couldn't "get awaywith". Feminist, critical, queer pedagogy,
subverting the institution through the minds of

its students, Creating our own f'utopia" now.
The first step in teaching feminism is to raise
our own consciousness, and become moresensitive to the male bias and sexism in teacher
training, methods, texts, and in language
itself. The second step, which I will focus on
in my presentation, is to use our power asteachers in the classroom to create alternatives.
I have been devoting myself to the creation ofa feminist approach to teaching English in

Japan for the past five years. It has been agroup effort in a sense, as I have been

Cheiron McMahill,
Gunma Prefectural Women's
University

nurtured in my effort by the members of
Women in Education and l,anguage lrarning(WELL). This group of women teachers andAs many have observed before me, the role offoreign teachers at Japanese universities is akinto that of jesters and movie stars. We tend todance in the margins of our academic
communities on short-term contracts,
sometimes renewable, sometimes mysteriously
not. We are invited to meetings or we areimperiously "excused." Our sincerest efforts
to speak up in Japanese may be greeted withchuckles of laughter. Every day is anadventure, as no one is sure how we fit in orwhat our rights are. There are roughly three
foreign men for every one foreign woman
teaching at aJapanese university (19P,6 Gakko

students meets once a year for three days andhas a lesson and materials swap. Throughout
the year, we share ideas and materials forclasses over E-mail and our newsletter. One
on one, we read each others' papers and talkover our struggles. So I want to make it clearthat I am very indebted to these women for theideas and examples I will share with you(McMahill, 1998; Vandricks, 1994, 1995).

kihon chosa hokokusho). This means foreign
female faculty are even more of a rarity, theproverbial talking dogs and wise parrots. We
add a bit of diversion and color. But what
advantages are there to living on the margins
this way? What can we do, in our positions,to subvert, to transform "our" universities?

as the standard and not as the exception.

Everyone must have a different answer to this.
For me, the parallel with the jester holds the
key: he was the only one allowed to mock the
king. Who is the king? Patriarchy in all its
manifestations, the least of which is theuniversity. What is the jester's language ofmocking (consciousness-raising)? Radical

7) A critical approach.
8) Starting where the students are.

In my presentation, I'll explain the following
characteristics of feminist language teaching:1) A focus on women; women are taken

2) The use of non-sexist language.
3) The spirit of egalitarianism. ,4) The creation of a safe space within theclassroom.
5) Learning from personal experiencesand emotions.
6) Multi-sensory leaming.

Next I'll explain some concrete activities

which I have used. Theactivities containall ormost of the elements of feminist language
teaching I have shared above.
18

6l
qceeds s,ueruo,lr Jo lunolll eql '9,'Iueql sseJdxe Jeileq per{ feql os 'suorurdoe^eg oslu ueluoi(\ 'ejoru pu" eJo{u pJsueJcur
seq ueluoA\ Jo uos leql fllueceu 'ueruoAr
uo secuenuur e^eq suourdo Jrsql 1r seoprpJn{es oIHsoI pue 'elurfeJ oIoA'opuvo{n1'eldrrruxe JoC 'srueJtoJd Jleqt ul uorurdo
rtsql ssardxe ueruo,r\ AreJ € lng 'suorurdo req
Eursserdxe tnoqtrl\ lffic Jeqlo Jo CI I qlll\ uleurqc 6nfaqg 1uelsrsse se elJes ueuo/r\ prru

'uollssJe^uoc eql uI uetuo/rt pue uelu UeeAUeq
seloJ lueJeJJIp peJe^ocslp e1!\ 't"-

I'oA, ou €u-il Jo Leu oA €p-,, esn {eql uorl€sJeluoc;o Eupue ur 'eldumxe

rod 'spJo^\ J€lrwrs pesn ,(eqt lng u'lqs"lvu
JO ,,nISel€/V\, esn U?IUOIV\ ,,'tr{Ofl,, JO ,eJorl

esn ueru eldruexe JoC 'spJo,rr lueJeJJrp esn
rrBruo.r\ prl? uelu leql pecrlou osle e1!\ '€,,
'1se; fuen
leeds ueru eydurexe
rog 'q4rd pue uoneuolur lueJeJJrp qtrn qeeds
rruruoar prrB uelu l€ql punoJ oslB '2,'spuoces gg leeds u"tuol\ tng'spuoces 0€ selnuru g qeeds'uewo,rr
ueql eJou lueds ueru l€ql punoJ 'Ix:sarolloJ su sEurpug lenprlrpur Jeq pezuewuns
eqs ,,'Jeuusd tse€L 'etusJp sgJ eql ul'CIAtr Jo selo: ,{e1d.(11ereueE ueu 'rrloqs ztnb

I
uel
I

eseuudel's,lreu 'e1€qep € e{ll ue"tSo.td
ur 'eldruexe Jo{ 'ueruolr pu€ ueru uee,,rr1eq
seloJ lueJeJJrp peJe^ocsp e1$,'uollesJeluoc 3o Eurpue eql ut ,,or(,, Jo ,eurl
esn e/rr'eldwexe Jod 'spJo,u J"lrurs esn osp

6;

