Gregory Paul Glasgow | Kanda University of International Studies (original) (raw)

Doctoral Thesis by Gregory Paul Glasgow

PhD Thesis , Oct 10, 2014

In Japan, in 2013, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology implemented... more In Japan, in 2013, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology implemented a new national curriculum in which teachers of English as a foreign language are to conduct their classes in English. However, these teachers - whether they are native speakers of English or Japanese may not be prepared for this change. Drawing on theoretical perspectives on the role of the teacher in language-in-education policy and planning and the native/nonnative dichotomy in English as an International Language (EIL), this thesis investigates how the new national curriculum affects the way both groups of English teachers perceive their roles in its delivery. Firstly, I conduct a linguistic-pragmatic discourse analysis of the new curriculum and team-teaching resources to determine what roles teachers are expected to fulfil. Secondly, I analyse the curriculum and materials of a senior high school English programme. Finally, I gather data through a sequential explanatory design that targets 21 native English-speaking teachers and 41 Japanese teachers of English, capturing their perceptions of their language use, their professional roles and the new curriculum through questionnaires and follow-up interviews. In this research, I select Japanese teachers of English and native English-speaking teachers from private senior high schools as participants. These teachers are more likely to teach in a flexible school curriculum where native English-speaking teachers have the potential to exercise more autonomy in their planning and teaching

I find that the language of the new national curriculum is non-committal with respect to the quantity of English teachers should use in the classroom, and ambiguous with respect to how the role of the native English-speaking teacher is articulated. In addition, my analysis of the private senior high school English programme indicates that its organisation has not significantly changed, and the language and content of the textbooks chosen are inconsistent with the national policy directives. Finally, the questionnaires and interviews yielded that teachers struggle to make sense of the expectations of the new curriculum and relate them to their professional roles and identities in their respective institutions.

Selected Articles and Book Chapters by Gregory Paul Glasgow

While some research has examined the effectiveness of offshore professional development (PD) pro... more While some research has examined the effectiveness of offshore professional development (PD) programs for Japanese teachers of English (JTEs), few studies have explored the effectiveness of onshore, Japan-based PD programs for these teachers. This chapter examines an onshore PD program designed to support JTEs in delivering curricula specified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and finds that the program is effective in changing JTEs’ self-perceptions as English teachers. In this program, JTEs reconcile challenging ministerial directives in recent curriculum reforms with their everyday classroom experience. The qualitative and quantitative data taken from the responses of 154 participants over a two-year period (2014-2016) are analysed here. The results show that JTEs responded positively to the program because it provided them with opportunities to critically reflect on their teaching practice and abilities to deliver curriculum changes. The chapter concludes that carefully tailored PD programs could transform teachers’ self-perceptions and give them confidence in applying new pedagogical practices in their classroom.

The senior high school reform initiative in the Japanese national curriculum for foreign language... more The senior high school reform initiative in the Japanese national curriculum for foreign languages, implemented since 2013, has required Japanese teachers of English (JTEs) to conduct their English classes in English. However, JTEs are provided with little information about the professional development (PD) they will need to carry out this initiative at the classroom and institutional levels. This chapter seeks to investigate the struggles JTEs face with respect to teaching English in English in their classrooms and schools to determine the types of educational support JTEs need. Quantitative and qualitative data from 40 JTEs in senior high schools in the metropolitan Tokyo area is presented. The results reveal that when it comes to the delivery of this initiative, key areas of PD and support for JTEs will include how to make confident language choices in their classrooms, and how to promote a culture of change in their respective institutions, even in the midst of institutional pressures to prepare students for university entrance examinations.

