Being an effective T1 in the

Elementary School classroom

Mike Loughran

ALT Agorà 20 April 2022

Contents (1):

T1 and T2 roles in the classroom

Positive first impression

Your Objective: Fun English Lessons

Interacting with the HRT/JTE

Interacting with students

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 2/27

Contents (2):

Planning your lesson

Greeting & Warm Up

Simple language, clear instructions, gestures

Small Talk

Teaching Materials:-
Blackboard, flashcards, slides, games, worksheets, text books

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 3/27

Contents (3):

The role of: blackboard, flashcards, slides, worksheets and text books

Teaching Goal: Today’s Target Language

Demonstrations

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 4/27

T1 and T2 roles in the classroom
T1 controls the content, learning goals, use of materials, class activities
and tempo of the lesson

T2 should support the HRT or JTE in the T1 role. They should allow
the JTE/HRT to control the tempo of the lesson as T1.

Ideal situation the ALT in the T2 role gives the JTE/HRT confidence to lead
English speaking activities as T1

HRTs have low confidence to speak English in front of their Japanese students

ALT is asked to be T1 because he or she is a native speaker

Since 2021 specialist JTEs lead English classes at Elementary School

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 5/27

 Creating positive first impression: SMILE
Always enter the classroom with a positive attitude

Young children quickly pick up negative body language

Don’t dampen the mood

Walk in with big wave, warm greeting, friendly smile BE GENKI !

Introduce, interact, communicate (with the co-teacher

and the children)

Connect with the children, connect with Japan

I like … You like…..

ALWAYS USE STUDENTS NAMES…… LOOK AT NAME TAGS

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 6/27
Your Objective: Fun English Lessons
Games are an important part of teaching English

Games / Chants / Songs Warm up the class

Games A break during the lesson

Games Help with a difficult learning task

Games Use up spare time at the end of class

Involve the whole class – if possible get the children out of their seats

Gestures/Actions/Drawings/Words/Blackboard Flash cards/Slide Animation

VARIETY OF
INTERACTIONS
Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 7/27
Interacting with the HRT/JTE: Team Teaching
Teach together with your co-teacher during the lesson ALWAYS COMMUNICATE

Meet your co-teacher before the lesson plan, practice, check content, activities SHARE

Help, encourage, support, praise and thank your co-teacher GIVE CONFIDENCE

Good start: warm greeting, clear instruction, DEMONSTRATE

TOGETHER

If more explanation is needed INTEGRATE SIMPLE ENGLISH WITH SIMPLE

JAPANESE

NO LONG Japanese English DIALOG because the children lose focus

WORK AS A TEAM
Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 8/27
 Interacting with the HRT/JTE: Team Teaching
Some useful video MEXT links that demonstrate Elementary School team teaching

Team Teaching in Elementary School 1 of 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFTVkxhgGXE

Team Teaching in Elementary School 2 of 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4eL1lMqK4E

Team Teaching in Elementary School 3 of 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYmwVfnUXrL

Team Teaching in Elementary School 4 of 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw2eT_1xY-w

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 9/27

 Interacting with students:
Encouragement, participation and praise

SPEAK SLOWLY, POSITIVE GESTURES, SMILE

Give everyone that wants to speak a chance

Don’t pressurize anyone that doesn’t want to speak

GIVE CONFIDENCE , BE FLEXIBLE

If more explanation is needed INTEGRATE SIMPLE ENGLISH WITH SIMPLE JAPANESE
Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 10/27
 Planning your lesson

Meet your co-teacher before the lesson plan, practice, check content, activities SHARE

Help, encourage, support, praise and thank your co-teacher GIVE CONFIDENCE

AGREE LEARNING GOALS

IDENTIFY POSSIBLE DIFFICULTIES
(extra example /demonstrate)

45 MIN LESSON DON’T BE TOO AMBITIOUS

WORK TOGETHER, CREATE TRUST
Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 11/27
Greeting & Warm Up:

MOTIVATE

Songs, Chants, gestures (depends on age )

Interactive:- get students out of their seats

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 12/27

Simple language, clear instructions, gestures
LOOK LISTEN

THINK SPEAK

THUMB’S UP
OK GOOD JOB

PARAPHRASE Use simple English to help your students understand difficult words
Asking the JTE/HRT to explain in Japanese will not help students understand English
Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 13/27
Small Talk: Why ? GET TO KNOW YOUR CLASS
SIMPLE STARTER QUESTION
LINK TO WHAT YOUR STUDENTS KNOW /
DO
Example What did you eat for breakfast ?
Example What do you watch on you-tube ?

