Communication by heart to heart

Recently I had been tweeting in Japanese sphere about English language education/training in Japan.

Many of Japanese think themselves poor communicators in English even they usually learn the language at least 6 years.

Critics often point their fingers to defects in the curriculum in English language education in Japanese schools: too much emphasis on grammar, lack of verbal conversation practices with native speakers, ages-old example sentences and so on.

However a tweet I saw the other day really sank in my mind: "Many Japanese blame English education in schools for their poor English but such passivity to expect others to sort their problems is one of the reason for their failure in English language."

Wishful thinking is part of Japanese way of life. Communication by heart to heart is regarded as the ultimate form of communication. If you grow up as a Japanese adult, you are expected to be a kind of ESP, Jedi or Ninja in western sense. You should read others' mind and act accordingly. Otherwise you might be blamed for 'not reading atmosphere. ' So if you see a Japanese who is forced to communicate in English is strangely smiling to you, you should know you are expected to read his/her mind and offer help.

Most of Japanese have few chances to become acquaintance with people from foreign cultures. They live in a very mono-culturistic environment. They have virtually no chances to be challenged their own cultural norms or required to explain them. I think that is the primary reason why many of Japanese are not confident in speaking in English. They are actually not accustomed to communicate between different cultures.

Ray