In team teaching (TT), an approach to language education where so-called native and non-native En... more In team teaching (TT), an approach to language education where so-called native and non-native English-speaking teachers teach in an English language classroom together, implicit in TT theory and practice is the perspective that through a “deficit” model (Bolstad & Zenuk-Nishide, 2016), one teacher’s purported strengths in the target language will somehow compensate for the other teacher’s purported linguistic weaknesses. This native speakerist deficit perspective is unfortunately embedded in TT recruitment schemes, where so-called native English speakers are positioned as agents of change who can bring innovation to English language teaching (ELT), such as communicative teaching practices and increased use of English. The current chapter, through analysis of policy discourse and semi-structured interview data, examines how team teaching is represented in a current initiative in Japanese senior high schools in which English teachers of Japanese nationality (JTEs) are required to conduct English classes in English, and discusses its implications for how TT is to be practised. It argues that the discourses of the “English in English” initiative fail to address lingering tensions with respect to how JTEs and their native English-speaking counterparts’ roles are framed in policy discourse, and perceived and enacted at the institutional level. These tensions, if unresolved, may preclude the possibility for native speakerism in TT practice to be eradicated at the classroom and institutional level.

Teacher agency, or teachers’ “action potential” (van Lier, 2008), is more commonly viewed by rese... more Teacher agency, or teachers’ “action potential” (van Lier, 2008), is more commonly viewed by researchers as having a reciprocal relationship with the particularities of their institutions or contexts. This view is further illustrated when contrasting native and non-native English speaking teachers (NESTs and NNESTs) and their interpretations of policy reform. Studies have established that language-in-education policy (LEP) measures may pressure NNESTs to upgrade to more communicative approaches, and may position NESTs as potential change agents who can facilitate policy reform through their perceived linguistic “superiority”. However, the manner in which the NEST-NNEST dichotomy is reflected in teacher perceptions of agency in LEP reform is under-explored. This chapter analyses open-ended questionnaire comments and in-depth interviews with NESTs and Japanese teachers of English (JTEs), exploring their perceptions of their agency in the implementation of an initiative launched in 2013 for teachers to conduct English classes in English in Japanese senior high schools. Findings show that the notion of NEST as change agent is challenged, and teachers, regardless of background, equally detect restrictions in their agency due to a combination of professional beliefs and experiences, self- perceptions, and contextual constraints.

Ever since 1989, there has been an intensification of efforts to reform English Language Teaching... more Ever since 1989, there has been an intensification of efforts to reform English Language Teaching (ELT) in Japan. Policy initiatives such as “The Action Plan to Cultivate Japanese with English Abilities” launched in 2003, the implementation of “Foreign Language Activities” in elementary schools in 2011, the “Global 30” Project in higher education to promote English-medium learning in 2009 and the 2013 implementation of the revised national senior high school foreign language curriculum are all efforts initiated by the Japanese government to improve ELT practice and increase international awareness among Japanese learners. In spite of these initiatives, however, a continued disconnect between policy declarations and the realities of pedagogical practice has resulted in stasis in terms of policy implementation. We argue that the central agents of English language education policy in Japan – the teachers – are often left to their own devices to interpret and deliver policy initiatives that themselves may have conflicting messages, and may not provide teachers with specific educational tools to engage in meaningful, substantive pedagogical change. This disconnect must be addressed systematically in order to further empower teachers at the local level.

International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, Dec 1, 2014

Research in language-in-education policy and planning (LEP) rarely examines how language teachers... more Research in language-in-education policy and planning (LEP) rarely examines how language teachers negotiate official policy statements on teaching methodologies. In this study, I investigate the current upper secondary school foreign language national curriculum in Japan that requires English classes to be conducted in English, implemented since 2013. I conduct in-depth, semi-structured interviews with three Japanese teachers of English (JTEs) to determine how they respond to the new initiative. I find that the JTEs struggle to make sense of the initiative's feasibility due to the vagueness of the policy directives, their perceptions of the disconnection between the recommended methodology and current national assessment mechanisms, and JTEs' own personal beliefs about first language use in the foreign language classroom. In order for teachers to feel empowered and supported in LEP delivery, it will be contingent on policymakers to provide consistent and coherent messaging, as well as sustained guidance at the meso (institutional) level to ensure policy realisation.

