Argumentative Essay: Should English class be started at the Elementary school in Japan?

In the Japanese elementary school in Japan, there is an English class about once a month. The municipality dispatched ALT in each elementary school to let children experience English ever since they were small. However, it is impossible that they become bilinguals like the Filipinos by attending classes at this level. In a public opinion poll, about 50% are opposed to the English requisite in the elementary school. At first, it is necessary to let imppeccable Japanese education. Although English is one of languages which is used all over the world, we should completely learn Japanese, and then we learn the foreign language, because it is increasing Japanese people who can not speak decent Japanese by the television and comics, Japanese is essential when you live in Japan and we have some problems about the method of English education.

First, Japanese people should acpuire the comunication skill. Japanese national language skill is declining. It is becoming worse due to the vulgar TV progrems, comics and the cellphone(Is English education necessary in elementary school?/2008). Japanese people can not talk with neihbors and strangers even adults. Hence, we should educate them by our native language, and we should let someone comprehend the message we are frying to convey through our native language. We should also argue, expand our opinion and understand each other. It is necessary for mutual understanding.

Japanese language is essential when you live in Japan. There is no provision starting that Japanese is prescribed for official language/national language in law. Precisely, the laws are written down in Japanes. It is considered to be a natural premise that Japanese is the only official language/national language. In addition, only Japanese is used for all, not only the letter of the law but also the government documents and Japanese is taught as a national language by the school education. So that is why Japanese language is essential when you live in Japan.

Third, there are problems about English education in Japan. English education begins at 13 years of age as compulsory educaion in Japan. The Japanese government thinks that students should begin English education earlier from this age for two years. How much English can they acquire if they only attend a class once a week sincethey were 11? Even now, we do not have any place where we can speak in English. If the Japanese government begins to study English from 11 years old, it would not work for them. Japanese people's English speaking skill is inferior than that of people from other countries. In fact, there are many people who can speak English in situation where English is neessary. So people are able to speak and learn English and other languages when they are in the environment where there is a need of the natioal language(Chiba, 2008).

Therefore, I think that the Japanese government should set a good environment to learn English. It is necessary for learning English because if they do not use it, it would not be fully acquired. So I think that it is meaningless to have an English class in elementary school because learning language earlier for two years from 13 years old, and there is no other purpose like becoming a bilingual in Japanese and English. So that is why Ithink that the Japanese should not take English classes at the elementary school in Japan.