Since many of the friends I have made during my working years in Japan are ALTs (Assistant

Language Teachers), I heard a lot of stories about this education policy from them, so I decided to
choose this policy after thinking about whether to analyse the Chinese college entrance examination
policy, the double reduction policy or this ALT policy.

Document information:
Title The role of ALTs in team teaching with assistant foreign language teachers
(ALTs) generally considered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology
Date Mar.2011
Nation Japan
Government Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan (MEXT)
department
responsible
URL ① （別紙） 文部科学省が一般的に考える外国語指導助手（ ALT ）とのティー
ム・ティーチングにおける ALT の役割：文部科学省 (mext.go.jp)
👆Google Website Translate is available
② MEXT : Online Contents for ALTs
👆this is a reference for what MEXT expects for ALT

Analysis: In less than 200 words, outline what aspects of education this policy covers and
consider if it tells you anything (explicit and implied) about the purpose of education.
Although this policy aims to improve the English language proficiency of Japanese
nationals explicitly and the economic competitiveness implicitly, the results so far do not seem to be
very effective. Data shows that Japanese still rank low in terms of English language proficiency. In a
2019 survey, Japan dropped to 53rd in global English proficiency, squarely in the “low proficiency”
band. Japan ranks near the bottom of Asian and developed countries alike despite constant
reshuffling and refinement of the English educational curriculum in schools and the frequent
assertions, acknowledged by Japan’s Ministry of Education, that English-language skills are needed
to compete in the modern economy (Margolis, 2020).
Why has it not significantly improved the English language proficiency of Japanese
nationals? In my opinion the main reasons may be these.
1) Although the MEXT does recruit and train ALTs directly, most of it is outsourced to
dispatch companies. The recruitment restrictions and training policies of dispatch companies vary.
For example, in some dispatch companies, training for ALTs is only 3 days, and a large part of that
training is not even related to how to teach.
2) The schools are changed too often. The ALTs are often transferred from their schools
every few months and have to start again in a new teaching environment with a new group of
students, which is not conducive to the ALTs' ability to establish good learning relationships with
students and other teachers.
Despite this, the number of companies contracted to recruit, train and manage the
assignment of ALTs is increasing, as parents prefer schools and institutions with ALTs. Ultimately,
education(and its diverse components) are not only commodified and sold but represent an offering
for financial markets to invest in and profit from(Ansell, 2019).

Bibliography
Margolis, E. (2020) Japan doesn't want to become another casualty of English, Foreign Policy.
Available at: https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/05/26/japan-doesnt-want-to-become-another-casualty-
of-english/ (Accessed: January 19, 2023).
Safford, K., Chamberlain, L. and Ansell, N. (2019) “Globalising Education and the Shaping of
Global Childhoods,” in Learning and teaching around the world: Comparative and international
studies in primary education. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 218–226.