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INTEREST: Tokyo Metropolitan Area to Establish "English Village"


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Juno016



Joined: 09 Jan 2012
Posts: 2377
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 12:41 pm Reply with quote
Nothing as big as the Shinkansen, but for Japan, it's still really huge. Combine this with the boost in tourism expected after the exchange rate reversal and Japan's economy may actually have a small boost to it. At least, I hope so. I'll be earning a Japanese salary, but paying American student loans very soon. This exchange rate reversal will be the death of me and it's already too late to back out. :/
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Kadmos1



Joined: 08 May 2014
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Location: In Phoenix but has an 85308 ZIP
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 12:46 pm Reply with quote
I wonder if there will be an uprising of Engrish with this.
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Saturn



Joined: 08 Aug 2002
Posts: 513
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 12:52 pm Reply with quote
I hope they hire actual English speakers unlike the Engrish teachers they have in most schools
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mdo7



Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 6248
Location: Katy, Texas, USA
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:03 pm Reply with quote
Kadmos1 wrote:
I wonder if there will be an uprising of Engrish with this.


That comes with the territory. But then again, Japan and China has more Engrish then other Asian countries.

Saturn wrote:
I hope they hire actual English speakers unlike the Engrish teachers they have in most schools


Yeah that's my concern. I heard it on NHK World News (I think last week or 2 week ago, I don't remember, and NHK don't archive their audio news) that majority of Japanese have said on the poll they don't take English seriously.
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Hameyadea



Joined: 23 Jun 2014
Posts: 3679
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:30 pm Reply with quote
mdo7 wrote:
Yeah that's my concern. I heard it on NHK World News (I think last week or 2 week ago, I don't remember, and NHK don't archive their audio news) that majority of Japanese have said on the poll they don't take English seriously.


It is the official language of the country that nuked them... twice. Their opinion on the subject is understandable Laughing


Last edited by Hameyadea on Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:30 pm Reply with quote
They treat English as a hobby than can be picked up and dropped at will, like tennis, and not some kind of necessity. I guess it makes more sense for Europeans, since how else would Finn and an Italian properly communicate? Any kind of guidance to get them better at the international language will be a benefit, and they also need to reform their outlook towards English-speaking English teachers, who usually don't get to teach as much as they should.
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Mr. Oshawott



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 6773
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:39 pm Reply with quote
walw6pK4Alo wrote:
...they also need to reform their outlook towards English-speaking English teachers, who usually don't get to teach as much as they should.

I wonder what keeps English teachers (that speak English) from teaching the full course of the language?
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samuelp
Industry Insider


Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 2228
Location: San Antonio, USA
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:45 pm Reply with quote
Mr. Oshawott wrote:
walw6pK4Alo wrote:
...they also need to reform their outlook towards English-speaking English teachers, who usually don't get to teach as much as they should.

I wonder what keeps English teachers (that speak English) from teaching the full course of the language?

Because to be a full teacher at a Japanese school means you have to do a whole lot more than JUST teach english. You have to be in charge of a homeroom, file reports and other paperwork in Japanese, and be in charge of extra curricular clubs, not to mention parent teacher conferences, interfacing with the PTA, eta... Teachers in Japanese schools are much more "active" with the families and kids than in US schools in my opinion. Frankly a lot of the things they do (like visit homes without an appointment) would be considered serious violations of privacy in the US... All of this requires not just fluency in Japanese but also the TRUST of the families, and as a foreigner that would be a very long and difficult bridge to build. Impossible? No, but it's certainly very very rare.

So you can't just bring in a native English speaker unless they are also nearly fluent in Japanese, Japanese business practices, and also has the appropriate VISA to even work in Japan...

This would be a lot easier if there were a larger "permanent" english speaking community of immigrants here in Japan, but there isn't. Almost all the english teachers are short-term stays so they don't have the Japanese skills to be real teachers.
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:53 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, my friend who taught English for a while told me he was used more as a reference device, but he did get to at least come up with some lessons and activities. Otherwise it was mostly the main teacher who would do a plan and then just have an acknowledgement from my friend that it was correct. That's no way to get a language into someone's head.
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mdo7



Joined: 23 May 2007
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Location: Katy, Texas, USA
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 2:04 pm Reply with quote
walw6pK4Alo wrote:
They treat English as a hobby than can be picked up and dropped at will, like tennis, and not some kind of necessity. I guess it makes more sense for Europeans, since how else would Finn and an Italian properly communicate?


walw6pK4Alo, in Europe (majority of them), English is a 2nd language and probably also mandatory, it's been acknowledged according to UK's Daily Telegraph. So yeah that's why you have a lot of non-UK/Irish Europeans that can speak good English, I believe:

-In the Netherlands, 87% of the population can speak fluent English (also 70% of the same population can speak fluent German).

-In Belgium and Switzerland, English is also mandatory (alongside knowing other language like French, German, etc...) because the 2 countries have to do business with countries in and out of Europe so it make sense both Belgium and Switzerland have to know English. I had couple of friends from Belgium and Switzerland that told me that learning multiple languages is mandatory in those 2 countries.

There is a drawback of the whole European continent learning English, it caused people in the UK and Ireland to not learn multiple languages other then French.

But back on topic: Samuelp's post pretty much pointed out the problem, thanks for the info, Sam. Smile
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Kadmos1



Joined: 08 May 2014
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 2:09 pm Reply with quote
I wonder if they would favor American or British English.
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EricJ2



Joined: 01 Feb 2014
Posts: 4016
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 2:11 pm Reply with quote
Hameyadea wrote:
mdo7 wrote:
Yeah that's my concern. I heard it on NHK World News (I think last week or 2 week ago, I don't remember, and NHK don't archive their audio news) that majority of Japanese have said on the poll they don't take English seriously.


It is the official language of the country that nuked them... twice. Their opinion on the subject is understandable Laughing


And ironically, "ghetto" is a German word. Rolling Eyes
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mdo7



Joined: 23 May 2007
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 2:24 pm Reply with quote
Kadmos1 wrote:
I wonder if they would favor American or British English.


Probably a combination of both.
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TsukasaElkKite



Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Posts: 3945
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 2:39 pm Reply with quote
Saturn wrote:
I hope they hire actual English speakers unlike the Engrish teachers they have in most schools


Did you even read the article? They're hiring English speakers from countries other than Japan.
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Mohawk52



Joined: 16 Oct 2003
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Location: England, UK
PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 2:42 pm Reply with quote
Why does this read English Speaking Ghetto to me? Wink Laughing
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