Following his previous article about motivating students to study grammar, Koki Shimazu, an award-winning teacher from Japan, chatted to us about his own experience of learning and teaching English grammar as a Japanese student.
Can you tell us a little bit about when you first started studying English? How old were you, where were you, and was it a positive or negative experience?
I was a typical Japanese student who first learned the English alphabet at the age of 13 when I was at junior high school. I was studying in a rural area called Yamanashi, Japan. We were learning from a Japanese-English textbook, and I remember one phrase in particular: “Is this a hat?”. The question was part of a conversation in a hat shop, and it was taught to the entire class (which had about 40 students in it). The main focus of our lessons was translation of the textbook from English into Japanese, followed by regular examinations which assessed our passive skills (primarily reading and a small amount of listening). I studied English simply to pass the exams, not for any real communicative purpose.
The Ministry of Education in Japan is finally planning to revamp the current system of English education in our country. In 2020, English will become a mandatory subject in public elementary schools for 5th and 6th graders, in conjunction with designated textbooks and formal, nationalised grades. One concern about this plan is that elementary school teachers (who don’t have sufficient training and knowledge of language education) will be forced to teach English.
When you first started studying English, was grammar taught explicitly, and if so, how was it taught?
Yes, English grammar was taught explicitly in most Japanese schools. Before we even got to school, we memorised grammar terms and completed grammar exercises without any context. At school, grammar was taught from the short context of a pre-determined conversation. In lessons, we were asked to transcribe the texts from our grammar books into the notebook and, as homework, we had to put the Japanese translation next to it. In class, we were asked to read out the text and translation that we had prepared at home, and the teachers then gave us their feedback. Since that time, there has been a great improvement in English education at school. But when I was a student, this was a typical lesson that I can remember.
Looking back, do you feel that the way in which you were taught grammar helped your language learning? In what ways did it (or didn’t it) help?
In terms of metacognitive skills, I am always far too aware of my grammar and I tend to correct myself frequently. This sometimes hinders my fluency. You don’t really see native speakers displaying these kinds of behavioural patterns. Having said that, mistakes are part and parcel of the language learning experience and my grammatical knowledge and accuracy does help a lot.
Can you remember a specific example of a great (or terrible) English lesson you had as a learner? Why was it so memorable?
As a student, I remember one project-based lesson. We were tasked with making our own original 四字熟語 four-character idioms, as part of a group. Then, we had to explain these to the whole class, in English. The fact that the project was in Japanese and the process was in English meant that the first part of the project felt personalised and familiar, which lessened the burden.
Did you always enjoy studying English? If not, was there a moment when you realised the value of learning the language?
The point in my life which I can specifically pinpoint as life-changing was when I went to Australia for the first time, all by myself, at the age of 17. I was forced to realise that I could not express myself in English at all, even though I could perfectly understand what my host mother was talking about. Since then, I changed my mind perspective: I wanted to be able to interact with people in English, not just for the artificial exams.
Outside of the classroom, what did you do to help improve your English language skills, and your grammar in particular?
In order to strengthen grammar skills, Japanese students usually go to cram school, which is designed to help prepare for the lessons at school. I used to go there three times a week, and only studied the grammar that was required for the exams. After realising the importance of communication, however, I switched my attention and began to watch YouTube videos, the news, and documentaries… all in English.
As a teacher, how do you approach (or have you approached) the teaching of English grammar? Why did you choose that approach?
Once students become curious about what they are exposed to, they spontaneously start investigating. Rather than forcing them to memorise the rules, I find it most effective to give them the chance to use the target grammar… it makes them even more curious. Of course, teachers love to teach and talk to their students, but there is a lot of merit in passing ownership of the learning to the student. This is the best opportunity for them to maximise their learning through discovery.
What tips or advice would you give to learners of English who are struggling with grammar?
The best way to learn grammar is to teach what you learn, and use it in an authentic context. If you can explain the grammar in question to your friends, this not only proves that you understand the rules, but it also improves your own understanding. Little things such as these help to expand your expertise.
Is there any particular point of English grammar that you continue to struggle with?
I still fail to use articles correctly. Other than that, I find that I can automatically correct my English. Whenever I forget to use third person, I repeat and correct what I have just said. From my experience, exposure to language should be acquired implicitly at an early stage. I wish I had started learning English much earlier in my life.
Finally, is there any advice that you would give to those teaching English grammar?
English grammar is fun for the students if they are curious about it! The best way to get students interested is to provide the opportunities to compare and analyse grammars which they have seen or used in certain contexts. I always give my students a quick history of the English language and save the most interesting part for the students to study independently and autonomously. Make the students answer the best questions for themselves. That way, you’ll elicit the best answers from them.
If you missed Koki’s first article in this grammar series, and want to read about the value of a grammar reference book, make sure to have a read!