Eikaiwa (英会話 in the original Japanese) is the Japanese word for "English conversation." Some speakers of English use the term to mean English language schools in Japan, which are also commonly referred to as English conversation schools. Eikaiwas are in some ways similar to juku in that they are private businesses. The Japanese educational system includes a mandate that English be part of the curriculum, however the focus is on English grammar. Therefore, speaking and conversation skills are largely ignored, and some students turn to eikaiwa to learn how to effectively communicate in English. Some students attend eikaiwa to supplement their school studies, others are studying a second language as a hobby, to improve their business skills, or in preparation for travel. Other students attends classes as a hobby, or for socializing purposes. Many parents send their children to eikaiwa in the hope of improving their child`s hopes of higher education.
The most widespread of the eikaiwa are known as the "Big Four" which are generally agreed to be:
In the past Berlitz was considered one of the Big Four, but its share of the market has declined over the years, and so ECC has taken its place on the list.
Eikaiwa teachers come from a variety of backgrounds, and are generally native English speakers. Most come from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States, and spend only a few years teaching at Eikaiwa. Many instructors do not have formal backgrounds in teaching, and are trained by the companies that they work for, sometimes leading to the charge that Eikaiwa are not effective. However, some students are able to make noticable improvements in their communication skills.
Several large eikaiwa chains offer instruction in other languages, to include Spanish, French, Italian and German. These languages are taught primarily at larger branches or through videoconferencing.
South Korea is home to similar institutions, known in English as hagwons.
See also
