「英語講師」と「数学講師」の二刀流になったワケ

●How I became an "English teacher" and sometimes a "mathematics teacher" specializing in teaching students preparing for Kyoto University entrance examinations. 

Chapter 1, How I Became an English Teacher　

　My late father was a nuisance. He followed me when I announced my success in the high school entrance examinations, and when I got a job, he drove more than two hours to the cram school where he worked to greet me.

　By the time I was a sophomore in high school, I planned to go into the sciences. I wanted to build robots. However, Yokkaichi High School had a high percentage of boys at the time and had a boys' class, and I was thrown into that class.

　I was thrown into the boys' class, which is still the case today, but even then, most of the boys were science majors, and I studied thinking that it was natural for me to go into the sciences, but when I started studying mathematics, I began to feel dizzy.

　It seems that a physiological sense of rejection arose from being forced to use formulas even though I was not convinced of their origins. According to the results of the mock examinations, he could pass the entrance exam of a difficult national university if he majored in the humanities, but not if he majored in science. In tears, he decided to study at the Faculty of Education.

　He had no choice but to become an English teacher to survive. However, even in English, I found that there were many problems when I took a serious look at it.

　　At first, I thought
Something is wrong.
　I was teaching a social studies class at Logan Middle School in Utah, U.S.A., in 1982. The native English teacher in the class often interrupted my lesson and began explaining things to the students.
He would say, "The word Mr. Takagi just used means ---."

　I began to explain. So I asked Alan, the science teacher with whom I was closest to, "Why are you interrupting my class?
'Why are you interrupting my class?'
　I asked him about it.
He advised me, "Your English is beautiful, but you use too many big words."
　He advised me. So I paid attention and listened to the conversations in the staff room, etc., and sure enough, he was using middle school level English. I did not hear any of the difficult words that I had learned in my exam studies.

　I didn't care about the difference between "not more than" and "no more than," because I didn't use them. My students are learning a lot of words using the "system English vocabulary" given to them in high school, but it is probably a waste of time.

　After returning from the U.S., I decided to get an official certification, so I went to a bookstore and got some past papers for the Eiken Level 1 test. And I was disgusted to find words and expressions I did not know.
　　It was no longer like when I was in high school.
I had to study hard."
　I couldn't bring myself to blame. I started to solve the problems with the help of native speakers, but
What's this? Why do you, a Japanese, do this?"
　he said. So I asked
"What does it mean?"
　I say, "What does it mean?
He laughed and said, "This is the English of Shakespeare's time."
　He laughed.

　　However, after sending my resume from the U.S. to seven prep schools, cram schools, and vocational schools in Nagoya, all of which ignored me, I was forced to take a certification that was recognized in the Japanese English industry.

　In fact, once I took Eiken Level 1, every prep school, cram school, and vocational school began to respond. I ended up teaching part-time for 14 years at Computer Comprehensive Academy HAL, Nagoya Business College, Kawaijuku Gakuen, and Nagoya College of Foreign Languages.

　None of the English instructors I met during that time had an Eiken Level 1, nor did any of them have a degree from the former Imperial University. My view that one had to be qualified to be hired was incorrect.

　I had abandoned examination English by that time. I went through all of the English essays and interviews for any certification examinations in the English I had used in the United States. In other words, it was English that used junior high school level English to express difficult content.

　Now, however, I am teaching exam English again. Nothing has changed in the high school and university entrance examinations over the past 30 years. The syntax in exam reference books is still the same as it was 30 years ago: take it for granted that or not until.

　The number of ALTs coming to Japan is increasing.
"Japanese textbooks are crap.
　and "Japanese textbooks are crap.
"Teachers who can't speak English are teaching English!
　No one listens to them. And then they come up with policies that make no sense at all, such as banning deviation from the standard, and teaching English from elementary school. The prep school and cram school industry, where I work, is also full of performances by biker gang instructors and Madonna instructors.

　And the mass media is encouraging them. Smart students are so disappointed that they ridicule them as "trash.

　But how long will this stupid situation continue?

