Initiatives So Far

PR Materials We’ve Released So Far

Informational Fliers

Press Release Materials

•  September 8, 2022
  Regarding support for students enrolled in national private junior high schools for the junior high school English speaking test (ESAT-J)(External link)
• May 26, 2022
  Regarding the utilization of the junior high school English speaking test (ESAT-J) in admissions for Tokyo metropolitan high schools(External link)
• February 17, 2022
  Regarding the current status of the junior high school English speaking test (ESAT-J)(External link)
• September 24, 2021
  Regarding Tokyo metropolitan junior high school　English speaking test projects(External link)
• March 25, 2021
  Regarding the implementation of Tokyo metropolitan junior high school English speaking test projects in 2020(External link)
• June 11, 2020
  Regarding schedule changes for Tokyo metropolitan junior high school English speaking test projects(External link)
• March 26, 2020
  Regarding 2019 results for the Tokyo metropolitan junior high school English speaking test / pretest(External link)

Tokyo Education PR Brochure

• Issue 127, junior high school edition (September 2022)(External link)
• Issue 126, junior high school edition (June 2022)(External link)
• Issue 124, junior high school edition (September 2021)(External link)

History of the Speaking Test

Initiatives from 2019 and on

November 20, 2020　Committee Formed for Project Examination in 2020, Meeting Summarized

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education has established the “Tokyo Junior High School English Speaking Test Project Review Committee” to examine the state of Tokyo’s junior high school English speaking test projects.
The main points of the meeting of the above mentioned committee were summarized and are available below.

Attachment: Summary of First Meeting（PDF 192.6KB）

August 28, 2020 Establishment of Project Review Committee in 2020

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education has established a review committee to examine the state of Tokyo’s junior high school English speaking test projects.

1. Examination items

1. The state of Tokyo metropolitan junior high school English speaking test projects
2. Countermeasures against spread of COVID-19
3. 2019 pretest results verification and 2020 confirmation pretest (1) Verification details
4. 2020 confirmation pretest (1) Results verification and 2021 confirmation pretest (2) Verification details
5. Other required items

2. Committee composition

Attachment: Committee Member List（PDF 77KB）

3. Schedule

The committee is scheduled to be held twice between August 2020 and March 2021, with the verification results scheduled to be summarized sometime in 2022.

June 11, 2020 Schedule Changes

In light of the effect of temporary closures of junior high schools that came with countermeasures against COVID-19 and of the necessity of consideration given to school management following the resumption of educational activities, the schedule from this year and on was changed as follows.

Attachment: Schedule Changes（PDF 467.7KB）

March 26, 2020 2019 Pretest Results

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education formed an agreement with Benesse Corporation related to junior high school English speaking tests, implemented a pretest at 77 selected junior high schools in Tokyo in November and December in 2019, and moved forward with verification related to things such as the content of the tests.
The results of that verification were summarized and are available below.

Verification Results
Attachment: 2019 Pretest Results（PDF 848.9KB）

October 31, 2019 Forming of Implementation Agreement and Pretest Implementation in 2019

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education and Benesse Corporation formed a basic agreement (valid until the end of 2023) and engaged in substantive negotiations related to an implementation agreement aimed at the 2019 pretest implementation for the “Tokyo Junior High School English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative)” project.
As shown below, the 2019 implementation agreement was formed today and it was decided that the pretest would be implemented.

1. Goal of implementation agreement (2019)

The goal is to lay out the basic items and management structure for the 2019 “Tokyo Junior High School English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative)” project. 

2. Validity period of implementation agreement (2019) 

Valid from the date the implementation agreement was formed (October 31, 2019) to the last day of 2019

3. Overview of 2019 pretest

(1) Target

Third year students enrolled in the 77 selected junior high schools in Tokyo, approx.
8,000 students (Will be implemented in at least one school in every municipality in Tokyo.)

(2) Implementation date and location

1. Implementation date
   Between November 7 (Thursday) and December 21 (Saturday) (implemented once per school)
2. Implementation location
   Classrooms and special purpose rooms at each school
   However, a portion of the schools will have implementation done at external facilities.

