In Japan, the institutes of teacher education are being involved in “the storm of reform”. Most of the institutions are presenting the plans of reform, but they tend to adopt apparently the new trend to neglect the most important problem. The problem is “In the research and education in the institutions of teacher education is enriched and fills the function of liberal education ?”

  In order to think about this problem, I studied about the two theories of teacher education. One is theory proposed by C.E.Silberman that “teaching is the ultimate liberal arts”, and another is the theory by M.L.Borrowman that “liberal” is the concept about the “function” of education.

  Based on this study, some recent plans of reform are critically analyzed.

  The purpose of this study is examine an in-service teacher education program in the progressive Education in the early 20th century, by focusing “the Workshops” formed in the process of “the Eight Year Study(1930-1942)”. Many studies in Japan, as well as in USA, have shown the importance of Progressive Education in respects of study or curriculum for children, but they haven't counted its value concerning teacher education. In Particular, the process of formation of “the Workshop” form 1936 to 1942, and the program of Workshops hasn't explored, although it has been touched many times as the origin of the popularization of Teacher' Centers in 1970s.

  First, I described the historical characters of the Eight Year Study and revealed the transformation of Progressive Education Association in those era, which caused by the crisis of Democracy or the Depression.

  Second, I revealed the characters of the program of Workshop, examining Two reports of the Workshop Committee written by K.L.Heaton or H.Giles. It was highly valued that the program was based on the Progressive educational thoughts, and so it had changed the concept of education. The purpose of Workshop wasn't “training” or “control” of teachers, but teachers' growth or informal cooperative relationships.

  Then I uncovered the historical process of the formation of the Workshops from 1936 till 1940. Teachers and Researchers made a lot of trial-and-errors. And the main characters of Workshops were occasional productions of 1937 meetings.

  We have “Classroom Teaching Exercises” as a part of the teacher training programs at Sugino Women's college. this classroom teaching exercises are conducted for about a week in February in the latter semester in the third year grade. Approximately 50 students take part in the exercises. Trios of students are formed and each of them give a simulated lesson for about 50 minutes. They are given guidance by junior or high school teachers actually in service as well as faculty members of the college. All the teachers and faculty members are engaged in the exercises from the first of the preparatory stage and they give guidance to the participating students by making detailed comments after the exercises.

  The present report is intended to give an account of the objectives, preparatory steps, substance and achievement of the exercises. The principal objective is for the students to learn teaching methods in abroad sense, and the exercises are an attempt for them to conduct their own active lessons in future. One of the features of the exercises is that the participating students not only conduct classroom lessons but they share with teachers insistence various duties other than instructions(such as home room observation and guidance). In addition to the advancement of techniques of the participating students' the exercises have, as one of their secondary effects, provided them with opportunities to have more consciousness of “teaching practices” required by the Teachers Licence Law. However, there remain many points for future studies in the exceeding, which many well be described as being still in a stage of trails and errors.

  One the occasion of presenting this report, we intend to continue to study what teacher training should be and problems it should solve, with a view to improving teacher training methods.

  This project is a case study for the program of enhancing teacher's practical abilities in the Technology Education Department of the College of Education, Yamanashi University. We had students perform roles as a teacher and students in a class of a technology education, which was recorded by two video cameras. The students then transcribed down all the speeches of the class viewing the videos, and added their comments on their activities in the class. Through the process of the simulation class and recording and reflecting of it ,it is thus concluded, students could analyze themselves and get a deeper understanding of what teaching is.

  I introduce practical class of Teaching Methodology of Japanese language at Shizuoka University . This is a necessary class to get the licence for elementary school teacher. I explain research sphere and contents of Teach in Methodology of Japanese Language. Here is the contents of the class in 1994. I held 27 classes through the year.

  I, associate Prof.Takagi, gave the significance to the class in 1994 and what students got from the class. After every lecture students made essays as reflection of the lecture. They were useful for the self-valuation about the lecture.

  In point of the student attitude, they took classes harder after practical teaching training. The class which includes simulation class gave the significance to the lecture of Teaching Methodology of Japanese Language. As a result of students seemed to take more interests in the concrete ways of teaching than the concept in school education.

  As is stated above, I gave the significance of position of Teaching Methodology of Japanese Language at Education of University. And I mentioned teacher education at Teacher's college.