't,

,(eqt tng u'lIIselV, Jo ,,Iqwlelv\,, 'spJoA\ eql
esn ueluolt lng ,,'n{og, Jo .eJOr, 'spJoar eql
esn ueru e 'elduexe JoC 'spJo.rr lueJeJJrp esn
ueuo,r\ pue uelu leql punoJ osle eia '€,,',{11n;eceed {lelIIB e,{r 'a{ll errr Eurqteruos ro,fuo1s ,{uun; € lnoqu {lel ear ueqlr 'pu?q Jeqlo
eql uo 'ueruo^\ osF lng ueur ,(po lou 'euol
dreqs eq1 ul {l€t e,t. ',{es 01 sselpeeu 'r(lsnoFes
Euqtewos ssncslp ear ueqa\ 'eldurexe-tog'uort€nlrs e-qt uo puedep g4ld puu uon€uotur
eql lng ',{11n;eceed pue ,{1,uo1s 4eeds
uewo^t 'SI l"tlJ 'ueluo/!| u€ql JepJ?q pue'repnJ 're1se; {eeds ueru 'Eurxeeds ,(lpreueg'q41d pue uorleuolutluereJJlp qlr^\ e{odseuecs euo popJoreJ 'eldulexe JoJ'luepnls auo'oldot aqt uo spuadap
uautoilr puO uala uaaflaq
uozlosta\uo7 {o xunou,toaql lng 'uaraotut uoql atota
illods uallt WW puno{ alw'ssulc eql o1 'eseuedel ur peruro3:ad seldurexe
qltrr 'sturpulJ,{e{ Jleql Jo ,fteruurns dnorSe e,u8 pue erede;d ueql [eq1 'uo os pue'uotlenlts 'ctdol 'uortet'e8e 'snleJs 'sse1c se
qcns 'secue;e;;ry repue8 eserp qltllt pelc€Jelur
luql sJolceJ reqlo ,tue prrB 'seloJ lBuorl"sJe^uoc'eEentuel pe:epueE ,{1-lea1c go esn'relstEe; 'qceeds Jo lunorue eql ur secueJeJJrp
repueE r{ue qsrlEug ur es{1eue pue eseuedel
ur uorlBsJa^uoc eql equcsrre4 r(eq1 ':eedde
ueruo^\ puu uelu qloq qcr-q/!\ ur ,$oqs AJ eJo
iled ro il" ede1 quepos 'eldurexe rre se eJaq

ueluo.a\ pue uelu leql punoJ osl" e/V[!,,'r{lerrtssedll tnoqe llul ueluolt 'ueuro,n lsup8e ecpnlerde'sruelqord l?nxes eql tnoqe {lq feqlJr 1ng',{1el4ce sellesueql moq€ >llsl uec ueuoa\',{epol ueruolrr eseuedel;o uon€nlrs eql tnoq€>lpl,(eq1g1'eldruexe roC 1noq€ >11et f,aqt rcqr
cldol eql uo spuedep ueluo,r\ pIIB uelu ueeaueq
uo4esJe^uocJo lrmoue eqt lng 'ueruo^le;oru e4ods uetu leql punoJ e.AA 'I u:uoda: pepuedxs u€ qlll\ dn euec eqs'slueprus Jeqto qllAr sEutpur; req Euuudtuo3

euo slql ureldxe ew le-I 'esJnocsrp ue4ods
ur secueJeJJp;epueE Eurs,{1euy (:',{1nue; sreuo ur ryo,&esnoq Jo uorshrp aql
8urs,{1eue puu'Surguqc'Sur,rresqg (7'serloru o1 esuodser
e su frpod Sunurogred pue Eur1F16 (g,,'sselqc'eeds eq illa\ eqs 'ueru Eurleeu.1srq eq1{1el u€ruolr uequn elduexe Jod 'sre>1eeds;o',(1nue; sreuo ur ueruoA\;o suo4ereue8
aarqt Euu{eldelor pue Eurmer,uelul (g'sEopluc 8urq1o1c s,ueruom Sursn
ueruolr;o seEerur erpeu Eurnb4u3 (1dqsuorpler'uorlenlrs'crdol etll uo pepuedep
qceeds s,u€ruoa\ Jo lunorue erlJ 'S"'uI elulqJ,{1uo ueruom 1nq "C'ntr Jo elor e ,{eid uery

also think as foreigners in Japan we havelearned to hold many contradictions in our
mind at the same time, and see the worth ofwhat we are doing in spite of them all.

depended on the topic, situation, or

relationship or speakers. For example, thefemale assistants of TV programs in Japangenerally talk with reserve to give the male MC
the credit. For that reason the female
assistrants use the polite words for the male
MC. And most women negatively talk about
the sexual topics. Some women are not goodat talking with the strange men. When a groupconsisted of men and women discuss
something, some female members are shy of
expressing their opinions. "Women have been primarily
re sponsible for or ganizing. . , tt,ta
remtntst mnSuage rcacnmg
as a movement.
As Janis Joplin sang, "Freedom's just anotherword for nothing left to lose." Foreignteachers, with our marginal positions inJapanese universities, may feel disempowered
but at the same time have less to lose inexperimenting with feminist, gay, and otherradical approaches to language teaching. Also,
while women have been primarily responsible
for organizing feminist language teaching as amovement, men have been attempting toincorporate gender awareness into their classes
as individuals and there is no reason why men"The amount of woments
speech depended on the topic,
situation, or relationship orxt\tspeaKers. Jome women Are
not good at talking with thestrange men."
As you can see, students were able tointelligently create critical theories of how
gender infl uences conversational partieipation,
similar to the latest research of linguists. They
were guided in how and where to lmk, but
their conclusions came from their own
observations and lived knowledge. You cansee how in collaborating on group summary
they began to develop their own criticalopinions. I hope this increased awareness will
help them in the future to recognize when they
are not taking an active role in conversations,to think about why, and to develop counterstrategies. Subsequent to this class, one
exceptional student has decided to leave ouruniversity and go to Brazil to study ethnology.
It would be particularly nice if some join me infaculty meetings as colleagues some day!