(3) Test content

1. Scope of test
   Content related to “Speaking” in Chapter 2, Paragraph 2, English, of the junior high school Course of Study for Foreign Language
2. Implementation method
   Dedicated testing tablets, earphone microphones and soundproof earmuffs will be used. (No internet connection is necessary.)
3. Grading results
   Results for students and the school will be sent to each school.

(4) Publication of questions

Examples of questions and correct answers for this test will be published sometime around the end of December 2019.

4. Speaking test name

With the forming of this implementation agreement, we confirmed that the name of this speaking test is “junior high school English Speaking Test Supported by Gtec” and decided to change the reading of the speaking test in the basic agreement to “junior high school English Speaking Test Supported by Gtec.”

5. Schedule moving forward

Based on the results of this pretest, we’re going to implement a confirmation pretest next year, look into the implementation structure for the speaking test from 2021 and on, and summarize the results and announce them to the board of education sometime this year.

August 21, 2019 Forming of Basic Agreement

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education and Benesse Corporation formed basic agreement part 1 for the “Tokyo Junior High School English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) project” on June 20, 2019.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education decided on Benesse Corporation as a prospective party for the project, and proceeded with substantive negotiations regarding for the project plan. However, as shown below, basic agreement part 2 was also formed.

1. Goal of agreement

The goal is to lay out basic items and implementation management for this project, and any other administrative procedures needed for the smooth implementation of this project. Additionally, with the forming of basic agreement part 2, it was decided that Benesse Corporation would be the business selected.

2. Project overview

(1) Validity period of basic agreement

From the date the agreement was formed to the last day of 2023

(2) Overall test schedule

*In principle, the test result is going to be used in 2022 Tokyo high school admissions (implemented in 2021) (planned)

(3) Yearly test implementation schedule (Actual date will be decided moving forward through negotiation.)

1. 2019: November through December
2. 2020: September through November
3. From 2021 and on: One day on a weekend or holiday between the fourth Saturday of November to the second Sunday of December

(4) Implementation location

1. 2019: Students will take the test at their junior high schools, or at external facilities other than their junior high schools
2. 2020: Students will take the test at their junior high schools, or at external facilities other than their junior high schools
3. From 2021 and on: External facilities other than Tokyo junior high schools

(5) Test policies and implementation method

1. The scope of the test will be in line with junior high school Course of Study.
2. Students will take the speaking test using dedicated testing tablets, earphone microphones and soundproof earmuffs.
3. Each student will take the test once.

(6) Publication of questions

Examples of the questions and answers for each year’s test will be published.

3. Schedule moving forward (planned)

1. August 2019: Forming of implementation agreement
2. November through December 2019: Pretest implementation
3. During 2019: Confirmation of pretest results

May 31, 2019 Technical Review Committee Review Results

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education published the “Tokyo Junior High School English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project Recruitment Guidelines” and the “Tokyo Junior High School English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project Review Standards” on March 14, 2019, and began recruiting businesses.
May 31, 2019: Technical review committee review results
The best business from the applicants was decided on in the technical review committee based on the “Tokyo junior high school English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project Technical Review Committee Establishment Guidelines.”

1. Best business from the applicants

Benesse Corporation

2. Schedule moving forward (planned)

1. Early June 2019: Forming of “Basic Agreement Part 1”
   (Benesse chosen as prospective party. Negotiations start with Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education as to details.)
2. From late June to July 2019: Forming of Basic Agreement Part 2” and “Implementation Agreement”
   (formal selection as business)
3. During 2019: Implementation of pretest

3. Review comments

Attachment: Review Result and Comments（PDF 160.9KB）

April 12, 2019 Establishment of Technical Review Committee

Based on the “Tokyo junior high school English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project Recruitment Guidelines” published by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education on March 14, 2019, we will establish the “Tokyo junior high school English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project Technical Review Committee” with the goal of implementing reviews for prospective businesses and discussing who to choose as the best business from the applicants and as the runner-up.

