Sid in Japan

John Dewey’s “My Pedagogic Creed” (1897) remains a foundational text in educational philosophy, emphasizing experiential learning, student interests, and the role of education in social progress. While written over a century ago, Dewey’s insights offer valuable guidance for ALTs in Japan, where English education varies across different school levels and teaching styles. His belief in active learning, meaningful engagement, and social development aligns well with the goals of ALTs working in elementary, junior high, and senior high schools. By incorporating Dewey’s philosophy, ALTs can make English lessons more effective, enjoyable, and impactful for their students.

Active Learning and Student Engagement

Dewey believed that children learn best through active participation rather than passive absorption. This principle is particularly useful for ALTs, as formal English education in Japan often relies on rote memorization and grammar drills while the ALT embodies the living language. By shifting to a more interactive approach, ALTs can help students engage with English in a way that feels natural and meaningful.

• ES: Focus on movement-based activities, songs, and interactive storytelling. Games like “Simon Says” or role-playing simple conversations allow students to learn by doing.
• JHS: Encourage active dialogue through pair work, group discussions, and real-life scenario practice. Use project-based learning, such as creating a tour guide in English.
• SHS: Engage students with debates, presentations, and discussions on global topics. Encourage them to explore English through their interests, such as music, films, or social issues.

The Power of Imagery in Learning

Dewey stressed the importance of imagery in education, arguing that students grasp concepts better when they can visualize and internalize them. In English classrooms, this means moving beyond textbook explanations and incorporating real-life experiences.

• ES: Use visual aids, gestures, and props to enhance comprehension. Picture cards and storytelling with illustrations make abstract vocabulary more tangible.
• JHS: Leverage multimedia resources like videos, comics, and role-play to bring context to new words and phrases.
• SHS: Encourage students to create their own visual projects, such as infographics, video presentations, or illustrated vocabulary journals.

Interest-Driven Learning

Dewey argued that student interests indicate areas of growing potential. ALTs can tap into this by tailoring lessons to what excites their students.

• ES: Discover what students enjoy—whether it’s Pokémon, animals, or food—and incorporate these themes into lessons.
• JHS: Allow students to choose topics for writing or speaking activities. For example, if they love sports, let them introduce their favorite athletes in English.
• SHS: Engage students with project-based learning on topics that matter to them, such as travel, technology, or sustainability.

Social Learning and Team Teaching

Dewey emphasized that education is a social process, which aligns well with the team-teaching (TT) model used in Japanese schools. Effective collaboration between ALTs and Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs) enhances student learning.

• ES: Work with the homeroom teacher to create a fun, supportive English environment. Team-teach games and sing songs together to reinforce concepts.
• JHS: Use the ALT-JTE partnership to model dialogues and encourage interactive classroom activities. The ALT can provide pronunciation support while the JTE ensures comprehension.
• SHS: Implement a discussion-based approach where both teachers facilitate student conversations and debates, helping students practice real-world communication.

Bridging the Gap Between School and Society

Dewey saw education as a means of social reform. ALTs can help students see English not just as an academic subject but as a tool for real-world communication and global awareness.

• ES: Teach simple English phrases for greetings, shopping, or asking for help, reinforcing them with role-play games.
• JHS: Have students practice introducing themselves in English letters or emails, imagining they are writing to a foreign pen pal.
• SHS: Assign real-world tasks like reading a restaurant menu, planning a trip using English websites, or watching English news and summarizing it.

In Conclusion

John Dewey’s My Pedagogic Creed provides ALTs with timeless strategies to make English education in Japan more engaging, relevant, and impactful. By emphasizing active learning, visualization, student interests, teamwork, and real-world application, ALTs can create meaningful English experiences that empower students to use the language with confidence. Whether working in ES, JHS, or SHS, ALTs can apply Dewey’s principles to inspire a love for learning and open the door to a more communicative and interactive English classroom.

Interested in a summary of John Dewey’s work? Read mine here.