Cram Schools in Japan: The Need for Research

Page No.: 
26
Writer(s): 
Robert J. Lowe, Rikkyo University

The private juku (cram school) industry is an enormously profitable and influential area of education in Japan, including in the specific field of English language teaching (ELT). However, while much research has been carried out in other areas of ELT in Japan, juku have largely escaped the attention of researchers. This paper attempts to argue the need for more research into English language education as it is practiced in juku. The article first situates juku within the Japanese education system, and then illustrates the extent to which juku have been under-researched when compared to other ELT contexts in Japan. The author advocates the need for more research into ELT to be carried out in juku, and finally suggests some areas into which this research could be conducted. 

学習塾産業は大きなビジネスであり、日本の英語教育に大きな影響を与えている。ところが、高校や大学などでの英語教育に関する研究は多くなされているが、学習塾での英語教育の研究はされていない。本論では、初めに、学習塾の現状を説明し、次に、どれだけ学習塾の英語教育の研究が不足しているか説明する。最後に、学習塾の英語教育の研究の必要性を訴え、より多くの研究がこの分野で行われるべきであると論じる。

 
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