Why Learn English? What Parents of Young Children Can Consider

Interest in English education in Japan has grown, with discussion extending from professionals, students and homemakers to preschool children.

The original article was written amid the effects of COVID-19, which had slowed some international activity. It noted the earlier growth in visitors and migration and a sense that Japan was taking globalization more seriously, while recognizing that not everyone yet felt what this meant in everyday life.

Here, we consider early English education by starting with why learning English matters.

Young Children Do Not Yet Know Why They Might Need English

Students and working adults encounter practical reasons to use English. Travel can also create a wish to communicate better. These experiences give a sense that English matters.

Young children have usually not had those experiences yet.
It is hard to imagine a three-year-old deciding to study English because it will be essential in the future.

There are many ways to encourage positive, voluntary engagement, but they may not work immediately. A straightforward first step for parents who want to support language learning is to provide an opportunity to begin.

At home and in educational settings, children need enjoyable opportunities to learn, try new experiences and feel successful through English, gradually discovering its value for themselves.

Parents Can Understand the Purpose and Support It

Support here does not mean that parents must teach English themselves. It can be indirect and long-term: welcoming international friends at home or considering a school that offers opportunities to communicate across languages.

So, what is the purpose of learning English?

We will consider two possibilities.

Using English at Work

A shrinking domestic market, companies expanding abroad and overseas assignments or business trips have all contributed to demand for English in business.
At the Tokyo English school where I previously served as principal, many learners enrolled because they needed English for work or a TOEIC score.

Yet work requirements alone can make learning feel like an obligation.

Beyond reacting to circumstances, I hope families will also consider the following more positive possibility.

English as a Tool for Connecting with the World

English is a means of communication. Therefore, learning English itself is not the ultimate goal; rather, communicating with many different people through English is the goal.

Using figures cited at the time, the original article compared Japan’s approximately 127 million people with an estimated 1.75 billion people able to use English, about a quarter of the then world population. These are historical estimates, not current population figures.
The point is that English can open communication with a much wider range of people.

Travel, daily life overseas and conversations can deepen understanding of another country and of Japan. Culture shock and curiosity can challenge assumptions and broaden perspectives.

When thinking about a fulfilling life, English and the experiences it opens up can be one important source of richness.

Conclusion

What do you think?

I sometimes become so enthusiastic about my overseas experiences that I talk too much over a drink! Still, I hope to be a parent who shares that sense of excitement with a child.

I will return another time to particular experiences made possible by travel and English.