Navigating English Policy and Practice in Japan's Primary Schools - (Early Language Learning in School Contexts) by Peter Ferguson (Hardcover)

About the Book

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

Book Synopsis

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

Review Quotes

Peter Ferguson's book is a pioneering study of an important subject that has been too long neglected. Ferguson analyses and assesses the education policy-making process, the elementary school English curriculum, the textbook production process, and how localities, schools, and teachers have attempted to cope with the requirement to teach English in elementary schools. Readers will gain many insights from his research.-- "Peter Cave, University of Manchester, UK"

Employing multiple case study methods, Ferguson colorfully illustrates and critically examines how social structure, power and ideologies shape policy implementation, focusing on English education in Japanese elementary schools. Presented with conceptual clarity and accessible language, the study offers valuable global insights and profound implications for understanding educational reforms.-- "Yuko Goto Butler, University of Pennsylvania, USA"

About the Author

Peter Ferguson is Associate Professor of Languages and Education at Kindai University, Japan. Following 30 years as a language teacher in Japan, his work explores educational linguistics, language policies, English education for young learners and language teacher education.