　But is there really no one sane in the English education world? Some of the students I met at Yokkaichi High School and in the education department of Nagoya University were decent. So I decided to take a test at the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, which have the highest level of education in Japan.

　Kyoto University is a rare university where the English exam consists of Japanese translation and English composition. So, I first took the "Kyoto University Mock Exam" and Zukai's "Kyoto University Sokuyo". I took the Kyoto University Mock Test 10 times from Kawai, Sundai, Daizemi, etc. I took the Zukai test for 8 years and studied it carefully.

　I was ranked in the rankings and also received a "Rokudan Certificate" from Z-kai, but I was not satisfied with the corrections I received each time. The same goes for the grading of the Kyoto University mock examinations. So, I asked myself.
I wondered, "Who in the world is grading these exams?
　I tried to find out. But I couldn't find out because it was a trade secret. However, I could guess that it was probably at the level of an instructor at the prep school where I worked. I could only guess that it was the level of the instructors at the prep school where I worked, because the corrections were made exactly as in the reference books for the entrance exam.

　When I took the Kyoto University entrance examination, I tried to write the first two times using "Exam English. Then, I got about 60% correct. There was no way my English was at that level. So, the next two times, I tried writing in the old colloquial language as written in a reference book for "qualification tests. Still, I got about 70% correct. So, for the last three times, I tried writing in middle school level English, like I used to use in the US. The percentage of correct answers jumped to 80%.

　I knew the Kyoto University teachers were top-notch (laughs).

　(Laughs) Apparently, the excellent students I teach also feel the same way.

If that teacher were to take Kyoto University himself, he would surely fail," he said.

　A student who passed the medical school of Kyoto University said, "That teacher would surely fail if he took the exam of Kyoto University by himself. And then he said.
"These students will understand what I am saying.
　So, I started correcting their English.

　Then, as I had expected, students began to pass the entrance exam for Kyoto University one after another. And that's not all.
And that's not all. The English correction was effective at Kyoto University, Osaka University, Nagoya University, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Mie University, and other medical faculties.

　University professors are smart after all (laugh).

　But when I said that, they hated me like a snake. Japan is just a country that values harmony, and there is half a lot of pressure not to let people discuss things.

　Everyone has to eat, so it doesn't matter if you don't speak English or if your students fail to get into the school of their choice. My life comes first. That's how it is, apparently. But what about the students who are sacrificed because of it? Isn't that an abdication of adult responsibility?

　When I was at Hokusei Junior High School, I hated English the most. My scores were not good. Math, like science, social studies, and Japanese, was not a subject I was particularly conscious of. I was in the top class in the overall score, so I was satisfied with that.

　As I repeated trial and error, my father said to me
If you want to go to graduate school, I will pay for it.
　And so on.
 

Chapter 2, A Consideration for "Getting Beyond 80% in English at Kyoto University  

1. Awareness of the Problem (1)

　Kyoto University's entrance examinations consist only of "English-Japanese translation" and "English composition," making the scoring criteria a black box. No teacher or instructor can accurately answer the question, "What criteria are used for scoring? It is possible that the teachers who are grading the essays do not know either.

　I graduated from Nagoya University with a degree in education, taught at a public junior high school in the U.S., and have been teaching at prep schools, cram schools, and vocational schools for over 30 years. In the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to come into contact with many English teachers and instructors. I have had the opportunity to meet not only Americans, but also British, Australian, Irish, and many other native English speakers.

　What I have learned is that there are three types of English in Japan: "English for entrance examinations," "English for qualifications," and "English for teaching. There are three types of English in Japan: English for entrance examinations, English for qualifications, and native English. 

　What is called "English for entrance examinations" is taught at schools and cram schools. There are also many examination reference books and question collections.　

Qualified English refers to English Proficiency Test (Eiken), TOEIC, etc. These are taught at English conversation schools such as ECC, which are in a different lineage from cram schools and prep schools. They are often taught by native English speakers and often use LL and audio materials.　