JALT Journal, Nov 1, 2013

This paper discusses the impact of the Ministry of Education’s new national senior high school Co... more This paper discusses the impact of the Ministry of Education’s new national senior high school Course of Study for Foreign Languages on collaboration between Japanese teachers of English and native speakers of English. In consideration of the new curriculum’s request that classes be conducted in English, and its reorganization of all English subjects, the current paper draws upon frameworks in language-in-education policy and planning (Kaplan & Baldauf, 2003; Liddicoat, 2004) and highlights potential issues concerning its implementation at the local level.

The new Course of Study for Foreign Languages in senior high schools has been in effect since Apr... more The new Course of Study for Foreign Languages in senior high schools has been in effect since April 2013, yet little has been reported about the implementation process thus far. In particular, no studies have examined the nature of the textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for use in the new curriculum. Taking into consideration new perspectives on materials development in language-in-education policy and planning (Kennedy & Tomlinson, 2013), in this exploratory study we attempted to discern how the ministry-approved textbooks have interpreted the new curriculum objectives. It was found that even though MEXT has approved the content in the new textbooks, there are still notable discrepancies between textbook activities and national curriculum goals

JALT 2011 Conference Proceedings, A. Stewart & N. Sonda (Eds.), Jun 1, 2012

In 2009, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) revised its na... more In 2009, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) revised its national Course of Study for upper secondary schools and mandated that English subjects be conducted in English. However, in view of both native English-speaking and Japanese teachers’ uncertainty about their roles in enacting the new policy, it is questionable as to whether or not it will be implemented successfully. This study, a combination of questionnaires and follow-up interviews, seeks to determine senior high school teachers’ perceptions regarding the efficacy of the policy and propose suggestions for future considera- tion.

As language teaching becomes more professionalized, more importance is placed on ensuring the cer... more As language teaching becomes more professionalized, more importance is placed on ensuring the certification and preparation of TESOL practitioners entering the field (see Mullock, 2006). High schools, private conversation schools, universities as well as other teaching contexts increasingly seek language teachers who demonstrate the proper credentials. This shift in hiring standards now means that the expectation that second language teachers display of a sufficient standard of Teacher Language Awareness (TLA), or teacher knowledge about language, in order to ensure the successful fulfillment pedagogic duties has taken on more currency.

Book Reviews by Gregory Paul Glasgow

Journal of Sociolinguistics

World Englishes, Jan 1, 2010

Talks by Gregory Paul Glasgow

Senior high school English teachers in Japan have been implementing the most recent Course of Stu... more Senior high school English teachers in Japan have been implementing the most recent Course of Study for Foreign Languages since April 2013. However, discrepancies persist between the objectives of the curriculum policy, which promotes communication (MEXT, 2011), as well as textbooks approved by the Japanese Ministry of Education still emphasize grammar, vocabulary acquisition, and reading (Glasgow & Paller, 2014), and teaching is still significantly affected by the washback of the university entrance exams. Consequently, language education policy enactment in Japanese senior high schools remains problematic, as teachers tend to resist the new reforms, or struggle to implement them in line with ministry objectives. Applying Borg’s (2003) language teacher cognition (LTC) framework, this study explores how teachers see their agency in the current curriculum, specifically relating to the university entrance exams, language teaching methodology, and textbook use. Ministry-approved textbooks and curriculum guidelines were analyzed to identify how textbook authors interpreted the new guidelines. Additionally, surveys were sent to teachers to determine their beliefs and attitudes towards both the textbooks and curriculum. Viewing curriculum change through an LTC framework, the findings of this study suggest continued tensions between teachers’ cognitions, textbook content, and the pervasive impact of university entrance exams on teachers’ agency in implementing language education policy reform. The implications of these tensions will be discussed and explored in detail.

