Reconsidering the Role of the ALT : Effective Preparation for ALTs Based on the Questionnaire Survey

Abstract

There is a pressing need for us to reconsider the role and work of the ALTs and to propose more effective preparation for them on a practical level, since the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced in 2002 that the number of ALTs should be increased to the unprecedented number of over 8400. To cope with this rapid increase, however, surprisingly few surveys have been carried out in the recent years in the educational arena of ELT in Japan. In order to fill up this research void, our survey of ALTs and JTEs working in Hokkaido was conducted and analyzed in comparison with a previous nationwide survey (JET Programme Kenkyukai, 1996). The results shed light on a number of problems. There is still a difference of recognition vis-a-vis the position of an ALT between JTEs and ALTs. Furthermore, there has been an increase in the number of ALTs who tend to take a passive attitude toward team-teaching. Their present preparation proved inadequate on a practical level. Our comparative analysis leads us to propose effective ways to meet the pressing need stated above with regard to: (1) the position and work details for the ALTs and (2) their appropriate pre- and in- service preparation.