Online Contents for ALTs

Online Contents for Post-Arrival Orientation

Online Contents for new ALTs are posted on the homepage below.（Updated in June, 2022）
※The alphabet and number before each title（e.g. B-1) designates the workshops for this orientation.

The School Education Law and the National Curriculum Standards

Foreign Language Education in Japan

  • B-1　Part1 School Education System
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukRgKoJoUFk
    This session will deepen your understanding of the Japanese education system as a whole. Through learning about the Japanese school education system, you will realize what expectations Japanese people have for school education, what expectations students and their parents have for learning in the classroom, and what tasks teachers are engaged in and what points they place particular importance on in their daily work. Understanding what Japanese schools and teachers place importance on will be the first step for your becoming a team member of the school.
  • B-2　Part2 The National Curriculum Standards
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u0DJR4L0g4
    This session will give an overview of the National Curriculum Standards. Explained will the background behind the latest revisions in the National Curriculum Standards and what are emphasized in the respective Standards for elementary schools, junior high schools, and senior high schools. By deepening your understanding of the National Curriculum Standards, let's try to think in concrete terms how you will be required to interact with your students as an assistant language teacher. We hope you will correctly understand the goals of the lessons so that you can best support the students.
  • B-3 Part3 Collaboration with teachers and Expectations for ALTs
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG-PyKRP0Yk
    By taking up the school education system and the National Curriculum Standards, videos 1 and 2 provided an overview of the aims of school education in Japan and the framework for supporting the achieving of those aims. Based on that, this video will introduce what is expected of you as an ALT at your school. Please think about what will be necessary for collaborating with teachers as a member of your school team. For the students, meeting an ALT will be a lifelong asset and an important opportunity that could change their lives.

The Method of Instruction and Lessons

Teaching Method

  • B-4★　　Team Teaching in Elementary School（1/2）
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FyBkCnh_5jA&list=PLGpGsGZ3lmbCsze5PvMhQ1TS-jXEZKA4f&index=4
    This video will further your understanding of what the role of the ALT is in a class and what is expected of you by showing scenes of classes where the ALT is team teaching with an elementary school teacher. The first half introduces how an ALT interacts with pupils in an actual class. By watching how an experienced ALT interacts with pupils, let's consider your role as an ALT and the expectations for you. Please note the importance of speaking clearly and unhurriedly and using vocabulary and expressions that the pupils have previously studied so that they can understand you.

    ※ES students are referred to as pupils. JHS and SHS students are referred to as students. ES, JHS and SHS students are referred to as students.
  • B-5★　　Team Teaching in Elementary School（2/2）
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr5-dBDqE-s&list=PLGpGsGZ3lmbCsze5PvMhQ1TS-jXEZKA4f&index=5
    The first half of the video added more explanation about role of and expectations for an ALT by showing you an actual class where an ALT and an elementary school teacher are team teaching. The second half gives insights and points out techniques regarding the lessons shown in the first half. Let's again consider what the role and expectations are for an ALT by watching how an experienced ALT interacts with the pupils.

    ※ES students are referred to as pupils. JHS and SHS students are referred to as students. ES, JHS and SHS students are referred to as students.
  • B-6★　　Team Teaching in Junior and Senior High School
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e2KhddcnEbU&list=PLGpGsGZ3lmbCsze5PvMhQ1TS-jXEZKA4f&index=6
    This video explains how an ALT interacts with and encourages students at a class in a junior high school. In junior high schools, the teacher conducts the class using English. Based on this video of a lesson where the ALT and the teacher in charge team teach, you will receive suggestions on the role and expectations for an ALT. Watch how the ALT interacts with the students and think about your role as an ALT and what is expected of you.
  • B-11★　　Team Teaching in Elementary School
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq_F_8kPwWU&list=PLGpGsGZ3lmbCsze5PvMhQ1TS-jXEZKA4f&index=7
    This video will deepen your understanding of how a current ALT is teaching and interacting with students and what the role of the ALT in class is through the ALT's handling of conversational dialogues. We will look at the participation of the ALT in class, remembering that the ALT is aiming for the same goal as the elementary school teacher who is in charge of the English class. The performing of "small talk" with the teacher is shown as one teaching model. Please use this model as reference for planning your own lessons. The ALT is vital for creating a realistic atmosphere for the students to speak English in. For ALTs who will be assigned to junior or senior high schools, let's think about how you can guide the students to expand on what they learned in elementary school.

    ※ES students are referred to as pupils. JHS and SHS students are referred to as students. ES, JHS and SHS students are referred to as students.

