New national standards for Japanese-language schools to start April

Japan will introduce a new national accreditation system for Japanese-language schools from April in an effort to ensure their quality meets the needs of the country's growing foreign population.

If it matches the accreditation and assurance for the quality of the English language instruction then it is DOA.

The Japanese government getting involved with language programs is a joke. The average Japanese person has 6 years is compulsory English lessons and can’t even count to 10 in so many cases. So now try to get involved with Japanese lessons? Expect lessons like “私は男です。あなたは男ですか。” これはペンです-。あれはペンですか。” lol

The schools I’ve been involved with were pretty good but perhaps I just got lucky.

In searching for a school in preparation for the N1, I definitely detected some dodgy institutions.

It would make sense that the government would seek to institute a national certification system as the number of students is likely to increase dramatically in the next couple of decades.

I got a decent education at the YMCA. I already knew kanji from my study of Chinese - just had to learn the Japanese pronunciation. And grammar was important. Most important was the awareness of the plain form (kudaketa), the simple polite form (teinei) and the advanced polite form (keigo) of the language. After a year, I had sufficient knowledge to learn the rest myself.

The staff at YMCA were committed, and there were many volunteers from the neighborhood who made themselves available for conversation. With their help, I was able to begin to function in society, and that is where my real learning came.

I think this an adequate step in the right direction, which also guaranties a minimum level of quality to learners of the Japanese language. I am also happy with the recent adoption of the Hepburn pronunciation method.

Hepburn is not a pronunciation method. It’s a writing system.

Japanese learners should avoid Romaji to the same extent that English learners in Japan should avoid Katakana. They will horribly mislead on pronunciation.

Hepburn is preferable when putting Japanese names and words into English. It’s an unsteady crutch that limits progress when learning Japanese.

One other point: do NOT intend to learn from your spouse or significant other. There is no more common cause of a breakup than trying to turn your partner into a language teacher.

concerns that stricter requirements for full-time teaching staff may create challenges in securing teachers for schools.

J Govt really know how to make a new problem, instead try to make those problem less and less.

If it matches the accreditation and assurance for the quality of the English language instruction then it is DOA.

But we all know how J Govt well, just look those JTE capabilities.

One other point: do NOT intend to learn from your spouse or significant other. There is no more common cause of a breakup than trying to turn your partner into a language teacher.

This is a very important point!

That and trying to teach your wife to drive a stick.

Mine left the car diagonally in the middle of a rural highway walking back to the house with a stream of obscenities that I didn’t know she knew.

Never again and that’s why we’re still married 29 years later.

This is funny because the majority of people learning Japanese these days learn from anime and YouTube.

Hilarious that the gov wants to make it sooo difficult to learn or even teach Japanese while there is almost ZERO oversight on native Japanese masquerading as English teachers and so called English schools as a whole.

So ironic.

There will be fewer places. The schools will have to charge more to cover the extra costs and may face staffing issues.

If you are intending to work in Japan, learn the language before you go there, preferably when you are young.

This is funny because the majority of people learning Japanese these days learn from anime and YouTube.

I don’t think it’s possible to learn business or academic Japanese from anime any more than one can learn martial arts from a book.

How much will it cost, and who will get the money?

@ Laguna

Maybe it’s my age or the industrial strength hay fever meds (they’re prescribed….No they’re not), but I pictured your YMCA Japanese language teachers dressed up like a police officer, fireman, Native American, military guy, etc…..

but I pictured your YMCA Japanese language teachers dressed up like a police officer, fireman, Native American, military guy, etc…..

This only connects with people who know about the song. Which I highly doubt for someone who grew up in a Chinese language setting!

I don’t think it’s possible to learn business or academic Japanese from anime any more than one can learn martial arts from a book.

Nobody mentions anything about 'business or academic Japanese'. ??

I tend to think the majority of the students attending these 'certified Japanese schools' are students/immigrants that end up working in convenience stores, restaurants, construction.

it is indeed a good news for foreigners like us who wish to learn Japanese language and fight for N1. Thank you Japan!

Nets which are cast need not always be broad.

Yubaru

This only connects with people who know about the song. Which I highly doubt for someone who grew up in a Chinese language setting!

National standards oh great. Never trust or rely on the government for anything. 30 mins a day of studying any language over the course of a year will have great results. Most native speakers don't even know what a sinecure is.

JDoeToday  12:22 pm JST

I don’t think it’s possible to learn business or academic Japanese from anime any more than one can learn martial arts from a book.

Nobody mentions anything about 'business or academic Japanese'. ??

I tend to think the majority of the students attending these 'certified Japanese schools' are students/immigrants that end up working in convenience stores, restaurants, construction.

The overwhelming majority of Japanese language school students are foreign students trying to get a JLPT rating for entry into a university or technical school.

A smaller (much smaller) portion were people like me learning “non-izakaya” Japanese for employment purposes.

few if any study to become low wage workers as it makes no economic sense.

Heard this before.....

Thousands of "students" sign up but go missing every year. If you look carefully you will find them working in restaurants and low level construction jobs.

I personally don’t have many expected requirements in a Japanese language teacher, other than having a great attitude for helping students learn and being available to correcting my Japanese and helping me to learn the context and culture associated with Japanese. That’s all I ask.

Japan needs more English schools not more Japanese schools.

Best way to benefit the Japanese economy and join the international community is for Japan to learn English

Japanese is illogical

Hepburn is not a pronunciation method. It’s a writing system.

Japanese learners should avoid Romaji to the same extent that English learners in Japan should avoid Katakana. They will horribly mislead on pronunciation.

Hepburn is preferable when putting Japanese names and words into English. It’s an unsteady crutch that limits progress when learning Japanese.

Only if you don't understand how the language works and the reasons for Hepburn . Katakana and Romanji.

Not understanding is limiting progress - not the other way around !

Think like a Japanese person and not like a westerner