Chapter 2
Towards Advancement of "Academic Ability"
Section 2
Status of Japanese Children's "Academic Ability"
3.
Roundup and Evaluation of Various Research Results
From comprehensive analysis of results from international and national research projects done so far, it can be said that, on the whole, the learning status of Japanese children is generally good. However, the following problems are revealed: (1) There are quite a few children who cannot understand the educational content well; (2) While the average level of academic ability is high by international standards, the ratio of children with high levels of academic ability is low; (3) Children realize that it is important to study, but do not necessarily like to study; (4) Children have not necessarily acquired a habit to study; and (5) Experiences that support children's learning such as experiences with nature and experiences in everyday life are lacking.