Messages to New ALTs

  • B-27, B-28
    Elementary School
    Junior High School
    Senior High School
    In this session, there are many messages for you from the active ALTs, the Japanese teachers of English, and the students from all over Japan. They look forward to the day when working and learning with you.
    Please keep in mind, “if you respect your students and teachers, they will surely respect you as well.” Good luck and enjoy your life as an ALT in Japan.

Lesson Tips

  • YouTube Mextchannel：Practical English Lesson /Foreign Language Activities for Elementary School [English Subtitles]
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjffmqGnDc8
    English lessons at elementary and junior and senior high schools are conducted entirely through language activities. This video will deepen your understanding of language activities as they relate to the National Curriculum Standards. Although this video was made focusing on a teacher at an elementary school, you will be able to see that the importance we place on ALTs for foreign language education. Also, please watch the video together with the English teachers you will work together with at the school where you will be assigned.

  • YouTube Mextchannel ：Practical English Lesson / Foreign Languages for Senior High School（Takezono Senior High School in Ibaraki Prefecture）
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UPHhVmfhmIU
    This is a video of an English class at a high school. In this lesson, the teacher, Mr. Paxton, elicits English sentences from the students and has them think about and share their ideas about the passages and come up with better expressions. This will be a good opportunity to think about how ALTs can best be involved in the process of the students' steady acquisition of English, particularly by placing importance on what the students have learned since elementary school.

References

British Council
Cambridge University Press
Gakken

Link to online materials websites
Movies and Materials about typical and attractive Japanese education in Japan

  • B-7　YouTube: Japanese-style education from the viewpoint of teachers
    https://youtu.be/2QazQyNhDdg
    This video introduces Japanese education from the perspective of teachers. It aims at deepening understanding of education in Japan by particularly looking at the special features and attractive points of Japan's school education.
  • B-8　YouTube: Japanese-style education　－One day of elementary school pupils in Japan－
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFNJkH0sEAg&feature=youtu.be
    The activities of one day at a Japanese elementary school are presented in an easy-to-understand animated format. In addition to English, it is available in Thai, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, and Indonesian.

British Council

Online Material Website

  • TeachingEnglish　　https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/
    TeachingEnglish is a dedicated site for English language teachers around the world and provides access to lesson plans, worksheets, blogs and research into language teaching. You will find relevant materials for all age-groups, from elementary to senior high school students. Topics include tips for online teaching as well as supporting students with special educational needs.
  • LearnEnglish Kids　　https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org
    LearnEnglish Kids is aimed at pupils from 6-12 years old and includes songs, stories and language activities on topics which appear in the Japanese Elementary school curriculum. You can find free flashcards, worksheets and video resources on this site.
  • LearnEnglish Teens　　https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org
    LearnEnglish Teens is aimed at 12-18 year-olds and includes age-appropriate content including magazine articles and videos. The site covers all four language skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening as well as study tips, and games and puzzles to review vocabulary and grammar. You can find and download free audio materials, reading and writing materials, and worksheets from this site.

Cambridge University Press

  • Blog for teachers　　https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/
    To share thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources for language teachers.
  • YouTube channel by Cambridge University Press ELT
    https://www.youtube.com/user/CambridgeUPELT
    Offering resources, teaching tips and ideas, or information about the latest ELT courses. Better Learning is our simple approach, where deeper insights help shape richer content to drive stronger results.
  • YouTube－Secondary
    https://www.youtube.com/c/LearnEnglishwithCambridge
    For teachers teaching teenagers, offering tips and classroom activities such as role-play, creative storytelling, speaking activities, classroom management etc.
  • YouTube－Learn English with Cambridge
    https://www.youtube.com/c/LearnEnglishwithCambridge
    Learn English with Cambridge is perfect for learners looking for some additional help in learning English and for teachers to supplement lessons. Our team of international teachers are ready to give learners short YouTube lessons on specific bits of real-world English.
  • Online dictionary　　https://dictionary.cambridge.org/
    Available in not only English-Japanese, but in other languages as well. Has free word lists and quizzes. You can make your own original word lists and quizzes.
  • Cambridge Papers in ELT
    https://www.cambridge.org/jp/cambridgeenglish/better-learning-insights/pedagogy
    Written with leading experts, the Cambridge Papers in ELT series connects the deeper insights of linguistic and pedagogical research with the reality of everyday ELT practice. Explore the extensive range of topics covered in our series to access relevant, evidence-based support and practical ideas to implement in your classroom.
  • Write & Improve　　https://writeandimprove.com/
    Write & Improve is a free tool for learners of English that marks writing in seconds. It is provided in association with Cambridge English.

Gakken

  • Secrets of the ALT（Assistant Language Teacher）
    This training material is designed to deepen the knowledge that ALTs need to transition from the schooling perspectives and cultural backgrounds of their countries of origin in order to smoothly assume their duties in Japan, and fulfill the roles required of them as ALTs.
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