James MITCHELL, Teacher, Japan

I came across this article while researching for a speech to Toastmasters in Tokushima, an audience that includes several Japanese teachers of English. I agree with your comments regarding the quality of instruction given by Japanese teachers, and at the same time I share your sympathy for their plight. They have attempted a most difficult task, and I really applaud their spirit!

There are some ways of helping them improve. I wish I could find a way to work on that, to be part of a program to help them improve their English and their teaching skills. On the whole, I find them to be more talented and committed than the average American/European who comes here to teach, fresh out of the 20's job market in their homeland, with little if any skill in teaching. I wish I could find a way to share what I know about teaching English, a way that would leverage that knowledge by providing minor course corrections to the great effort already going on.

Thank you for your article. Well done!