Japan to introduce certification for Japanese-language teachers

TOKYO, Dec 14 (Nikkei) - The Japanese government plans to establish a new national certification for Japanese-language teachers to ensure the quality of lessons at language schools for international students in Japan, according to a draft report compiled Tuesday by an expert panel with the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Under the new system, instructors will have to be certified to teach Japanese at language schools. The report does not say when the new system will be introduced. The number of Japanese-language schools has been increasing rapidly, along with the foreign student population, but critics have pointed out variations in teacher quality.

The education ministry also plans to create a system to certify language schools by evaluating their curriculums. The government will scrutinize Japanese-language education more closely to improve its quality, but coming up with effective accreditation standards will be a challenge.

To obtain a license as a "registered teacher of Japanese," an instructor will, in principle, have to pass both basic and advanced written examinations, then undergo practical teacher training.

Transitional measures will be devised for those who have already studied Japanese-language education at institutions such as universities, as well as for teachers already in the classroom. These teachers will be exempted from examinations or practical training requirements for several years. ...continue reading

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