This presentation examines how Japanese teachers of English and native English speaking teachers ... more This presentation examines how Japanese teachers of English and native English speaking teachers make sense of the current Course of Study for Foreign Languages in Upper Secondary Schools, particularly the requirement that English classes be taught in English. It illustrates how teachers inteepret policy through their own cognitions, the institutional context, and their identification with the policy reform message being conveyed. To illustrate the complexities of how teachers come to see their roles in policy reform, I draw upon a sociocultural model of cognition in policy implementation (Spillane, Reiser & Reimer, 2002) and perspectives in language education policy in education that see teachers as key brokers in policy implementation (Menken & Garcia, 2010). I conclude that teacher education in Japan must play a key role in providing teachers with knowledge and awareness of how to negotiate policy reform initiatives with their knowledge of the local context. This local knowledge must be shared by native English speaking teachers and Japanese teachers of English alike.

The notion of how to effectively teach English to speakers of other languages is being increasing... more The notion of how to effectively teach English to speakers of other languages is being increasingly reconceptualized in an increasingly multilingual and globalized twenty-first century. Findings in English sociolinguistics and World Englishes (Kachru, 1985) have also led researchers to question traditional assumptions in English Language Teaching (ELT) privileging target models of the native speaker, monolingual language practices, and teaching methodologies and materials incompatible with local contexts (McKay, 2003). These assumptions also include the ideology of native speakerism (Holliday, 2006; Houghton & Rivers, 2013), viewed as a potential threat to ensuring that ELT is taught in a locally sensitive, egalitarian and contextually relevant manner. In this presentation, traditional ELT is contrasted with the pedagogy of English as an International Language (EIL) a viable alternative to teach English in today’s increasingly globalized society. These advances notwithstanding, there is still wide uncertainty among educational stakeholders as to how to translate principles of EIL pedagogy (Matsuda, 2012; McKay & Bokhorst-Heng, 2008; Renandya, 2012) into everyday classroom practices (Marlina, 2014).

This presentation intends to clarify any misconceptions about the pedagogy of EIL and to demonstrate how EIL principles can be gradually incorporated into pedagogical practice through curriculum planning, classroom medium of instruction, and materials development. The presenter will draw from his experiences as a curriculum coordinator, lecturer and instructor in upper secondary and tertiary education. The presentation will also be combined with opportunities for participants to engage in reflection and discussion. The overall goal of the presentation is to provide participants with a sounder conceptualization of the pedagogical principles of EIL and incorporate them in ways that are effective and compatible with their local teaching contexts.

The latest version of MEXT’s Course of Study for Foreign Languages is currently being implemented... more The latest version of MEXT’s Course of Study for Foreign Languages is currently being implemented in senior high schools for first and second year students. This curriculum continues to stress the need for students to develop communicative ability in English through the integrated use of the macro skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Previous studies, however, have shown ministry-approved senior high school EFL textbooks in Japan to lack communicative activities even though MEXT promotes communication as a cornerstone of its curriculum (Kobayakawa, 2011; McGroarty & Taguchi, 2005). It can also be argued that these textbooks overemphasize grammar, vocabulary acquisition, and pronunciation rather than provide pragmatic information to increase students’ pragmatic ability (Cohen, 2010), or the ability to negotiate meaning through the four modes of communication mentioned above. This presentation analyses the content of senior high school textbooks and the nature of their pragmatic information. The findings and implications of the presentation in regards to materials development in pragmatics and language-in-education policy is discussed.

This presentation highlights how MEXT-approved senior high school English textbooks have interpre... more This presentation highlights how MEXT-approved senior high school English textbooks have interpreted and translated the goals of the new Course of Study. It compares the newly released textbooks with those from the previous Course of Study in order to contrast the degree to which they align with curriculum objectives. The presenters will also discuss ways for teachers to approach textbook selection and materials development in their schools to negotiate the objectives of the new curriculum.

