Thursday 6 March 2014

speaking english at the olympics

The front page on this month's EL Gazette was "English key to 2020 Games".

However, the English language is still a controversial topic in Japan:
Tokyo 2020 President claims he does not speak English because it is the "enemy's language" - insidethegames.biz - Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games News

Although there is a perfectly reasonable explanation:

Seventy-six-year-old Mori, who was Prime Minister for one year, from 2000 to 2001, was initially reluctant to lead Tokyo 2020 only for no other suitable candidates from the business community to volunteer for the post. Quizzed on why he and other senior Tokyo 2020 executives don’t speak English, he explained he was in second grade at school when World War II ended and “English was considered the enemy's language.”
Tokyo 2020 chief makes organising committee pledge as new governor is elected | SportBusiness Group

The question remains as to how prepared the host nation will be in 2020:



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English to get 2020 push but teachers not on same page

Exposure to start in third grade for basic communication ability by junior high

BY MASAAKI KAMEDA

A reform plan released in mid-December by the education ministry looks to bolster English study from elementary to high school from the 2020 academic year to pursue globalization.
Education minister Hakubun Shimomura said he hopes the reforms transform English education in a practical way, not just as a tool for entrance exams.
“I think children would like to acquire communicative skills by learning English. We have to transform the education system to serve that purpose, which I think is sought by the public,” he said.
According to the execution plan for the reform of English education in response to globalization, which is in line with proposals submitted by a government education panel to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in late May, English will be taught from the third grade in activity-oriented classes once or twice a week, mainly instructed by homeroom teachers, to “lay the foundation for communication skills.”
English to get 2020 push but teachers not on same page | The Japan Times

A couple of English lessons about the 2020 games, though:
ESL English Lesson: Olympic Games 2020 – It’s Tokyo!
Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020 | Lang-8: For learning foreign languages
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