Mothers of kindergartners are saying they would like to prepare their children to learn English earlier.

I've been hearing this for decades. Perhaps the parents themselves should show more interest in learning the language and create an environment where they and their children have more exposure to English. Radio, music, books. Education in the schools is just a minor part.

Some 40 years ago I was a student at the former Tokyokyodai and we ran a study course for young children that had excellent results. I wonder why this system was never put to work in Japanese schools. The children were ages six to ten and the course was just part of their study. The student teachers who took part in the program were all enthralled with the program and as I said the results were spectacular. At that age there is no reason that children cannot learn another language. The problem is keeping the going until they are in high school and have developed and intellectual control over the language. The school system has to have a desire that the students really do learn and not fall into the trap of the myth that the Japanese people are not capable of foreign language mastery.

Well, I think they should keep the English learning to 6years and over. When they are younger let them learn their own language first.

Agree with Presto. They all hate English, pretty much don't want us here (how else can you explain the issues with immigration) and all want cheap, dancing, singing "Fun" lessons without checking to see if the teachers are qualified and know what they are doing. But please, continue to say you want your kids to learn English, don't bother to learn it yourself, don't look at the issues with the system and please continue to produce future Japanese who also hate English but force it onto their kids. They've been saying this for as long as I've been here - which is over 10 years.

the issues in this age group have everything to do with a belief that learning a foreign language so young will somehow "pollute" their minds

sigh