Re:Japan adding mandatory programming education to all eleme...
by marak830 on Tuesday May 24, 2016 @03:03AM
(#11759491)
I have seen this in person. I was even told once by a teacher than anything the ALT's say must be true (even when it was defiantly not).
It actually came about as i was a bit nervous about teaching a subject i hadn't done in a long time, and didn't want to mess something up.
A little story from a Japanese friend who was fluent in English: He, of course, had to take elementary English in school. The teacher was teaching family members and asked "What do you call your grandfather's father?" He replied "I think it's great-grandfather" The teacher laughed at him, causing the whole class to laugh at him. "Of course not, it's grand-grandfather" the teacher replied.
Being a humble guy he assumed he was wrong, but checked it in a dictionary after class and showed the teacher. "Oh, well then you can say that as well" snapped the teacher.
I'm not suggesting this is every teacher in Japan, but from the mere fact that a child fluent in English has to take a class where they learn "This is a pen" shows you how rigid and ill-thought out the system is.