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English Proficiency Index (EPI)

Japan's Education Paradox

(EF Education First, 2021-2024; 2026)

Edition	Global rank	Countries / regions
2021	78	112
2022	80	111
2023	87	113
2024	92	116
2025	96	123

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English Proficiency Index (EPI)

Japan's Education Paradox

Very high proficiency

High proficiency

Moderate proficiency

Low Proficiency

Very low proficiency

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English Proficiency Index (EPI)

Japan's Education Paradox

(EF English First, 2025)

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TOEFL iBT

Japan's Education Paradox

(ETS, 2025)

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TOEFL iBT

Japan's Education Paradox

Test year	Japan's average score (out of 120)
2022	73
2023	73
2024	72
2025	73

(ETS, 2025)

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Factors Affecting Communication:

Teacher-centered instruction

Grammar-translation

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70-80%

Extensive use of grammar-translation in high school:

(Gorsuch, 1998)

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0-10%

Time spent on CLT activities:

(Sakui, 2004)

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Grammar-translation and audiolingual activities remained common among surveyed high school teachers, while communicative activities were used less frequently.

Extensive use of grammar-translation in high school:

(Clayton & Yamada, 2020)

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Teachers and students reported that most English classes were conducted �predominantly in Japanese.

Extensive use of grammar-translation in high school:

(Kawabata, 2024)

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Factors Affecting Communication:

Teacher-centered instruction

Grammar-translation

Cultural influences

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57%

Shyest country in the world:

(Zimbardo, 1977)

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85%

Japanese university students self-identifying as generally shy:

(Norman, 2012)

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92%

Japanese university students self-identifying as shy when

speaking English:

(Norman, 2012)

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Students may want to communicate but nevertheless remain silent because the social/emotional conditions do not make speaking feel comfortable.

Willingness to Communicate (WTC):

(Sato, 2024)

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Japanese university students may experience particular social and interpersonal pressures that reduce their willingness to speak English.��Stronger in L2 English than in L1 Japanese.

Willingness to Communicate (WTC):

(Muroya, 2023)

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Setting the stage:

Clearly explain expectations

Demonstrate outcomes

Practice and feedback

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Three Interactional Domains:

Ritual domain

Anomic domain

Intimate domain

(Lebra, 1976)

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Probably one of the most powerful things we can do to help our students is to create a classroom atmosphere which is conducive to the intimate domain.

(Doyon, 2000)

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Having identified the main factors that inhibit Japanese university students’ willingness to communicate (WTC), I will now introduce several key activities that promote WTC and form an integral part of the English Camp experience. These activities model the behaviors expected of students in the English Department. The full camp itinerary is provided on Slide 28. The activities discussed here are grouped into three main categories: intercultural competence, teacher/student roles, and the intimate domain.

All activities and events are conducted in the target language (TL), English. In addition to verbal explanations, teachers and staff demonstrate what students are expected to do. These demonstrations help students understand more concretely how to behave and complete tasks effectively.

Throughout the camp, teachers lead by example, providing guidance before gradually transferring responsibility to the students. Students quickly begin helping one another and learn to rely on their teammates, rather than solely on their teachers, for support.

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7 Teams (A-G):

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Schedule:

Day 1		Day 2
8:30	Meet at Okayama Station	8:00	Breakfast
9:00	Depart Okayama Station	9:30	The Olympic Games
10:10	Depart Shin-Okayama Port	11:30	Free Time
12:00	Arrive at Shodoshima Olivean Hotel	12:00	Lunch
13:30	Welcome Activity, Class Pictures, Group Activities	13:00	General Meeting & Teacher Presentations
16:30	Free Time	14:30	Depart Hotel
17:30	Dinner (BBQ)	15:40	Depart Tonosho Port
19:30	Campfire, Square Dance & Marshmallow Roast	16:40	Arrive at Shin-Okayama Port
21:30	Bath Time	17:30	Arrive at Okayama Station
22:30	Lights Out

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Intercultural Competence	Teacher/Student Roles	Intimate Domain
	Group Activities

Activities:

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The camp includes several group activities that help students get to know their teammates, cooperate, and compete against other teams.

One activity is Bust Your Booty. Students attach a balloon to their waist with a string, creating a tail. Four teams, each identified by a different colored T-shirt, enter the playing field. When the game begins, students try to pop the balloons attached to members of other teams. Anyone whose balloon is popped must leave the field. The team with the last players remaining wins.

Teachers demonstrate how to play and suggest some simple strategies. However, the teams that cooperate most effectively tend to be the most successful.

Another activity is Frisbee Football. Teammates pass a Frisbee to advance across the playing field and score a touchdown. Success requires students to cooperate and communicate with one another.