　And last but not least, native English. I often spoke with native speakers during the course of studying for the Eiken Level 1 and the National Examination for Interpreter Guides. Whenever I showed them a question from the Eiken or other tests, they would always say

They would always say, "What's this? Why do you, a Japanese, have to do these problems?

　I had lived in the U.S., so I was able to answer their questions. Having lived in the U.S., I understand their questions. Although it is called the Practical English Proficiency Test, it is different from the English used today.

So, I said to them

"Then, which type of English will be evaluated in the English composition section of Kyoto University's entrance exam?"

　This is the problematic aspect of this study.
 

Problem Consciousness (2)

　As a first step, we began by learning about "English for entrance examinations," "English for qualifications," and "native English," because this is a topic that cannot be investigated without English proficiency.

　I decided that English for entrance examinations was acceptable because I had passed the Nagoya University Faculty of Education as an active student and had been teaching English for entrance examinations for 30 years.

I was satisfied with my English qualifications when I passed Eiken Level 1, the National Examination for Interpreter Guides, the United Nations English Proficiency Test Level A, and the Business English Proficiency Test Level A.
　

Native English was considered good when I taught at Logan Junior High School in Utah, U.S.A. for one year, and after returning to Japan, I spent 20 years in English conversation classes with native speakers of English.

　The second step was to check the English language skills and teaching methods of the so called experts in English at Kyoto University. So, first, I worked as an English instructor for 14 years at seven prep schools, cram schools, and vocational schools in Nagoya.


　I also took the "Kyoto University Mock Exam" offered by Kawaijuku and Sundai a total of 10 times. I also continued to take the well-established Zukai's Kyoto University Readiness Course for eight years and checked how it scored. As a result, I found that


1. Almost none of the instructors were graduates of the former imperial university.

2. Few of them hold Eiken Level 1.

　The results showed that 1) few instructors are graduates of the former imperial university and 2) few have Eiken Level 1.

　There were no clear criteria when we checked the qualifications of instructors and graders. Corrections to the submitted answers were not beyond the scope of examination English. The instructors at the preparatory school who prepared model answers for the red book also did not go beyond the realm of reference books on English for entrance examinations. 

　　Therefore, I felt the need to take the Kyoto University test myself to confirm the results.

2, Research Method

　We actually took the Kyoto University entrance exam six times and disclosed the results. In doing so, I will try to write the first two times with "Exam English," the next two times with "Qualified English," and the last two times with "Native English" in mind. 

　By comparing the averages of the results, we will examine which type of English is rated higher. Differences in difficulty levels from year to year, and the scorers are likely to differ depending on the faculty, so we will also consider these factors. 

3. Conducting the survey 

2006, 2008 (Faculty of Letters) Average percentage of correct answers 66% (Exam English) 

2009, 2010 (Faculty of Education) Average percentage of correct answers: 76% (English for certification)　　

2012, 2013 (Comprehensive Humanities) Average of 79% (Native English)　


　The highest was 81%, so please let us know if there is anyone better than me on Youtube, blogs, and websites.

I challenged them, "Please let me know if there is anyone who can do better than me.

　　The highest score was 81%, so I challenged the students to "let me know if there is anyone better than me" on Youtube, blogs, and websites, and received two reports of 82%. The highest score announced by Kyoto University is only the overall score, but since it is around 80%, it was thought that this 80% should be considered the highest score for English alone. 

4. Analysis and Discussion of Results

　According to the results of this analysis, it is not possible to test for significant differences with a sample size of seven, and even if one were to do so, it would be meaningless. Even if we did, it would be meaningless. In addition

1, I was familiar with the examination.

2, The translation of exam, qualification, and native is ambiguous.

3, Differences in difficulty level and severity of scoring by year and department.

　It may not be possible to simply conclude that "native English is the most highly rated" due to possible variable factors such as the following. 

　However, what would happen if we take into account the results of this survey and the situation in which the Kyoto University professor was placed - that is, the situation in which he had to present his paper in English and be evaluated?

