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READING PASSAGE 7
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
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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 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.
