A Case Study on Student Confidence in a Childhood Education Teacher Training Program in Japan in Light of 2020 Elementary School English Class Reform

In 2020, English will become a required subject in Japanese elementary schools (MEXT, 2014b). This is a massive shift from earlier policy, and puts a new burden on elementary school teachers who must implement the curriculum, but have little English pedagogical training. This case study examines an existing elementary school training program for undergraduates at a Japanese university, and its impact on student confidence to teach under the new English policy. The results indicate the curriculum had a positive impact on confidence, though confidence still remained low. Also, additional practical training for students to mobilize their knowledge could improve teaching programs.