Primary School English Teacher Training: How the Swiss Introduced English Education into Primary Schools

Abstract

To seek ways of improving training programmes for elementary school English teachers, the author looked at training programmes for practicing primary school teachers in Switzerland when English was introduced at primary school level. Interviews, email exchanges, primary school class observations and a survey were carried out. The two in-service training programmes observed here, which required a high English language proficiency (C1 level), training in thorough language teaching methodology geared for primary pupils and several weeks of assistant teachership in English speaking countries, are showing favourable outcomes at schools. The implications for Japan will include the desirability of language proficiency training, teaching methodology training, continuity from elementary English to junior and senior high school, and financial and labour support from administration and the government.