Local Implementation of International Baccalaureate in the Japanese Secondary School System

Abstract

Japan is moving from a traditional focus on prescriptive English education towards a more forward-looking hybrid model, melding the influences of the world-class international baccalaureate (IB) curriculum into the existing Japanese educational model. In this chapter, the authors review the background and describe developments that are framing the debate regarding secondary school reform. Specifically, they investigate how IB in Japan is shaping new practices, which will be shown to have duals aims. The first is to nurture the higher-order reasoning abilities of students, in addition to analytical research and presentation skills. The second is to promote stronger English second-language acquisition. The authors also explore in what ways the introduction of IB is engendering positive changes to the English curriculum in the non-IB sector and in the university sector. This is an issue that is being keenly observed by both policymakers, educators, and the international baccalaureate organization.