　What if we also take into account the fact that I, as the president of a small cram school in Mie Prefecture with a population of about 50,000, have taught students who have passed the Kyoto University School of Medicine, Osaka University School of Medicine, and Nagoya University School of Medicine? I am instructing you that you should change your writing to native English.

 5. Conclusion

　The measures to get over 80% in English at Kyoto University, which can be derived from the above results, would be to define and learn what "native English" is. 

　For example, if you want to write an English composition that says, "This dish tastes poor," many students tend to write, "This dish tastes poor.

　This dish tastes poor. However, this is not appreciated, because even if it is correct in English, it is bad manners. In Eiken English, the negative sentence would be, "This dish isn't good.

　However, native English speakers would say, "I don't like this dish. If the dish is really bad, they will shout "Yuck! That's the difference. 

　The problem is.

　The problem is the fact that "the syntax and expressions covered in reference books and problem books for English for entrance examinations are different from those used in real life.

　The problem is the fact that the syntax and expressions in reference books and problem books are different from the English used in real life. The teachers and instructors who are teaching them have never lived abroad and are unaware of the expressions used 50 years ago. This is why students fail even if they score high or achieve a high ranking in school tests or mock exams. 

6. Future tasks

　In order to conduct this verification, we need someone who is well versed in the three types of English: examination English, qualification English, and native English. However, since such people are rare in reality, it would be difficult to conduct a follow-up test. However, in the future, "English for examinations," "English for qualifications," and "native English" should converge into one.　

　Many English instructors would agree that the one should be "native English. However, the problem is that there is a critical shortage of teachers and instructors who can teach native English, so even if the goal is clear, it is not possible to meet it.

Chapter 3, Becoming a Math Teacher　

　My obsession with mathematics remained.

First.

I began to wonder, "Am I bad at math?"

　In the 1970s, Yokkaichi High School had a large percentage of boys, and I was enrolled in the boys' class.

　At that time, the majority of boys were going into the sciences. Among them, I had devastating scores in mathematics on every test. Even though my scores on the national mock exams were good, in the boys' class at Yokkaichi High School, I couldn't help but compare my scores with those of the other students around me. They would compare their scores to the average.

　It's not just about the score. As we moved on to trigonometric functions, logarithms, and calculus, I found myself saying to myself, "I can't get into this anymore.
"I can't get into it anymore.
　I remember blurting out to a friend, "I can't get my head around it anymore. I got a 13 in physics.
This is impossible!"
　I was so shocked that I crumpled it up and threw it away. I remember that when I used a math formula, I would say, "If I can't prove it, I'm not going to use it.
"If I can't prove it, I can't use it.
　I was the type of person who said, "If I can't prove it, I'm not going to use it. Now I think about it, that's not the way to move forward. In the end, I started to feel confused because I didn't know what I was doing. Then came the fifth day before the 1974 university entrance exam.

　I was studying mathematics in my study room on the second floor when suddenly my arms and legs started shaking and I fell off my chair. And then

Dad, I'm acting weird.
　I screamed. My father came running upstairs and saw me flailing my arms and legs like an overturned turtle.
What are you doing?
　He said, "What are you doing? He then carried me to the nearby general hospital.

　The nurse at the hospital held me down by my arms and legs.
She said, "Ale? Takagi-kun, what's wrong?"
　　She said, "What's wrong, Takagi-kun? She was a senior member of the gymnastics club at Hokusei Junior High School. 

　The diagnosis was a nervous breakdown. It was what is called neurosis. I was worried that I was going crazy, but the doctor said

"Some people are like that, but some people have physical symptoms.

　Some people are like that, but some people have physical symptoms.

　Through this experience, I came to realize that

I was determined to be a liberal arts person.

　I was prepared for this. So, while studying at Nagoya University's Faculty of Education, I wondered if I might be a teacher.

I wondered if I might be a teacher.

 

　I had a vague idea that I might be a teacher. So, after graduation, I started working as an English teacher. Touching mathematics had become a taboo for me. For the next 20 years or so, I studied English and taught mathematics only at the junior high school level, as required. In the private sector, I could not get a job as an English instructor alone. 

　However, when he started his own cram school, he said to himself.

I started to get complaints from students, "Tomorrow is science class, but you're teaching English?"

　I began to receive complaints from students. So, in addition to English and mathematics, I was forced to teach science, social studies, and Japanese. 

　Eventually, when some excellent students came to the school, I was forced to work on past examinations of mathematics for such difficult high schools as Takata, Tokai, Nada, and LaSalle. Then one day I realized.　　

Those excellent kids.

"Can I still ask for your guidance after I enter high school?"

　I began to receive requests. At first, I had promised them only English, but they started asking questions about math as well as junior high school students.

　Then I thought about it.

"If I can solve Nada High School's entrance exam math problems, will I be able to handle high school math as well?"

　I thought.

　I want to make a high school class, and I think it's worth a try."

　So I went to a local bookstore and looked at the shelves of reference books and problem books for high school math. I saw a nostalgic "original" book. The nightmare of Yokkaichi High School came back to me.　

　So, I picked it up with trepidation and peered inside. More than 25 years had passed since it was turned over. Still traumatized, my hands trembled (laughter). But to my surprise, the memory of 25 years ago remained and I was able to solve it rapidly.　

　I am not sure if my foundation was solidified while I was thoroughly taught middle school mathematics, or if my mind was trained in middle age. Anyway, I did two rounds of "Original", two rounds of "One-to-One", two rounds of "Check & Repeat", and two rounds of "Mathematics of Kyoto University". In parallel, I continued to work through Z-kai's "Kyoto University Sokuyo" for eight years.  

　During that time, I took the "Kyoto University Mock Exam" 10 times, the "Center Test" 10 times, and the "Kyoto University Secondary Exam" 7 times to test my skills.　　

　If I did not do that much, I would not be able to help teach the best students. When I disclosed my score, I got 70% correct in Kyoto University mathematics. I no longer had trouble teaching the special students in the "Dawn 6" and the top students in the "International Studies."　　

　But it is not just about those kinds of scores. A big change occurred in me. My allergy to mathematics disappeared completely. The trauma disappeared. I am no longer afraid. Now I can say

I can relax and say, "Well, I won't be bothered by most of the questions.

　I can go to class with a relaxed attitude. The school is not like a large cram school where the teacher gives a one-way talk about a lesson he has prepared, but rather answers students' questions, so he is always on the spot.

　Now I find math much more interesting than English. So I have my doubts about categorizing people into "arts" and "sciences" at the age of 19. People are not that easy to classify.　　

I was a humanities student, and now I am.

I believe that "unless the phenomena of this world are expressed in mathematical formulas, we cannot say we understand them."

　I believe that. This must be a completely science-oriented idea. 

　I have also taught myself Math 3, which I did not learn in school. In the meantime, 30 years have passed. It is just like this

　It is easy for a boy to grow old and difficult to learn.　

　However, there is one thing I have learned. I don't have the same talent as the science girls I teach, but I have learned mathematics through many times more hard work than others, and I now understand "where students tend to get stuck". This is an amazing weapon for a math teacher. 　　

　I was often sent to the hospital or refused entrance to an examination hall because I was treated as a suspicious person. At first, the hotel staff who took care of us seemed to misunderstand that parents were not allowed to ride on the shuttle bus.

　But this was necessary.

　I knew the moment when "I can't get my head around this" turned into "I get it! I knew the moment when "I can't get my head around it" turned into "I get it!          

　And so, he is now a valued instructor who can teach both English and mathematics. 

　When I think about it, 30 years have passed since I was a high school student looking at mathematical formulas with the feeling that I was going to throw up. High school students, like myself, must only be able to see two or three years into the future. That's right. There was no way I could have predicted that I would be living in the U.S. or studying Math III. 

　Before he passed away, my father told me a story about how he had failed his college entrance exam. He also told me that he went to China for the war. Was he trying to avoid going to war by going to college? I don't know now.

　Perhaps it was his own original experience that made him so interested in my going to college. I wish I had treated him more gently, but it is too late now. 

　You all will have experiences that I can't even imagine at this stage of my life. Just as we were surprised by the arrival of the Internet society, the times will undergo a series of drastic changes. If there is anything I can say to such high school students, it may be a cliché, but it is this

"Do your best in what you have to do in front of you.

　That is what I can say to myself. I can say this to myself as well.

　And please take good care of your parents.

Chapter 4, I Used What I Wore
 
　Child A.

 　It's been more than ten years now, so you won't be able to identify the person I'm writing about. There are some students whom you cannot forget after you have been teaching for a long time, and Ako was one of them.

　She was in the sixth grade when she came to my cram school. When I first interviewed her, I saw her at first glance.

"This is a smart girl.

　I knew that she was a smart girl. When I handed her a printout to check her academic ability, she would not hand it in no matter how long it took. She persisted until she finished it completely. 

　She had been saying since elementary school

"I want to be a doctor.

　She had been saying that ever since she was in elementary school. Many of the students at my school are like that. However, her family was not rich, so she was determined to go to a national university no matter what. It was a far cry from my elementary school days.


　In junior high school, I studied hard and was always in the top class of my grade. And then, he said to me.

　I heard that if you go to a village without a doctor, you can get a discount on tuition.

　He began to gather information on how to become a doctor even without money. I helped him as much as I could to gather information.

　I was a student of the school that made me think so.

 

　She also started a class in which we collected and practiced past exam questions from Nada, LaSalle, and Tokai. And, as a matter of course, she was accepted into the International Department of Yokkaichi High School.

 

Around that time, e-mail and files started to become popular, so I immediately started sending her

"Send me any questions that come up during home study.

　I told my students to send me any questions they had while studying at home. I could handle five subjects for junior high school students and English and mathematics for high school students. However, such service meant nothing to a lazy person.

　However, A-chan sent me a file almost every day. I was often impressed by the content of her questions, which could only be asked by someone who had studied hard. I wonder how much strength she gave me. In fact, I must confess that it was largely due to her influence that I decided to teach high school mathematics. I had no idea that I would be pushed by a student at the school. 

　As for English, I passed the level 1 EIKEN (English Proficiency Test) when I was in high school. So, I needed a teacher with Eiken Level 1. I started reading and correcting her English diaries as she wrote them. This later led to the recruitment of correspondence students via the Internet. Indeed, A-ko had a great influence on me.


　When I gave advice at the first grade level, most of my students would say

"I don't know what you are talking about.

　But A-ko immediately understood what I was trying to say, which made the class a lot of fun. Correct vocabulary and grammar are not enough to write good English compositions. 

Of course, if your English composition lacks manners, etiquette, and consideration for the grader, it will not be evaluated highly. Without such human depth as well as academic ability, you have no chance. Shallow understanding is not enough to pass a difficult university such as Kyoto University.
　

　In fact, it was directly due to Ako's influence that I was able to take the Kyoto University entrance exam seven times.

　She is a treasure of Japan. I had to do everything I could to get her into the school of her choice.

　I thought, "I have to do whatever I can. I would do whatever I could do. She was the first person, other than my daughter, who made me feel that way.
　

  I had heard that she was a member of a club and had won prizes in competitions. However, one day in her sophomore year of high school, she voluntarily retired from that club. I didn't know why, but I guessed it was because her grades were not improving. 　

I was surprised at her determination or spirit.

　She laughed and said, "It's okay for you to be divorced, because you were able to get married once."

　She laughed. Every word she said was filled with determination to become a doctor, even if it meant sacrificing her boyfriend, marriage, and everything else. When she had classes, it was fun but nerve-wracking.

 I'm glad I started this job."

　Many of my students have made me feel that way, but she was a standout.
 

　 Ako was not blessed with a good family environment, nor was she financially well off. Many students become either depressed or have a distorted personality when placed in a harsh environment. However, she was a rare child who was able to use her harsh environment as fertilizer to nurture herself.

 She was the kind of girl who said, "I'll make it work with the Japan Finance Corporation, a scholarship, and my part-time job.

　That was the kind of Ako she was. Then one day, she blurted out

"My mom is going to cancel my life insurance policy..."

　She murmured in a small voice, "My mother is going to cancel my life insurance policy.... However, I could see in her eyes that she was determined to pass the exam.

 

　Since she was offering such precious money to the cram school, there was no way I could not put my best foot forward. There was no profit and loss. I had to get her to pass the exam at any cost. There was no doubt that she would save many patients. There are a lot of people waiting for her.

　Throughout my junior and senior high school years, I thought of Akochan as a jersey. Sometimes she came to my office in her school uniform, but her girlishness was zero. She didn't wear cute hair ornaments or frilly clothes. Of course, they didn't study with their hair in a mess, and although they were clean, they didn't have the time or money to spend on fashion.　　

　The word "frugal" is a strange word for a girl, but for Ako, it fits her perfectly. I did not know anything about prewar education, but I could imagine it from watching my parents. A long time ago, she was a Yamato Nadeshiko from historical novels. 

　This is no coincidence. I have a number of top-ranked students from various junior high schools in my cram school, but most of the girls in the science field have almost zero girlishness. They speak more methodically than the average boy. And they are very honest and sound. It makes me think that the future of Japan is bright.

　Ako later passed the medical school of a national university, studied at a graduate school of an old imperial university, and is now working as a researcher. I have been watching Ako for a long time, and there is something I think. 

　Although she was unaware of it, thanks to the teaching materials developed by her, four students have passed the medical school of Kyoto University one after another. She was also the savior of my school.

 

　In Japan today, there is a structure in which money is spent on students and teachers who are out of the way, such as "gals," "yankees," and "motorcycle gang members. However, I believe that the money should be spent on those who are not out of the way, but are useful to people, such as Ako.

Chapter V, Toward the Future

　According to my experience, the standards for each test were as follows

A rank (the passing line for the Kyoto University School of Medicine)

B rank (the passing line for Eiken Level 1 and the National Examination for Interpreter Guides)

Rank C (borderline for Kyoto University except for the School of Medicine)

D rank (TOEIC perfect score level)

Rank E (Eiken Level 1): This level is connected to the profession.

F rank (Eiken Level 2) Hobby or special skill level. Amateur.

　In other words, the English level of instructors at prep schools and cram schools is not at a level where they can be called "instructors. Half of the English teachers in Japanese high schools have not yet reached the level of Pre-1. And the textbooks they use are poor. There is no excuse for this, since almost no one learns English even after six years of study, as I have pointed out.

　These people who have no idea what they are talking about are the ones who are going to be the next ones to say

"English will be compulsory from elementary school.

　and now English is to be taught from elementary school. What does this mean?

based on the baseless theory that "if students start learning English early, they will acquire English.

　This is based on the baseless theory that "if you start learning English early, you will learn English.



　In fact, it has already been proven: English conversation schools for elementary school students, such as ECC Junior, have been operating nationwide for quite some time now. So, has the English speaking ability of Japanese people improved significantly over the past 50 years? I suspect that Japan's Ministry of Education is connected to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

　
　In other words, starting English at elementary school will boost the exam industry, from textbooks to reference books and question collections. Sales will increase. A huge market will be created. That is not a bad thing. The reason why "reforms" such as involving Benesse in the common university tests and evaluating English proficiency test scores have failed is probably because the blatant interest of Benesse has been exposed.

　In any case, it is a matter of money rather than concern for the improvement of students' academic performance.

　My cram school is a small private cram school in the countryside, but this year (2022), the fourth student was accepted to Kyoto University's School of Medicine, the tenth consecutive year that a student has been accepted to Kyoto University. My private tutoring school was featured in the book "My Strategy for Success at Kyoto University" (Yale Publishing) for three years in a row.

　These high-achieving children do not trust "reforms" without empirical data from the Ministry of Education, the Board of Education, school teachers, prep school commercials, and so on. And they find me on social networking sites to demonstrate it.