[SIZE="3"]How low can Japan go?[/SIZE]
A multimillion-dollar boom in preschool English tuition is exposing a rift between parents and state educators wary about adding more English to the primary curriculum, reports Justin McCurry
Guardian Weekly, Friday February 17, 2006
Japan may have one of world's most elderly populations, but the face of the country's English language education is younger than ever. Students in business suits are being joined by those in nappies....
....A recent survey by Benesse Corp, which runs the Berlitz chain of language schools and produces learning materials, found that 14% of households with children of preschool age sent their offspring to English lessons. An estimated 21% of Japanese five-year-olds are studying English - the figure was just 6% in 2000 - and have a choice of 140 schools around the country....more...