LINK TO TODAY’S GOAL

Example Goal My Birthday is ______ ?
What do you want for your birthday ?

Example Goal My Summer Holiday

Where did you go for Summer holiday ?
Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 14/27
Variety of teaching materials:
Blackboard, flashcards, slides, worksheets,
text books

BE FLEXIBLE

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 15/27

 The role of: blackboard, flashcards, slides,
worksheets and text books

Outline the lesson

Today’s Goal

Focus for flash cards

Work the room

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 16/27

 The role of: blackboard, flashcards, slides,
worksheets and text books

Missing
Game

Blackboard
Karuta

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 17/27

 The role of: blackboard, flashcards, slides,
worksheets and text books

Fun animation in power point slides

……..motivates students to answer and participate

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 18/27

The role of: blackboard, flashcards, slides,
worksheets and text books

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 21/27

 The role of: blackboard, flashcards, slides,
worksheets and text books

Using MEXT authorized text books or the MEXT authored text books is stipulated
by Law because it is one of the important ways to maintain the equality and raise
the standard of education throughout the country
MEXT authorize text books based on the National Curriculum
Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 22/27
Teaching Goal: Today’s Target Language

Identify Goal of Text Book unit

Illustrate Vocabulary with clear picture flashcards/slides

Game

Demonstrate pronunciation Interact with T2

Repeat

Check understanding

Volunteer practice/demonstration

Game

Worksheet activity

Authentic communication Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 23/27

Language activity task has a purpose, a scene & a situation for communicating
 Demonstrations: Show, Explain, Check, Repeat
LISTEN ALT DEMONSTRATION
LOOK
“What did you eat for breakfast ?
AT ME
“I ate cornflakes with milk”
EXPLAIN ….. WHAT ? …… EAT ?….
BREAKFAST ?
ALT REPEAT DEMONSTRATION
CHECK ...... CHECK .....
“What did you eat for breakfast ? .
OK ???
“I ate cornflakes with milk” OK ???

HRT DEMONSTRATION STUDENT DEMONSTRATION

CHECK .....
“What did you eat for breakfast ? “What did you eat for breakfast ?
.
“I ate rice with natto” “I ate melon pan”
OK ???
SCAFFOLDING
Help students carry out a task step by step then reduce the help gradually GOOD JOB
Build confidence let them become independent learners
Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 24/27
 Time Management

Know your class, read students faces Do you need to speed up/slow down ?

Be flexible What can be omitted ? What needs repeated ?

Are the students tired/bored ? Inject some fun

Are the students enthusiastic ? More volunteers

Finished learning goals early ? Time fillers THE ALPHABET

GAME

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 25/27

Final Thoughts:

Be flexible in class, during planning

Review and update your materials

Accept advice from HRT/JTE: Creates trust

Not all classes not all students are the same

Finish with a flourish ! Leave a positive impression

Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 26/27

 MORE MEXT Videos
B-1★ Foreign Language Education in Japan Part1 School Education System
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukRgKoJoUFk

B-2★ Foreign Language Education in Japan Part2 The National Curriculum Standards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u0DJR4L0g4

B-3★ Foreign Language Education in Japan Part3 Collaboration with teachers and Expectations for
ALTs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG-PyKRP0Yk&t=11s

B-4★ Team Teaching in Elementary School 1 of 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=FyBkCnh_5jA&list=PLGpGsGZ3lmbCsze5PvMhQ1T
S-jXEZKA4f&index=4

B-5★ Team Teaching in Elementary School 2 of 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Yr5-dBDqE-s&list=PLGpGsGZ3lmbCsze5PvMhQ1TS-jX
EZKA4f&index=5

B-6★ Team Teaching in Junior &Senior High School

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2KhddcnEbU&list=PLGpGsGZ3lmbCsze5PvMhQ1TS-jXEZKA4f&inde
x=15 Mike Loughran ALT Agorà 20 April 2022 27/27