Around half of junior high school students have called the English skills they acquired in elementary schools "useless," according to recent findings by education services provider Benesse Holdings Inc.
Researchers with the firm's think tank arm analyzed the grammar-oriented programs in junior high schools and said the programs were likely discouraging students. The researchers called for a number of reforms to keep young people motivated once they reach higher levels of English-learning.
Earlier in June, Benesse released results of a survey conducted by the think tank, the Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, aimed at evaluating English education in elementary schools and gauging children's views of English and foreign cultures.
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