can't be feminist teachers (Hardy, 1996). I
would especially like to hear about more
activities developed by male feminist teachers
for raising the consciousness of male students
about the male gender role and male privilege.

References
Hardy, T. (1996). Teaching about social inequality andgender in the language classroom. In C.P. Casanave and
A.D. Yamashiro (EAs.). Gender Issues in Language
Education (pp.56- 64). Fujisawa: Keio University.

McMahill, C. (1998). A look at Women in Education andl-anguage Lrarning (WELL). The lnnguage Teacher: 22,
40-43.
Summerhawk, B. (1994). Mariko's choice: Awomenstudies reader. Tokyo: Genryusha.

Feminist pedagogy, as one of a variety ofcritical approaches, has the potential for
exposing the hidden power relations incommunicative English teaching as well as insociety as a whole. Yes, there are obvious
contradictions in the ideals and ideas. but I

Vandrick, S. (1994). Feminist pedagogy and ESL.
College ESL, 4(2), 69-92.
Vandrick, S. (1995). Teaching and practicing feminism inthe university ESL class. TESOLJournal, 4Q), +6.

20

17,

eurlnou 'sllurll pue serulrqrssod lq8nsl eq Nnru,(eql'serrlesureql sse;dxe uele Jo'elrpeJc
euoceq uuc quep$s eJoJeg 'surqlr(qr 1noSurddelc pue'seqsruq sJelseu eqt Euuede"ld'sroo1; eq1 Eurdeelrs srea,{ pueds uec secrnou
pue sec4uerddy'uede1 ur pelcedse: flrrrrteerc
e1,(1s-p1o eql azrseqdrue - $re pue slJeJc ur- Eurureel go srruoJ leuolllpetJ'uor1ez gotueru
go lueurdolelep eql JelsoJ p€etsur
pue uollnqlruoc ro qceordde le^ou e dolenep
ol sluepnp lcedxe lou op sJeqceea tuooJssul3'slueurqsrlduocce dnorE uo u€ql Fnpll1pul
uo sneqdure ssel slnd eJnllnc eseuedel'uo4elduoc lse1 Jo suuel w peureldxe eq osle

erou ,$rsueluods sr 'ruooJsselc eql uI'sel€c IIIg

pue'urelsurg ueqlv 'prog,{rueg elrl eldoed
Jo seueloJslp pue suonelouur 'sq8norql4ee:quo pJeAuoJ seloru selerleq f,1epos uecFewv
U'qcreejor crsuq elrlcnpord puu sozud
leqoN 01sp€el4r^rl€erc 'sJeqloJo suoJJe elquoser leql
esoql ueql Je[eq eJu queurqsrldurocce enbrun
leqt sl rusrlsnprlpu! o1Jelleq Euduudruoyre
uv 'p^\oJc eql wo{ lno pu"ls ot

lue,u oqlr esoql Jo spoE eqt a:e.Qrsrenrun ellle
rre lB uorlecnpe pue see:Eep reqtrq 'ue1s,{suo4ecnpe sselu eql uI 'IusrlBnpr^rpur pu?
,fir,l4eerc ueenrleq {u{ peunserd eql ol peel'secuereJJrp
suq
tBqI
Fnpl^lpul;o; lcedser sr'lTerr lBnpr^ryu elqerrsepB sr?reql eclrewv uI,(14peerc 1uql spueluoo ecueruv ur,ffio1oqc,{sdclluepecv'r(llrrneerc senl€A,{lelcos e

uuc'flnrpe:c;o Euttmetu eql w secueJeJJrq'uedel pue'eurq3'uBArl€I tuo4 eJe
suerSord Vghl eqlrelue o1Eur,{1dde stueprus

seesJeno Jo ,$pofeu

eq; 'edorng prle epeueJ

ruorg SururerueJ eql pue rrecuetuv ere slooqcs

urloq euruuelep ol dleq emlpc ur seJueJeJJrC

aIIl
Jo
99'epEu1r1'luerueEeuulntr leuorl€uelul
Jo looqcs elenperg'uede1 ;o f,1rsrenru1-1
Iuuorpuetul lluerueEeu"I1l pue sseursng Jo'eJnllnc ,{q paurJep rrrJel s sr ,firnr1ee:3

uudef .rog ,(1;a11ue.r3 Eu;ugoq

poqcs
puu ecuercs go ,{1rs:enru1-1'fEolouqcel
Suoy Euo11 iseurddrpq4'lueweteueyq
go e1n1!1su1 u"lsv :seqrsJelrun uersy r{q'(t_36t'slH.M),{1nrpe;c go 8urueeu

