Changes in the teaching units fo r writing argumentative essays within Japanese language textbooks for junior high schools

Abstract

 The purpose of this study was to quantitatively and qualitatively examine how the methods used to teach the writing of argumentative essays had changed within Japanese language textbooks for junior high schools. The author surveyed 45 textbooks that were published between Showa 59 (1984) to 61 (1986), between Heisei 5 (1993) to 8 (1996), and between Heisei 18 (2006) to 21 (2009) by five publishing companies (Mitsumura Tosho, Tokyo Shoseki, Kyoiku Shuppan, Gakko Tosho, and Sanseido). The results indicated that the percentage of pages and the number of teaching units were larger for textbooks between Heisei 18-21 than those for Showa 59-61 and Heisei 5-8, and that while the teaching units for Heisei 18-21 emphasized how to write argumentative essays, those for Showa 59-61 emphasized what to write in argumentative essays. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that these changes reflected the National Curriculum Standards for Junior High Schools.