The purpose of this study is to examine this partnership and to identify the benefits and challenges and potential areas for improvement of this collaboration between the College of Education and the First Division at Tamagawa through trainee feedback, student and teacher feedback as well as through observation and interviews from September 2009 to July 2011. The participants are education majors who have taken the courses for teaching children English, teachers and students at the First Division, as well as university instructors.
Some significant benefits identified to date have been that college students can experience teaching English to young learners in a real classroom setting, develop a rapport with veteran English teachers and build a support network with peers to help with their ongoing improvement as teachers.