pue ecmos eql lnoqe suo4dunsse culuecouqle
Jo llnseJ eql q,{etu uorsnpuoc',{1vrr1euc;o EuFemog erll A\oll€ Jeleu plnoc
uorlecnpe eseuedel''JoluJnpe ruelsea eql

pepurord ere eerql.{po'eseqtyg 'qsrlEug urpeprzro"rd e:e suru:Eo;d 1so141 'of,1oJ ur ruruoC
ygrq uudel lenuue eql pue$€ seutunoc ZIruou serlrsJe^run 06 JeAo Jo slooqcs sseursnq
eql tuor; sel4elueserdeg 'sreEeueru ul\o Jraql
plotu ol lrrel\ IIns seruedruoc eseuedel esneceq'plJo/[ eql ul eJeq^\esle relndod os surelEord(VgW) uorlelsrurupv sseursng Jo retsuhl

sql
oI'elrtueJJ tou sl pllrlo etere.,re eq1 'ftyr4eerc urssol s,plrqc e ur sludlnc eql se pelrc,tpuenberg
ere,tpue ool spJepusls llnp?;o uo4lsodurr

eql pue uorlucnpe pfryreplo norE,{eqt seseqsruilurp qcFI,!\'fi rzrrleerc elqBJeprsuoc JoJ
lequelod eql ssessod uerpllqc IIB l"ql suesse{8o1oqc.(sd repdo4 cureql roJ elul ool lr sr rOee^rlseJr eq slueprus ,$lsrenrun eseuudel ue3'

JeJJo ol Arols ueeq eneq uedul ur serlrsJelrun'ue^up rftea 1p ere r(eq1 1re4 uoturuoJ euo
eABq sluepus vghl IBeAeJ s1se1,$lleuosred
pue /har^Jelul'sluepnls Euqrom-preq,{1lsre,uun IBJnlreJoJd In{ndpue pale^rlou lceles sue-rEord ygyq fqm sr
teqJ'(086I 'trequeqlog) peplrlour sre eldoed

6,{e.r.rntr41ctr{ plAB(

eArpeJC 'lFseJ e ecnpo-rd ol {ssl B uo )Fo1(.'{11,r11eer3

1u ellqAr lueunrutuoJ Jrletraue'poueeq-eloq./h'enntsod :slunoJ 1erllr sr lueureEe8ug 'sseccns
enueeJc ol psel osl€ seq {Joa pmH 'sured
Eupla uo rreql JeqlsJ ,$reueluods uo enlel
ls4eeJE eqt Surceld',{ltlrr1ea:c qlra\ pesnJuot
eq uec uorsserdxe-;los 6lll{s ueql luqrodul

roJ rIJrBes s,uBdB['"'rt{aut.atd untoil flnJ

is important. The student must follow thesteps-of the master. Each repetition is thought
to iontain something of value. The result is ahigh degree of analytic and creative problem

solving. And that probably helps quality

control and leads to perfection andimprovements in the arts and technology that
others have developed.

Criticism of Japanese
education focuses on

the suppression of genius.

Criticism of Japanese education focuses on
the suppression of genius. It is insupportableto say that the current Japanese education
system has too many barriers to allorv theirstudent's individuality and to encourage thegeniuses who make scientific breakthroughs.
But it can be safely said that there is little
provision for tracking the super bright totheir best advantage before the graduate
school level. The bright are not expected tobreak records'early in life. Accelerated
learning, the skipping of grades bY
intelligent students, hasn't been possible.
The 1998 curriculum was the first time that a
handful of bright and hard working science
students were allowed to enter university at
17 years of age, one year earlier than theirpeers. The students were still required tofinish all the required high school credits.

and business are closely linked, and'there is awell-established system for prbviding funds
to entrepreneurs. Creative businessadventurers can take advantage ofgovernment-offered funding. TOVo of R&D
funding is awarded to business.
Japan's venture business boom started in 1,993
when central and local governments started topromote R&D and entrepreneurship. Atthesame time, the Ministry of klucation

announced they also wanted to encourage
creativity. The original drive for this camefrom industry efforts to shift emphasis fromproduct development to research on new
iechnologies. Initial attempts were stymied in
the university system which the Japanese
government considers insufficiently creative.
The July, 1998 University Council interim
report advisory committee to the Education
Ministry recommends students be evaluatedmore strictly, review their roles and expand
their graduate schools. The Council thinksthat American higher education provides rich
opportunities for creative talent to bloom andtherefore suggested that Japan's universities
make themselves more like those in the U.S.