PhD Thesis , Oct 10, 2014

International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, Dec 1, 2014

JALT Journal, Nov 1, 2013

JALT 2011 Conference Proceedings, A. Stewart & N. Sonda (Eds.), Jun 1, 2012

Journal of Sociolinguistics

World Englishes, Jan 1, 2010

The gaps in content, language, and teaching style between high school English classes and Oral Co... more The gaps in content, language, and teaching style between high school English classes and Oral Communication classes often send students mixed messages about both the purpose of English education and the nature of the language itself. MEXT’s updated Course of Study may perpetuate this dichotomy, especially in schools planning to include the optional “English Conversation” subject. a model for this was proposed drawing on Engeström’s Activity Theory (1987) inviting learners to view English as a communication tool in real-world tasks. Results presented come from a student survey and teacher interview data demonstrating a range of perceptions regarding English-OC connections. We then shared the team’s sincere efforts to 1) set communication goals for English I lessons, 2) collaborate on and share plans and materials, 3) increase the use of English in class, and 4) interact more meaningfully with students.

The 2013 MEXT senior high school English curriculum presents a valuable opportunity to adopt inn... more The 2013 MEXT senior high school English curriculum presents a valuable opportunity
to adopt innovative approaches in further developing the communicative competence of EFL learners. However, the goals of the new curriculum raise significant concerns regarding the preparedness of both native-speaking (NS) and nonnative (NNS) speaking English teachers to collaboratively enact the new policies. In an effort to explore these concerns, this presentation will review the current research literature on complementarity in NNS-NS English teacher collaboration, pinpoint specific challenges for NSs and NNSs in their current roles in policy implementation in Japanese senior high schools, and examine local efforts to enhance NNS- NS collaborative teaching practices in time for 2013. Possible avenues for more sustained, meaningful collaboration at the institutional level will be discussed.

This presentation will summarize initial findings regarding my dissertation research on native-sp... more This presentation will summarize initial findings regarding my dissertation research on native-speaking (NS) and nonnative (NNS) English teachers perceptions of the new curriculum guidelines of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) mandating English language classes to be "conducted in English" in senior high schools in 2013. It will be suggested that the interplay between NS and NNS self-perceptions related to their classroom roles and wider roles at the departmental level may have an effect on their attitudes toward the feasibility of the policy in general. Practical considerations regarding how secondary school institutions can prepare for optimal implementation of the policy will be explored.

Second Language Teacher Education

In Japan, following several other English language education policy reforms, English language ins... more In Japan, following several other English language education policy reforms, English language instruction was formally introduced to the elementary school curriculum as a subject in 2020. This change affects not only elementary school pupils but, perhaps more drastically, elementary school teachers, who are now required to teach English as a subject in their role as homeroom teachers. This paper reports on a study of Japanese teachers of English enrolled in in-service training workshops, and examines the degree to which the teachers feel prepared to implement the new curriculum, the challenges they may face in their classrooms, and the degree to which they feel these workshops help prepare them to implement the curriculum changes. The findings suggest that while many of the participants perceived that there was a necessity for the policy changes, they recognized how their agency may be constrained due to a variety of factors at the micro- and macro-level. A concerted effort at the l...

Candlin & Mynard ePublishing Limited eBooks, Mar 22, 2023

Handbook of Multilingual TESOL in Practice, 2023

Multiculturalism, Language, and Race in English Education in Japan: Agency, Pedagogy, and Reckoning

It is claimed that the English language teaching (ELT) profession incorporates principles of mult... more It is claimed that the English language teaching (ELT) profession incorporates principles of multiculturalism, tolerance, and pluralism, especially since it is viewed as a practical tool to promote intercultural exchange. However, as movements for social justice worldwide become more prevalent, some stakeholders in the field are beginning to question the field’s genuine commitment to such values. In Japan, for example, is the English language truly viewed as a practical communication tool to engage with diverse interlocutors on the global stage? Or do problematic discourses regarding the notion of the “ownership of English” and the ‘idealized speaker of English’ prevail due to the lingering dichotomy between so-called ‘non-native’ English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) and ‘native’ English-speaking teachers (NESTs) — a dichotomy that unfortunately intersects with views of ethnoracial and cultural difference, and which leads to discriminatory tendencies in pedagogical practices, educatio...