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Intercultural Competence	Teacher/Student Roles	Intimate Domain
	Group Activities
Square dancing (campfire)

Activities:

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As discussed earlier, cultural expectations can influence how Japanese people communicate with strangers. Before people become comfortable with one another, interactions may be relatively formal and guided by established social conventions. This can make it difficult to experiment with language, risk making mistakes, or avoid embarrassment.

The purpose of many of the activities at the English Camp is to help students become familiar with one another quickly, but in a supportive environment. Square dancing is particularly effective in this regard.

Earlier in the day, three of the seven student groups and their teachers learn the dance. After the barbecue, around a large campfire, these students and teachers explain the dance to the other groups and demonstrate how it is performed. Once everyone is ready, all the teachers join the students, and the dancing begins around the campfire beneath the stars.

Public displays of affection are relatively uncommon in Japan, so many students may have little experience holding hands with strangers, let alone their teachers. However, holding hands is part of the dance. Although some students initially appear embarrassed, they soon begin laughing and participating enthusiastically.

The activity promotes cooperation and teamwork while helping students develop stronger social bonds.

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Intercultural Competence	Teacher/Student Roles	Intimate Domain
	Group Activities
Square dancing (campfire)
	Dinner (BBQ)

Activities:

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The barbecue dinner is one activity designed to redefine teacher/student roles.

Camp staff prepare platters of meat, seafood, and vegetables, along with rice, soft drinks, chopsticks, and other necessities. They also provide each group with a cooking station. The students, however, are responsible for everything else.

Initially, many students expect the staff to take care of everything. Instead, they are encouraged to help themselves. They must collect what they need from the dining hall, serve their own rice and drinks, cook the food, and clean up afterwards.

Teachers encourage students to help one another, ask their teammates questions, and organize themselves to complete the necessary tasks. Students also have opportunities to use the communication skills they have practiced in workshops in a relaxed, more intimate social setting.

The experience helps students become more independent while strengthening their relationships with their teammates.

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Intercultural Competence	Teacher/Student Roles	Intimate Domain
	Group Activities
Square dancing (campfire)
	Dinner (BBQ)
	Olympic Games

Activities:

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The English Camp Olympics, held on the final day, is one of the camp's main events. Teams compete in a series of activities designed to combine teamwork, problem-solving, and fun.

Before each event, teachers clearly demonstrate how it works. The teams must then organize themselves and develop strategies they believe will help them succeed. As in the other activities, teachers act as facilitators and guides but leave the organizing and strategizing to the students.

Although the Olympics is an enjoyable and exciting event, it also helps students develop autonomy and teamwork.

More broadly, these activities help redefine teacher/student roles. One of the most valuable resources students have in the classroom is each other. For pair and group work to be effective, students must learn to take greater responsibility for their own learning. Activities that promote teamwork, team-building, and problem-solving help students develop these skills.

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Intercultural Competence	Teacher/Student Roles	Intimate Domain
	Group Activities
Square dancing (campfire)
	Dinner (BBQ)
	Olympic Games
		Free Time

Activities:

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During the two-day camp, students have a considerable amount of free time to relax and get to know their new classmates on a more personal level.

After square dancing and roasting marshmallows around the campfire, students return to their cabins. Before the camp, they are encouraged to bring snacks and games to share. Unlike the highly structured school trips many students may be accustomed to, this camp encourages them to spend time together informally. They can take a bath, eat snacks, play games, and talk with their teammates before going to bed.

For many students, this is a new experience. However, it is also one of the most valuable opportunities to build relationships. After spending the day traveling, learning, eating, and playing together, students have shared experiences to talk about. They may also feel less intimidated when sharing personal information with their classmates.

They talk about their high schools, families, and hometowns. Through these informal interactions, an intimate domain begins to develop.

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Intercultural Competence	Teacher/Student Roles	Intimate Domain
	Group Activities
Square dancing (campfire)
	Dinner (BBQ)
	Olympic Games
		Free Time
Workshops

Activities:

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One workshop activity designed to develop intercultural competence focuses on responding to questions.

Students learn that relatively long pauses may be acceptable in some Japanese interactions, whereas in many English-speaking contexts, extended silence can create discomfort. The workshop introduces the idea that response-time expectations vary across cultures and encourages students to respond within approximately five to six seconds.

If students need more time to think, they can use hesitation devices such as “Ahh…,” “Hmm…,” or “Let me see…”. The teacher introduces and practices these expressions with the students.

The teacher then demonstrates the activity by asking another teacher a simple question, such as “What’s your name?”, while passing them a ball. The teacher who catches the ball answers and returns it. The activity is repeated with a more challenging question, such as “What did you eat for dinner last night?” This time, the responding teacher uses a hesitation device to signal that they need time to think before answering. Students then practice the same technique with one another.

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Although this activity may seem simple, it addresses a common challenge in Japanese EFL classrooms. Students may hesitate to speak until they have formulated what they consider to be the perfect response. This can take time, and their silence may be misinterpreted as a lack of understanding or, in some cases, disinterest.

Using a hesitation device signals that the speaker has understood the question but needs a little time to formulate an answer. This simple strategy can make communication more effective.

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Another workshop activity teaches students the importance of asking follow-up questions.

Incoming students often answer questions directly but provide little additional information or ask questions in return. However, asking follow-up questions is an important way to keep a conversation going.

First, the teacher introduces a range of initial questions and follow-up questions based on the five Ws: What, Where, When, Why, and Who. Students then receive cards containing information about the participants, including students and teachers. Examples include “I am from Canada” and “I can surf.” Students mingle and ask questions to identify people whose answers match the information on their cards. When someone gives a matching answer, students must ask at least one follow-up question and then write that person's name beside the relevant information.

For example, if a student asks a teacher, “Where are you from?” and the teacher replies, “I am from Canada,” the student might follow up with “Where in Canada are you from?” or “How long have you been in Japan?”

The main purpose is to help students recognize that effective communication involves more than answering questions. It also requires asking questions, showing interest, and actively contributing to a conversation.

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Through these activities, students practice culturally appropriate communication strategies and learn the importance of two-way interaction. Overall, the activities help them feel more comfortable with their new classmates and teachers, build confidence in their English communication skills, and reduce anxiety. In turn, this can increase their willingness to communicate.

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Concluding remarks

Clear instruction

Lowering anxiety

Adaptable for multiple contexts

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Testimonials:

Overcoming nervousness and feeling more comfortable

Honestly, I wasn’t looking forward to staying training and didn’t want to go the English Camp because I’m shy. However, by going, I made a lot of friends and had many fun experiences. I come to get along better with my friends, and I talked with teachers in English. It was the wonderful memories.

I was worried about whether I could make friends at this university, but thanks to this event, I made many friends.

I don’t like school trips so much. I am often put on a drip about for a week because of the high fever after trips. I think I’m not good at adapting to the new circumstances. Looking back however, it wasn’t necessary to had worried so much.

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Testimonials:

Making new friends and deepening friendships

I really enjoyed the English Camp for two days. I was able to deepen friendship with classmate. And I could also make a new friends in there. It was a great experience for me.

We can know each other by chatting. It is important to talk with each other. This time was meaningful to improve our terms. I treasured our friendship which was deepened. Finally, we enjoyed all time at the Englsih Camp. I can make friends with many people. This will be one of the best memories in Shujitsu University life. If I had a time machine, I would have gone back in time before we arrived in Shin-Okayama Port, and I would have enjoyed the English Camp again.

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Testimonials:

Enjoying activities and creating lasting memories

I did a lot of games and planning and it was a lot of fun. I talked many friends and teachers. I tried to talk in English. It was very difficult but it was good study for me.

At night I talked a lot of friends in my room. We had 12 friends in the room. Room was small, but we sat down on the floor. It was very close to the next to person. We played games. Talked about memories of someone’s high school days, and it was very exciting. I was able to make lots friends that night.

I have heard that English Camp is a lot of fun and an important event from my older friend in the university. I went to the camp and I thought so.

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Testimonials:

Communicating in English and learning through experience

As an example, Mr. Dante and Ms. Scott danced in front of us. They are good dancers and taught us in an easy to understand way, so we were improved in square dancing.

I was able to experience various things in two days and it was a lot of fun and I had good memories. I was very happy because I made many friends at English Camp. There were a lot of hardships, but there were a lot more fun that. I was able to deepen my friendship with my friends and I was able to communicate with my teachers a lot, so I am very happy. I would like to make good use of this experience for 4 years.

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Testimonials:

Getting to know the teachers and feeling supported

More than anything, regardless the languages, teachers are kind. I want to become close to my friends and our teachers. I’ll try to communicate with them any time in the future.

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REFERENCES

Clayton, D., & Yamada, S. (2022). Changing methodologies? The activities

teachers use in Japanese high school English classes. SSRN. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4321227.

Doyon, P. (2000). Shyness in the Japanese EFL class: Why it is a problem,

what it is, what causes it, and what to do about it. The Language Teacher, 24(1), 11–16. http://jalt-publications.org/articles/24571-shyness-japanese-efl-class-why- it-problem-what-it-iswhat-causes-it-and-what-do-about.

EF Education First. (2021). EF English Proficiency Index 2021.