Creative EFL and ESP in JaPan
Will EFL and ESP teachers encourage change
in the education system and help to encourage

creativity? The 1991 Revised Standards forColleges and Universities led EFL teachers tofear for their jobs (Oda, 1995). Perhaps it
became a form of motivation intended to
improve foreign language teaching. More !
criticism and stringent reviews ofuniversities will mme with the release of
the University Council's 1998 report.
Universities will be expected to reevaluate
their curricula, professors will be required
to submit syllabi in addition to updated
research lists, and tenure will depend upon
proficiency in teaching as well as research.
Universiry management will continue replacing
teachers who no longer have "freshness" andoffer short term university contracts. The
bankruptcy of many Japanese corporations has

Japan's Objectives for Higher Ed
Japan dearly wants to promote research anddevelopment. Japan has been eager to shed its

reputation as a non-creative adopter of otherpeople's ideas. It now intends to do morebasic science itself and more of it in auniversity setting. Creating new businesses
oriented toward R&D is an important way torecoverfrom the economic slump. In the

1990s, America effectively rode the waves offinancial. information and communication
revolutions by focusing on starting overand entrepreneurship. In America, academia

22Students reflect on how to become morecreative. They are encouraged to take risks inorder to become accustomed to the feeling sothey won't be afraid to go out and try again.
They take photos of creativity in action, write
poetry, and do 10 new things a day.

International University of Japan, in Niigata
Prefecture, encourages their MBA students togain on-site experience in companies. Muchof the work is done in English. Teams of IUJ
students study the operations of small
industries by observing and interviewing
ernployees in the finance, manufacturing andsales departments. Then they apply theconcepts learned from textbooks and casestudies to their findings. Students discuss
the strong and weak points of the compa.nies
and how improvements can be made. The
course integrates knowledge from different

students to speak in a loud clear voice. Somestudents are not good at paper tests, but canspeak in a lively active voice. These students
receive higher evaluation than quiet students.
There is opportunity for foreign language
teachers who also have the skills andunderstanding ofhow to encourage creativity
to take the lead in adoption of the teaching
methods and management styles currently
sought by the Ministry of Education. Change
in higher education continues to depend onpolitical and business support. Finding ways
to foster creativity will benefit students,
corporations and Japan as a nation.

References
David, Peter (1997) Survey Universities: Inside theKnowledge Factory; All Must Have Degrees; The Core andthe Cloud. The Economist (lO't.

disciplines. In 199'7, McGill University
launched an MBA program in Tokyo designed
for students with varying backgrounds andwork experience. Their courses often ask
students to form study groups to encourage
creativity. Diversity is synergistic if there is acommon vision and common purpose agreed
upon by the group. Then it is possible fordiversity among the group members to unleash
talent, potential, and creativity.

Helgeson, Marc (1998) Not Just Two Folks Talking:Interpretations of Pairwork. The Language Teacher. (22)7:ll 13.
Larsen-Freeman, D. (1997) Chaos/complexity science andsecond language acquisition. Applie d Linguistics, 18: 141-

165.
Oda, Masaki (1995) The 1991 Revised Standards and the
EFL hofession in Japanese Universities. The La.nguage

Fumie Otsuka teaches a class called
Creativity and Communication in Ibaraki
Prefecture. She introduced the new course,which has been adopted by other teachers inibaraki, because she found there was no room
for creativity in previous courses. Students
had little chance to work on their own ideas,
instead they were instructed to repeat new
words and sentence patterns until they had
memorized them. Her students lacked
analytical and reasoning skills because they
only knew how to absorb knowledge throughmemorization. She now emphasizes grouplearning and team presentations, althoughsome students are very nervous to learn thisway. English ability varies among students.
She says that the most important thing is forstudents to do their best. She encourases

Teacher (19) ll:47-49.
Paul, David (1998) False Assumptions in the JapaneseClassroom. The Language Teacher (22)7: Z7-28.

Reiss, Steven (1998) Psychological Assessment. Jlune
Rothenburg, Albert (1980) Crcativit! and Madness.
Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.

Tsui, Amy B.M. (1998a) Cognitive Dimensions ofClassroom Interaction. OnCuz (6) 2: 2-5.
Tsui, Amy B.M. (1998b) The Unobservable in Classroom
Interaction. The Language Teacher (22)7: 15-16.
White, Meny (1988) The Japanese Educational
Challenge. Tokyo: Kodansha.

24

9Z

elerodro3 'Surcnpord eq plnoqs ruels,(spuolpcnpe eql ra{ro1r\ Jo pul{ 13q.u lnoqe
suoder peqsgqnd ,(pepEer el€q suortszrueE:osseursng Eupeel eql sepecep rog 'en4cedsred
IBcuotsFI u ldope lsnru uedel ur uuoJeJ
Ieuoll"cnpe lnoq" uolssncslp eql Jo sts,{pue,{uy 6uorlecnpa eseuedel uuoJeJ,{leumue8
ol suoJJe otul llJ sJolcrutsw eseuedel-uou op lro11 6uudef ur rruoJeJ leuorlBcnpe
moqe {lel eql IIe Jo Euruueu eql sl leqi6-epru € lueruelddns l€ql ,,serp€l ecrggo,, pred-arol se sqofldecce ol pezrl€rcos eJe ueruo.{\eseuedel,{ueur moq Eutssncsrp r(geuq reryy

pg reqE;g Jo uollezgopuoC olerrred'reqlo qc€e pp pue elordul ,{1pppg
uec,{eqt'paepur lrone'epua,(ue ur pelaudas

