1. Symposium “Global childhood: Becoming literate
in Asia in the 21th century”
How do teachers encourage
children to become literate?
:Early Childhood Education in Japan.
Makiko Yokoyama
（ Nara University of Education ）
（yokoyama@nara-edu.ac.jp）

2. ● Contents
１．What is “Literacy” in Japan?
（１）Literacy definition
（２）How do Japanese children become literate?
２．Literacy practices in early
childhood education in Japan
（１）ECE facilities in Japan
（２）National Curriculum Standard
（３）Children’s activities
３．To develop our investigation !
;“Becoming literate throughout life”

3. １． What is “ Literacy ” in
Japan?
（１）Literacy definition
読み書き能力・リテラシー
The ability to read and write
Japanese.
にほんご ・ ニホンゴ ・ 日本語
 Literacy rate（age 15 and over）
total population: 99%
male: 99% ・ female: 99% (2002)

4. １． What is “ Literacy ” in
Japan?
（２）How do Japanese children
become literate?
Almost all the children in Japan can
read Hiragana before starting
elementary school（National Institution for
Japanese Language and Linguistics,1967）.
Children acquire literacy through
How ?
watching and participating literacy
activities in everyday life
（Uchida,1999）.

5. ２．Literacy practices in early
childhood education in Japan
（１）ECE facilities in Japan Sourse:Otani (2010)
Kindergarten Day-Care centre
From age 3 to 6 From age 0 to 6
(before entering primaly school) (before entering primaly school)
Target
* Children with needs for care (Eligibility
determ i by m uni pal governm ents)
ned ci
Childcare
4 hours a day, as educational standard 8 hours a day, in principle
Time
Legal
School Education Act Child Welfare Act
Foundation
Governing Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Body Science and Technology (MEXT) (MHLW)
National Curriculum Standards for
Standards Day Care Guideline
Kindergartens

6. （２）National Curriculum Standard；
“Course of Study for Kindergarten（2008）”
① Basic Ideals of Kindergarten Education
Fundamental aim: Educating young
children through their environment
Emphasized points: teachers’
Not educating by
Encouraging children to undertake
direct instructions
voluntary activities
Through play-centered instruction
Responding to the individual
characteristics of each children

7. ●Five Contents
of Early Health
physical and
Childhood
mental health
Education
Human
relationships Expression
the relationship
feeling and
between the child and expression
other people
Language
Environment
children's the process of
suroundings, and language
relationship to them
acquisition

8. （１）“ Courses of Study for Kindergarten （2008
）”
② Content；Language -1
1. Aims
(1) To experience the enjoyment of expressing
personal feelings in their own words.
(2) To listen closely to other people, to verbalize
experiences and thoughts, and to enjoy
communicating.
(3) To have a grasp of the language necessary
for everyday life, to be familiar with picture books
and stories, and to communicate feelings with
teachers and friends.

9. （１）“ Courses of Study for Kindergarten （2008）
”
② Content；Language - 2
Keywords：
2. Content enjoyment,
necessary,
(10) Experiencing the enjoyment of conveying
experience, in everyday life.
thoughts and feelings in writing
････
3. Dealing with the Content
Teacher’s role：
(4) Teachers should encourage children to
experience thea learning environment
Create pleasure and enjoyment of
conveying thoughts and feelings through written
for children to participate in
words, and to develop an interest in and curiosity
voluntary.
about written words in their everyday life.

10. （２）Children’s activities
How do Kindergarten teachers encourage
children to become literate ?
Method: Observation and interview
①Objects：children and teachers in the
Kindergarten attached my University
②procedure：
・Observation：once a week, with taking notes
and recording by digital- and video-cameras.
・interview: once a term, for teachers.
③points of analyses ・environment of letters
・children’s literacy activities（children・teachers)

11. ①Environment of letters.
Shoes boxes（2nd grade：４ & 5-year-olds）
Mark & Name

12. ①Environment
of letters.
Pictures & Letters
Goods of playing at
housekeeping
（outdoor）.

13. ① Environment of letters :
How to make an Origami.
May.01 2008（Third grade
class）

14. ②Children write
letters in play: tools
of communication.
（２）Write letters
together.
（１）Exchange letters
which wrote at home.
Sep.07 2011 （Second
grade class, they are 5years
old.

15. ②Children write
letters in play；
tools of play.
Play Juice Shop.
May.01 2008（Third grade class,
they are 5years old.）

16. ②Children write
letters in play.
Hiragana Stamps.
Jan.23 2009
（Third grade
class）

17. ③Conclusion
①environment of ②Children’s
letters activities
 Letters shows with  Voluntary
marks or pictures.  Learning through the play
 They are different  Enjoyment , necessary
from grades.  With friends
③Teachers’ Roles
 Creating environments for children’s voluntary activities.
 Preparing materials which enhance activities.
 Ensuring space and time for activities.

18. ３．To develop our investigation
!
After starting school years,
in becoming literate,
①Have environment of letters played
important roles, too ?
②What are the roles of teachers ?
③What are the roles of friends ?