Most classes in Japan consist of 30 to 40 students except for some schools in the countryside or in remote places. Teachers stand in front of the blackboard and give lessons to their students, for they cannot easily walk around the classroom. On the other hand, the most common class size in Australia is about 20 students, even in city schools. Therefore, teachers can be much closer to each student in the classroom, and students can also have much more space in the classroom than Japanese students. This may be because of the class size, because in Australia students can easily move around the classroom.
Students are good at exchanging their own ideas with each other or among the group members.
They are so accustomed to the work that they sometimes do not stop and the teacher cannot move on to the next activity. Similarly, Australian students express their thoughts at any time in class whether they be opinions or questions. Teachers seem to welcome their students' responses. To Japanese people, it sometimes seems rude for students to interrupt the teacher's explanation or instruction. In contrast, Japanese students as a whole are quiet and seldom speak spontaneously.