fpeeu eg louuec 'esJnoc go ,,'JepIsuI,,
pu? ,,Jeprslno$ Jo seuoeql 'Jolcrulsul ue seseqnp,{ru Eur11rypg,{q pue uorpcnpJ eseuudel
Eurpue6repun r{lerrrpe[Qo ut tseJelur tre
peduqs eJe sA\erl,{ru'snq1 ,,'ure1s,{sfq
Woqel{l Jo ued. rue 1 ',ltsrezrrun eseuedul ele Jolcrulsul ewp-llnJ € se 'eurl eur"s eql1€ lng'uollecnpe eseuedel ruecuoc slseJelur qcruesaJ
luexnc r(yq ',(es 01 e^"q I leq^\ ur e{e$ ua\o,(ru lnoqe spJonr ,t.e; e lsnf 'Eulpeecord eJoJeg

sJolcnJlsul eseuuduf-uoN Jo olo1 oql'secroqc Jno esrcrexe 01 sn
a\olp pForls u{1s1cos pue 'secloqc seq 'eptueJ
Jo eltu JeqleI{A\ 'euo,{:alg 'pwwep pu€
uo4dFcserd 1ecpl1od 1ou 'e1,$s pue acue;eyetd
puos-red 3o Jeil€u € eq plnoqs ,{lrururureg's,{e,r lueregrp ur pe-rnEquor-eJ pue
enneEorerd Fnpl^lpq w s€ pelceles eq uet.

'Jncco lourruc se8ueqc enrlrsod 'secJog-lec6oEuped 1ou-pc4r1od,{q uslFp Eureq seleql Euppeuos se pea\er^ eq pFoqs ua1y1,{pe1ueg ol lou Jo eq ol 'eJoJeJerIJ 'seJnlcruls
cfiuouore UHUAI peppeque puu sec4cerd

pezruEme: ere scrdol peuo4ueueJop seJW eql
qllAr pel€rcosse swelqord Inun 'suoqn1lNur
I€uonecnpe ul peppeque,{1deep sr q)rg^rturpoqcs,{q peonpo:de:'uo4cru1suoc pcrlrlod
pue prcos B sr lI 'eJru€u,{q peuruuelep(.sseuessuedel,, ),{14uepl puorl€u crleuEopu perruel eq ,teur leq1ll Jo enssr pe4sq€ aJor,u

Jou eleuur Jeqlreu s1 ,,e111rtpe1,, 8u1eq

leql eJe1!|e eq Ip plnoqs eA\ leql sr uo4ueluoc
fru 'JeqlBU ',{lrururwe3 go suorsserdxe
qlrm Euour,{pue:equr Euqleruos sr eJeql
lerll Jo u'e>111fpu1u Jo eururureJ eq ol pezrlercos
eq lou plnoqs (rqteru tutll JoJ eculd;eq1o,(ue ur ro) uedel ur ueruonr leql lseEEns ol lou':eEre1 € Jo sleceJ lueJeJJIp e:e 'sfem ulro Jreql
ur ru€ruelgoJd ge 'uecuor Jo speJ€ eeJql eseql
teqt reEEns il1,!\ 'U uI sJolcrulsur sseuedel-uouJo eloJ eql pue uuoJeJ I€uoqBJnpe
tnoqe sesJnoJsrp pue suorssncsp (Z)pue iuo4ecnpa reqEq s,uede13o uorlezFepue8

I

eIBrueJ eqt (I) :pe{urlrelur ile eJe'anuelEsr srsr(pue ,{ru;o 1ur.od aqt leql sseJls plnoqs I

ISJrJ 1€ peleleJ ruees lou,(eu ,(eqt qEnoql'qrlq,r scrdol olg e:o1dxe o1 ueld 11p1,{ul u1,,'eseuedel {uoq sI euo esneceq
eurunueJ eq osp plnoqs 1nq eseuudullce,(polou plnoqs euo ueql 'eseuedel el€rueJ e tuoq sr
euoJIx t€ql selqs repueE pue r{14uepr Iuuortuu'repueS go suorlou
qceuuoc rcq1 c€o1
ol pe{uq ,{puerequr sr sseueseuedel leql selcJrc
urBlJec ur pel€co^pe'Jelleq eql ssncsp IIr^{ I,(11s.re,rpll uen{Bg o,{o;'q81ar1etr41 uBIJg

eql

luoruoaoJdurl oulnuee'puoJes 'sr ecJoJ JoqBI pu€ uels,{s Fuoqecnpe
eq1;o uorpEe:Ees pnxes eql lurrucn.lts ,{1deop
ot sFIl op IIII!\ 'le^el ArBqrel^rorl
pecJoJulal eJB seloJ s,uetuoAt Arotl
eql l€^\oqs'sl'uotlucnpe esauedel;o uotpzuepueE
lerll
eletueJ eql eler6nlll ilpr I '1srtg 'se18ue
olq ruo4 uorpcnpe pue,repueE Jo senssr
eqt qceordde IIra J 'ecJoJ Joq€l eJoc pe1eurtuop

uo slq8noqJ euros:rrrJoJeu puB'uo11ucnpfl

I''

