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READING PASSAGE 5
LAND OF THE RISING SUN
A
Japan has a significantly better record in terms of average mathematical attainment than England and Wales.
Large sample international comparisons of pupils' attainments since the 1960s have established that not only
did Japanese pupils at age 13 have better scores of average attainment, but there was also a larger proportion of
'low' attainers
in England, where, incidentally, the variation in attainment scores was much greater. The
percentage of Gross National Product spent on education is reasonably similar in the two countries, so how is
this higher and more consistent attainment in maths achieved?
B
Lower secondary schools in Japan cover three school years, from the seventh grade (age 13) to the
ninth grade (age 15). Virtually all pupils at this stage attend state schools: only 3 per cent are in the
private sector. Schools are usually modem in design, set well back from the road and spacious inside.
Classrooms are large and pupils sit at single desks in rows. Lessons last for a standardised 50
minutes and are
always followed by a 10-minute break, which gives the pupils a chance to let off steam. Teachers begin with a
formal address and mutual bowing, and then concentrate on whole-class teaching.
Classes are large - usually about 40 - and are unstreamed. Pupils stay in the same class for all lessons
throughout the school and develop considerable class identity and loyalty. Pupils attend the school in their own
neighbourhood, which in theory removes ranking by school. In practice in Tokyo, because of the
relative concentration
of schools, there is some competition to get into the 'better' school in a particular area.
C
Traditional ways of teaching form the basis of the lesson and the remarkably quiet classes take their own notes
of the points made and the examples demonstrated. Everyone has their own copy of the textbook supplied by
the central education authority, Monbusho, as part of the concept of free compulsory education up to the age of
15. These textbooks are, on the whole, small, presumably
inexpensive to produce, but well set out and
logically developed. (One teacher was particularly keen to introduce colour and pictures into maths textbooks:
he felt this would make them more accessible to pupils brought up in a cartoon culture.) Besides
approving textbooks, Monbusho also decides the highly centralised national curriculum and how it is to be
delivered.
D
Lessons all follow the same pattern. At the beginning, the pupils put solutions to the homework on the board,
then the teachers comment, correct or elaborate as necessary. Pupils mark their own homework: this is an
important principle in Japanese schooling as it enables pupils to see where
and why they made a mistake, so
that these can be avoided in future. No one minds mistakes or ignorance as long as you are prepared to learn
from them.
After the homework has been discussed, the teacher explains the topic of the lesson, slowly and with a lot of
repetition and elaboration. Examples are demonstrated on the board; questions from the textbook are worked
through first with
the class, and then the class is set questions from the textbook to do individually. Only rarely
are supplementary worksheets distributed in a maths class. The impression is that the logical nature of the
textbooks and their comprehensive coverage of different types of examples, combined with the
relative homogeneity of the class, renders work sheets unnecessary. At this point, the teacher would circulate
and make sure that all the pupils were coping well.
E
It is remarkable that large, mixed-ability classes could be kept together for maths throughout all their
compulsory schooling from 6 to 15. Teachers say that they give individual help at the
end of a lesson or after
school, setting extra work if necessary. In observed lessons, any strugglers would be assisted by the teacher or
quietly seek help from their neighbour. Carefully fostered class identity makes pupils keen to help each other -
anyway, it is in their interests since the class progresses together.
This scarcely seems adequate help to enable slow learners to keep up. However, the
Japanese attitude towards education runs along the lines of 'if you work hard enough, you can do almost
anything'. Parents are kept closely informed of their children's progress and will play a part in helping their
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children
to keep up with class, sending them to 'Juku' (private evening tuition) if extra help is needed
and encouraging them to work harder. It seems to work, at least for 95 per cent of the school population.
F
So what are the major contributing factors in the success of maths teaching? Clearly, attitudes are important.
Education is valued greatly in Japanese culture; maths is recognised as an important compulsory subject
throughout schooling; and the emphasis is on hard work coupled with a focus on accuracy.
Other relevant points relate to the supportive attitude of a class towards slower pupils, the lack of competition
within a class, and the positive emphasis on learning for oneself and improving one's own standard. And the
view of repetitively boring lessons and learning the facts by heart, which is sometimes quoted
in relation to
Japanese classes, may be unfair and unjustified. No poor maths lessons were observed. They were mainly good
and one or two were inspirational.
