Most Japanese secondary schools have had difficulty implementing the communicative methods of English instruction endorsed by MEXT. This presentation offered an overview of the literature which has explored these difficulties, and responded to calls from some of the local JALT community to explore cooperative learning as a potential means to meet the MEXT guidelines. It argued that Kagan structures offer a base for teachers to draw upon in designing group work activities that engage students in extended periods of uninterrupted interaction, by providing a social structure which develops the social skills required for effective communication. There were video and practical demonstrations of three separate activities which have been built around a single Kagan structure (the three-step interview) for varying purposes and levels, and the presenters reflected upon the effectiveness of the activities within the PIES framework. Their aim was to encourage other secondary school teachers to develop activities around the PIES framework and share them within a community. This is a step towards developing a context-appropriate communicative methodology, and providing MEXT with the teacher resources necessary to successfully reform English education nationwide.
by John Larson
