An evaluation of language policy in a bilingual school in Japan

The following study presents an evaluation of language policy at an independent bilingual school in Japan serving students in Grades 1--12. The school seeks to meet the academic and linguistic needs of native speakers of two main languages, Japanese and English, and to prepare them to live productive lives in 21st-century society. Additionally, the school seeks to present a biblical worldview to students through its materials and hiring practices.;After a discussion of recent developments in bilingual education in Japan and the educational choices facing parents in the country, background perspectives relevant to school language policy are presented. This is followed by a presentation of issues concerning the research methodology for the study and issues pertaining to program evaluation.;The school's background, educational aims, student population, and elementary and high school programs are then described from a curriculum perspective focusing on students' needs, program goals, selection of materials and learning activities, personnel, and assessment. In order to enhance an understanding of the school's programs, comparisons are drawn between them and the English immersion program at Katoh Elementary School, which established the country's first such program.;Findings from the study illustrate the challenge of attempting to meet ambitious linguistic and academic goals in a school with a mission beyond bilingualism. While the emphasis on the development of English reading skills has enabled ESL students to make considerable progress in their English proficiency (as suggested by test results), academic development among these students has been less than impressive. The use of unrevised materials designed for native speakers but which reflect the school's worldview has likely contributed to this situation, as has the recruitment of inexperienced teaching and administrative personnel. The initial lack of a well-structured English curriculum, the high proportion of Japanese-medium instruction in the high school, and the high number of Japanese native speakers within the student population are other challenging factors. These findings indicate the following needs: a well-organized curriculum for ESL courses, more English-medium instruction and exposure to the language across the curriculum; a possible quota on the proportion of Japanese native-speaking students in the school; a strong emphasis on teacher development; and reconsideration of the teaching materials used in order to foster linguistic development and content acquisition and to enhance the long-term prospects for the school.