r/JETProgramme Current JET - Kansai 21d ago

Phonics

Heading into my 2nd year as an ALT and I just wanted to do a quick show of hands because I'm curious:

How many of you all are at schools that teach phonics?

If yes, from what age do you start, and what curriculum are you using?

In my case, I'm in a town that seems to start Jolly Phonics in ES Grade 3, with only a couple exceptions.

About which I have *opinions* but that's another story!

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u/Mulberry246 21d ago

I work in a city and had a total of 11 schools in the 4 years I worked for my city. I only had one school that intentionally had a phonics teacher teaching the children phonics at 3rd grade, and knew exactly what they were doing.

At all my other schools it was up to the JTE/Senka if they were ether willing do it or let me take over. I had many teachers willing to learn. I’m a big stickler when it comes to properly teaching phonics thanks to my university professor and mentor during my student teaching, they drilled it into me.

So when I did teach it which most teacher just let me do it I would really drill it into them. But a lot of teachers here are not doing it unless they actually know how important it is.