Palgrave Macmillan eBooks, Feb 18, 2014

Candlin & Mynard ePublishing Limited eBooks, Mar 22, 2023

Candlin & Mynard ePublishing Limited eBooks, Feb 22, 2023

Journal of World Languages, 2020

Towards Post-Native-Speakerism, 2017

The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, 2022

Native-Speakerism, 2020

This study examines how four teacher educators challenged native speakerist assumptions through t... more This study examines how four teacher educators challenged native speakerist assumptions through two externally funded elementary school English in-service teacher training workshops for 39 teachers and educational administrators in Japan. The training sessions were designed to prepare them for the 2020 English Education Reform Plan Corresponding to Globalization initiated by the Japanese Ministry of Education. Specifically, this study examined (1) the participants’ perceptions of their preparedness to implement the reform plan, (2) the participants’ perceptions of their self-image as non-native English-speaking (NNES) educators in the wake of such reforms, and (3) the overall degree to which the program model succeeded in challenging native speakerism. Data collection for the study is based on qualitative and quantitative data analysed from an online post-program survey. Results found that the program participants realized their emerging roles as key players in the implementation of the reforms, however not without some anxieties. Also, while native speakerist beliefs regarding native speaker models of English were indeed prevalent, evidence shows that a number of participants embraced a new, emancipated role identity as NNES educators, which was to some degree influenced by the program design. The results suggest that, despite several challenges, second language teacher education and professional development (SLTE/PD) can indeed be an instrumental force in enabling trainees to reimagine their identities and re-assert their professional legitimacy, thereby serving as a countervailing force against the self-marginalizing effects of native speakerism.

English in East and South Asia, 2021

Multilingual Education Yearbook 2019, 2019

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), which had its origins in Europe in the 1990s, ha... more Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), which had its origins in Europe in the 1990s, has been developed on the assumption that language learning is more effective if knowledge of content other than language is simultaneously acquired. Nowadays, however, CLIL tends to be considered more as one form of English-medium instruction, which symbolizes the current trend towards globalization in education. In Japan, where it is still in its early stages of development, CLIL-related practices are rarely documented and its potential effectiveness as a pedagogical approach is yet to be determined. This chapter situates CLIL within the context of Japan’s higher education, with a particular focus on the Top Global University Project. While the government pushes the higher education sector to increase its international competitiveness by improving English proficiency levels and increasing the number of international students, there is an absence in government policies of acknowledgment o...

Many individuals have experienced situations in which the way they spoke or wrote may have been s... more Many individuals have experienced situations in which the way they spoke or wrote may have been subject to varying degrees of correction, scorn, disdain, or even ridicule. The exploration of what makes language “bad” – that is, deviant in the eyes of some - is Battistella’s main focus in Bad Language: Are Some Words Better than Others?, as he engages in a closely reasoned discussion about how some forms of language varieties have come to be characterized as ethnic, provincial, convoluted, or immoral. Battistella calls for a more relative and descriptive way of viewing so-called deviant language. Additionally, the author endeavors to alter language attitudes, calling instead for a culture of engagement with such varieties rather than, as he puts it, a standoff between traditionalism versus nihilism.

This presentation explores the NNEST/NEST dichotomy through language-in-education policy. It will... more This presentation explores the NNEST/NEST dichotomy through language-in-education policy. It will investigate how teachers’ perceptions of Japan’s new foreign language curriculum for senior high schools are influenced by their own beliefs and opinions concerning native and nonnative teachers. Variables that influence teachers’ perceptions and pedagogy will be discussed.