Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 2
Problems and Perspectives of Geography
Education in Japanese Elementary Schools
Kazuyoshi Yoshida
Abstract
This paper illustrates geography education in Japanese elementary
school and investigates the current problems and perspectives at these grade levels.
The problems are summarized as follows: (1) Students have few map skills and only
basic knowledge of various place names in Japan and in the world and (2) students learn
little about world geography through the elementary school curriculum. As a result,
elementary school students have few opportunities to study physical geographic
phenomena and to learn about features of the natural environment.
Keywords
Elementary school Geography curriculum Map skills
2.1
Introduction
This paper investigates current problems in and perspectives on elementary school
geography education in Japan. Geography is mainly taught in the form of two inte-
grated subjects at elementary schools: Life Environmental Studies and Social
Studies. The former is devised for students in the fi rst and second grades while the
latter is design for the third to sixth grades. Instruction is provided in accordance with
the so-called expanding environments curriculum, which is based on a concentric
circle type of study theory. Neighboring areas are taught fi rst, and then towns and
cities all over Japan (Fig.
2.1
). Areas near the school are studied in lower grades, and
more distant areas in higher grades. In the sixth grade, students start to learn about
the geography of foreign countries. In this curriculum, greater signifi cance is given
to developing desired citizenship abilities for the discussion of contemporary issues,
rather than to acquiring geographical skill and knowledge. Moreover, physical
geography is nearly absent from the curriculum.
Geographers have commented on problems in Japan's elementary school level
geography education (Nakayama et al.
1990
). Therefore, it became necessary to
reform the curriculum to solve the following problems:
