I am working as an ALT currently in JHS. I am CELTA and TESOL certified and was also a teacher for 8 years back home.
I have been a huge advocate of Orton Gillingham and The Logic of English phonics for the last 3 years.
I always teach the first graders a couple of new phonograms the first ten minutes of each lesson, think "-ay" and "-ay" along with some rules like the C rule or soft G rule etc. I then give them 10 words to practice at home. The following lesson would then start with a small spelling quiz of the phonograms taught the previous day.
When we are learning new words in the textbook, I often point out words with rules or phongrams we have learnt. And more recently, we started to do syllabication for CVC, CVVC, and silent e syllables. I have to explain such rules in Japanese though.
I can't say ALL students are following along, but I can see it when it clicks for some of them. Around 30% have a firm grasp of the concepts and 60% are keeping up. The remaining 10% are either special needs or can't even write in Japanese so…
The JTEs weren't all for it initially but they are slowly turning around.
In my school there is an assistant teacher who basically takes care of the students who comes to school but rarely attend classes. If they do then he joins in with them. After class today he stayed behind and requested to talk with me. Well…it wasn't much of a talk since all he did was to deny everything I am doing. He told me phonics were not needed, that students would be able to read just by memorizing words, that "ea" is an exception (yeah he knew nothing) etc. I tried explaining to him, but everytime I did so he would wave me off and said いらない.
Normally, I would just ignore such ignorance, but quite unfortunately not this time since I have been receiving flaks from other ALTs and some useless trainers from my company recently for my obsession with phonics instructions, and although the Head Trainer is very supportive, the pressure is nevertheless there.
I just felt so wronged and began tearing up while explaining to him that no phonics basically guarantee incapability to read and write. And of course he continued denying me.
Eventually some students who were passing by saw us and ran to the vice principal who then rushed to stop us.
Before he left I said to him that he knew nothing about teaching English, and he simply replied that that was my opinion. Until today I found him quite nice but today I lost all respect for him.
The JTEs were livid that he overstepped his boundary. (First time for me, but they all have had stories with him, though just small disagreements.)The vice principal was very supportive. But the Principal who was your typical old school Japanese English teacher was buddy with this particular assistant teacher and said nothing.
I am guessing nothing much will change going forward.
To all aspring teachers, whether in Japan or somewhere else:
I resolved to make teaching my career 11 years ago. For the most part it was very fulfilling, but just know that there will always be people who assume they know better despite not being so. (Dunning Kruger much) In Japan, more often than not it's someone senior to you.
Just remember that as long as you do things with reasons and evidences, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Take the right path, not the easy one. (If they happen to be the same then lucky you.)Do not let the unjustified judgements of others bring you down. You may cry, but that's only because you care about your job and want the best for your students.
Stay strong my fellow teachers.
by [deleted]