2001 Volume 25 Issue 3 Pages 177-185
With rapid change toward internationalization, teaching of foreign languages will be permitted at the elementary school level from 2002. It is expected therefore that the number of public elementary schools teaching English will increase. This study attempts to identify factors that increase the effectiveness of teaching English in public elementary schools. The questionnaire survey was conducted by mail, of teachers who teach English at public elementary schools. The data were analyzed using covariance structure analysis. According to the results of the analysis, the mutual understanding between teachers and ALTs on how to teach English influences an ALT's teaching behavior. An ALT's friendly behavior to students is effective in teaching English. Moreover, this paper shows that the ALTs' being too talkative in class inhibits students' interests in English activities and their acquiring communication skills.