JOTIEIH 6.ropuog"'rt{artatd Mntot flnJ

culture has often requested thatthe educational
system produce more disciplined and obedientworkers instilled withthe proper attitude
toward labor, especially during the high-speed
economic growth period of the 1960s. Official
reports, along with the general public
discourse about reform, employ terms that,while high-minded sounding in themselves,evoke a strong sense of d6jd vu since they
have been recycled through the postwar
decades. Thus, I would suggest the
avoidance of terms such as "creativitS/,"uliberal ization,"" individuality,
diversification," fl exibilization, """" internationalization, " "cross-cultural
understanding," and "world peace." These
terms are worn-out clich6s, and have become
too abstract, sterile, and stuck in the official
discourse to be of any use. What is needed are
more genuine, down-to-earth, and concrete
words. Because discussions and discourses
about reform in Japan's educational system is
infested by a tyranny of bnzz words, I suggest
we call a spade a spade. For example,
consider "creativity." The problem is not that
Japa.nese studbnts lack "creativity" (as if moreclasses in art are needed), but that they are
given too few opportunities once theexamination race begins in middle school to be
spontaneous, self-expressive, and free of thedemands of examination pressures. Anotherexample: the incessant sloganeering aboutuunless one sonsiders excessive exampreparation, cram schools, and anxiety aboutiest scores genuine learning. In other words,

we should ask who is education for? For
students? Or for corporations and Japan thenation-state? Because so many assume that"being Japanese" overrides other concerns, itis the corporations and Japan the nation-statethat often win out.
We are all aware of the serious legal andpersonal problems facing many of our nonJapanese colleagues working in Japanese
universities and junior colleges. Suchproblems are only the most obvious aspects ofa much deeper and disturbing predicament
which is driven by an unhealthy segregation of
those who "Japanese" and those who are not.
Whether one explains this segregation as
racism, nationalism, ethnocentrism, orbureaucratism (or by pointing out that suchsegregation exists in other societies as if thisexcuses discriminatory practices in Japan), it isdestructive of open, liberal, tolerant societies(not to mention truly enlightened learning).

My point is not that womenin Japan should not besocialized to be feminine or"ladylike." Rather, we should
be aware that being'ladylike" is neither innate
nor determined bv nature.

the need for "intemationalization" and"cross-cultural understanding" have numbedmany inquiring minds about the importance of
genuine tolerance, open-mindedness, andprogressive thinking. Rather than engaging inan exchange of platitudes and mutual "feelgoodness," instructors should point out
instances of racism, ethnocentrism, andchauvinism (in and outside Japan).

Though there are some schools that have madegenuine efforts to integrate non-Japanese into
their programs, unfortunately at some places
non-Japanese instructors are not regarded as
full-fledged faculty members. Because of theJapanese/non-Japanese distinction, the role offoreign faculty is either idealized or denigrated.
We have all heard about the latter. Butthe
effect of the former is just as baneful. This is

Many of the problems we witness in Japanese
education are not pedagogical, but political.
By political, I mean to say that the purpose of
education in Japan have been so thoroughly
monopolized by business interests that
individual students and their families have verv
little participation in the learning process,because non-Japanese are sometimes regarded

as "cultural ambassadors," who symbolize,

26

LZ

'rueql [JrlJJJ pus 'lcessrp '1uo4uoc
ol Jo^€epue pFoqs 3At ees ol llncrJJrp aJ€o^u seop qcur!\ rt1l1uepl lBuollBu eseuedel
Jo rruoJ uedo e:oru e sl 'ueqJ 'pepeeu sr l€rllA' pezl.lr- aJ euoceq
e seuedel-uouTeseuudel

Surlurql go srruoJ ,(q11esqun ur€uec esneceq{1esne;d :sql sr lulod eq1 1no-doc e sr
Surlurqt qcns tng 'surelqo:d eseqt Eurz,(pueroJ elqelunocc€ pleq:o paEllqo eq plnoqs
euo ou'(uorlcullsrp eseuedel-uouTeseuedul

eql Eur,rlo,rur senssr,(ueur'r(puenbesuo3'eseuede1,,.(11elcan,, Sureq :ssaueseuedel
go lcedsu lercrgredns q8noqt snorlqo
lsou eql ol sTurs ueuo 1r 'fleleungo;unpue'pegr6,(tu seruoseq r(t1tusp1 oseuedel'e 'r) uedel ur sruelqord puonucnpe
Jo le^el Ierrurn4s .'tldaap pue lmJlsqe aJow eql
Jo eJeA\? eJe A\eJ ecurs leql 1ee3 ,tueN 'ureq1
punoJe {JoAr pue e:ouEr ,(ldulls 'elqrssod
eJeq,n '.teqlur 1nq ';elrod Jo sJeluec

Jo ,,eseued€1 8ureq,, ',(14uepr Jo struoJ
eeJrll eseql esnJuoc 'uede1 Jo eprslno puu