1. Administrative items

1. Review and evaluation of proposed applicants through the project proposal method
2. Other required items

2. Committee composition

Attachment: Committee Member List（PDF 99.5KB）

3. Establishment guidelines

Attachment: Establishment Guidelines（PDF 125.2KB）

April 4, 2019 Question and Answer Sheet

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education published the recruitment guidelines for the “Tokyo junior high school English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project” on March 14, 2019, and received a written inquiry regarding the recruitment guidelines on March 25, 2019.

We’re publishing the summary of the answers to the questions we received.
Attachment: Answer（PDF 152.8KB）

March 14, 2019 Business Recruitment

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education will implement the “Tokyo junior High School English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project” with third year students enrolled in Tokyo municipal junior high schools as the target with the goal of evaluating speaking ability in Tokyo high school admissions and of enriching guidance for speaking towards development of the four English skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in junior high schools.

We have published the recruitment guidelines for this project and are looking for businesses that can implement this project.

1. Cooperation between the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education and the business

An agreement will be formed upon consensus between the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education and the business with regard to the requirements related to the basic speaking test items, implementation and management as laid out by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education.

2. Validity period of the agreement between the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education and the business

Five years in principle, from 2019 to 2023

3. Decision making in the business

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education will openly recruit businesses through the “Tokyo junior high school English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project Recruitment Guidelines,” will review plans and proposals from businesses based on the review standards and will decide on the best business from the applicants.

4. Implementation details and schedule

*In principle, the test result is going to be used in 2022 Tokyo high school admissions (planned)

5. Paying of shared costs

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education plans to pay the examination fee for third year students enrolled in Tokyo municipal junior high schools to the business as shared costs based on the yearly decisions of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and stipulations for the agreement laid out separately, and within the scope of a revenue and expenditure budget for a general account in Tokyo.

6. Schedule moving forward

1. From March 20 to March 25, 2019: Receive applications
2. From April 15 to 18, 2019: Receive proposal
3. 
   Late May 2019: Selection of best business from the applicants and announcement

Regarding the 2018 “Investigation Committee Report Related to the Assessment of English Speaking Skills”

February 14, 2019 The “Tokyo Metropolitan Junior High School English Speaking Test”

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education established a review committee to evaluate English “speaking” in April 2018, and began looking into substantive details tied into the evaluation of speaking ability in Tokyo municipal high school entrance exams.
The results of that investigation were summarized in the following “Review committee report related to evaluation of English ‘speaking’.”
Moving forward, the “Tokyo Junior High School English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative)” will be implemented with third year students enrolled in Tokyo municipal junior high schools as the target with the goal of evaluating speaking ability in Tokyo high school admissions and of enriching guidance for speaking towards development of the four English skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in junior high schools. The “Tokyo Junior High School English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project Implementation Policies” shown below was drafted as that policy.

Overview

The “Tokyo Metropolitan junior high school English Speaking Test”（PDF 825.6KB）

Review committee report

Review committee report related to evaluation of English “speaking” (From cover to chapter 6)（PDF 923.1KB）
Review committee report related to evaluation of English “speaking” [bibliography] （PDF 3.4MB）

Implementation Policies

“Tokyo junior high school English Speaking Test Utilizing Private-Sector Qualifications and Licensing Exams (tentative) Project Implementation Policies”（PDF 356.1KB）

Regarding the 2017 “Tokyo Municipal High School English Admission Test Improvement Review Committee Report”

Regarding the 2017 Tokyo Municipal High School English Admission Test Improvement Review Committee Report

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education established the “Tokyo Municipal High School English Admission Test Improvement Review Committee” in July 2017. Of the four English skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing) examined in Tokyo municipal high school admissions, they were tasked with an investigation into the assessment of speaking skills in particular.

More information about the Tokyo Municipal High School English Admission Test Improvement Review Committee can be found here(External link)

Regarding the 2017 “Tokyo English Education Strategy Committee Report”

September 8, 2016 Regarding the “Tokyo English Education Strategy Committee” report

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education gathered experts to establish the “Tokyo English Education Strategy Committee” in June 2013, and looked into medium to long term directionality and substantive measures at that committee to promote English education towards the development of global human resources in Tokyo municipal schools.

The results of that investigation were summarized in the following “Tokyo English Education Strategy Committee” report.