ut 'eldosd r(ueru os esnerJg 6sc4suelceJuqc,,lurcer,, poqe 8uq14 ea\ eJe rg 6(uopellggu
pcplod) drqsuezqrc lnoqe Eun1p1 e,u er€ rO
6eEqpeq 1arnlyncouqe pue cruqte lnoqe turXpl
aa\ erv 'su8rar ueuo uorsnJuoc ,,6esauede1
aq ol u€ew ll seop le{au 'uorlssnb eql JeA\suB
ol stdueue w 'esnemq luerps sr re8uep u qcns
'uede1 u1'e:eqmfuele lsrleuorpu Eunuoceq ;o:e8uep eql uru ftpuepr puon"u rpr,ilr suecuoc'esJnoc JO 'sluerunues 6lpuorpu (g)pue l,,sseuudel u:oq erelr ,{eql esneceq fe,uuruuec e lcu lsnru aseuudul. :8un1urqt NIIBIoeJ(1) s:elsyoq pue qtla\ dn slurl seurteuos
usurrruelep I€Jrulnc sq1'('c1e'8un1ees-snsuesuoc'lecrqcrererq'peluelJo-dnor8u'ft{su) ,,eseuudel'are ,{eqt esnerJq ,{e,u uregeo€ loe lsnu eseuedul :wsruruualep lelnrlnc Jo
uos € ruor3 SuFds 1p.{eq1'pe1se88ns,(peerlesv
ur e^sq uuoJeJ leuorl€3npe
LuotuluoJ
lnoqu esJnoJsrp eql pue'sJolcrulsur
eseuedel-uou Jo eloJ eql 'uorlecnpa reqSrqs,uedel;o uorl€zuepuet eq1 op leq1\

crleJcn€eJnq eql llnessu Jo lsrseJ.{lenreu
e.tr leql EurlseSSns lou ru€ 1 'remod Jo sJeluec

ol pelceuuocun slenplAlpul puP Jolces eprrpd
eqt IuoU euroi 11tzll eEueqc IeeU 'uonecnpa
eseuedel go uuoJeJ eql ul pr-B tou IIr,uppo,{\ eql ur spuoqpe pue'slrode: luewure,roE'secusreguoc eql IIU'.{1e1eungo;u6'ecuerpne Jepr/( e Euqcee; Jo rure eql
qlli!\ pensrnd eq plnoqs (s9qcr1c pe-rn Su4eede:ueqt Jerller) ssnrlcedsrad qseu sJeJJo qcq,lt
Suqsrlqnd pue 8u4ulr'oslv'tuooJsselc
eql ul sI sEurpuulsepun pue suorssncsrp InJesn
steplul o1 eceld aqt 'lelel Iecrlcerd eroru e 1ypa{Us {u,t sau,toca q K7lyuapt
asau0dof to ilasaundos
8utaq,, 't71ruapt {o sutto{ asaqt
asn{uoJ {uout os asnu,ag''Jeqlo qcue ecJoJureJ 3urd,&oerels seosJelo pue
crlseuop' lle JeUe esnereq uoqourlsrp eseuudel-uouTeseuedel crluurSop eqt Surgoddnsu(qe;eqr'sqilu pue'suu8o1s'sed,(1oe;a1s ur
atuoc ol enulluoc 11r,tr uedel eplflno.{1rsrerrrp'uudu1 u1qlpr .{lrsrairrp ezruSoca: eseuudel
Irlun 'eseuedul eqt 9o ,,,(1reue8ouroq,,eql lnoq? sql{u Eutylo4uoc.{lpcr1r1od uo lreq
Sullp: ueql JeIDeI 'sseuqcu s1r SurzruSocer

uo!snlcuoc,,'sJolcrulsul uEteto;,, lou'stolcrulsut.(yereur se pep:u8er e:u sJolcrulsur eseuedel-uou ueqA\ ur8eq 11mr ,,uonezrleuolletueluln

IueJ 'lle reryy 1qE11JrlsrrceJ etor,u e

ur pe,/rerl aq pporls sJolJrulsur eseuedel-uou
Jo eloJ eIIl {urql I lng 'selceJru uuog:ed o1
galcedxe e.re',(eq; 'uoqnlqsur ue slr-B Jeloleqlt
JoJ I[B-eJnc u 's1uepn1s go,,sJezr3Jeuo,,
pue,,'sJo1BAI1cB,,'sJeulug4ue eJe.{eql teql A\eh eql seEanocue osle sJolcrutsur
eseuedel-uou Jo ,&\erl .{se1ue; sr-qJ 'puelpezl Islueplcso pue'pez r Jrloxe pJZ rleepr eluos
Jo sue{oluewnq eruoJeq r(eq1 'se;n11nc
u8 IeJog,, lueserder ro'fg1d.,$'.{;rldurexe,,

pue aoueJelol Jo sesop 3uor1s Surlceful f,q lr
urc1dxe ot JeqleJ 1nq',$quepr eseuudulgo lseJ
ol uorlseSSns e tou sl sUI 'eldoed esJenrp
pue'pepcrldluoo'snoeueSoreleq,(1erue4xe
oqrn ro3 eseuedel eql seztuEocer(ue :eJe'(eqt(dVrc ireqteEotueno,r\retur,(pq8p oot er€ leql,{14uepr Jo srruoJ eerqt aql slcedun (1) :s8uq1

atr +#H+e
The Japan Association for Language Teaching
College and University Educators Newsletter

ON CUECAE Mnnn Awtnn Essars
page 3:"Are You Experienced?" uy Alan MacKenzie

page5:Entrance Exams -- The Reading Example ty Bern Mulvey

page 13: Who Owns the Process? uy Kevin Ryan
page 16: Are Textbooks Meeting Needs of Target Markets? uy Ian Richards

CaE Fonupr Pnnwnws
page 18: Feminist Contributions to ELT tv Cheiron McMahill

page2r:Japan's Search for Creativity uy David McMurraypasels:Gender, Higher Education, and Reformty Brian McVeigh