Japanese Primary School Research Articles

Possible determinants of physical fitness in Japanese school children: Across-sectional study.

Physical fitness is one of the most important health indicators in children. Although appropriate body composition or certain lifestyle factors such as frequent physical activity are thought to improve physical fitness, results of previous studies are inconsistent, and most studies were from Western countries. We investigated associations of body composition and modifiable lifestyle factors such as physical activity, screen time, diet and sleep duration with physical fitness in Japanese primary school children. 2308 children (age 10-12 years old) in 12 primary schools were analysed in this cross-sectional study. Physical fitness was evaluated by sports battery tests conducted routinely and annually at schools. The total score of sports battery tests, 20-m shuttle run (laps) and grip strength (kg) were selected as outcomes. Information about lifestyle factors was collected by two questionnaires. Associations between lifestyle factors and physical fitness were assessed by multivariable linear mixed models by sex. Frequent exercise was related to better overall physical fitness. Regarding the 20-m shuttle run, many unfavourable lifestyle factors such as higher BMI in boys (β -7.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] -8.39, -6.35) and girls (β -3.54, 95% CI -4.50,-2.58), longer screen time (β -4.31, 95% CI -7.29, -1.34) in boys and girls (β -5.65, 95% CI -9.01, -2.30); shortest (reference) versus longest, breakfast skipping in boys (β -5.24, 95% CI -8.71, -1.77) and girls (β -3.57, 95% CI -6.84, -0.30); consumers (reference) versus skippers were associated with worse performance. Better quality of diet was associated with better results in the 20-m shuttle run only in girls (β 2.58, 95% CI 0.24, 4.93); lowest (reference) versus highest. Frequent exercise was related to better physical fitness. Higher BMI and unfavourable lifestyle factors such as longer screen time and breakfast skipping were associated with worse results of the 20-m shuttle run.

Preliminary trial of a well-being diary with Japanese primary school students

The well-being of Japanese children has been reported to be low, compared with children in other developed countries. However, there has been a lack of social and emotional education specially designed to promote the well-being of this demographic. To address this gap, the authors developed a well-being diary (WE diary) suited for the Japanese school context during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was a two-arm controlled trial to investigate the efficacy and feasibility of the WE diary using the social and emotional learning approach. The participants comprised Japanese primary school students aged 7–8 (35 females and 34 males) who volunteered for this 8-week program, which was implemented during 10–15-minute extra class periods. The students in the WE diary group and waitlist conditions completed questionnaires at three time points, under the supervision of the teacher. Based on the findings, there were significant positive changes in the scores for well-being and perceived social support, indicating the feasibility of this program in Japanese primary schools. The overall usefulness of the well-being diary among this demographic could motivate researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to promote social and emotional learning in Japanese schools.

Evaluation of co-designed online teacher training program for providing neuroscience- informed mental health intervention to Japanese children

IntroductionWhile mental health problems are prevalent among children, Japanese schools face challenges in providing effective mental health support to children partly due to a lack of training in mental health intervention. This study aimed to address this problem by evaluating a co-designed online teacher training program to provide a neuroscience-informed mental health intervention (NIMHI) to Japanese children.MethodThe present study evaluated the effectiveness of an online teacher training program by conducting a single-arm trial involving a group of 20 teachers and 245 children aged 8–12 from a regional Japanese primary school. The researcher delivered online training to Japanese teachers, who subsequently administered NIMHI to Japanese children over a 4-week period. The evaluation involved the administration of pre- and post-intervention student questionnaires, pre- and post-training teacher questionnaires, and post-intervention teacher interviews.ResultsAfter the delivery of the training program, 80% of Japanese teachers expressed strong or moderate satisfaction with the training. There were significant improvements in teachers' knowledge, perceived skills, self-efficacy, and acceptability of using NIMHI. Teachers implemented intervention strategies at least twice a week over four weeks. Following the intervention, 70% of teachers reported qualitative changes in students' mental health, such as more stable emotions. However, there were no significant changes in students' emotional problems, school enjoyment, and psychological wellbeing.DiscussionThe findings offer a fresh perspective on the effectiveness of utilizing digital technology, as a modality for delivering training to Japanese teachers. However, the absence of quantitative changes in students' mental health could suggest that the effectiveness of the online teacher-training program may not have been sufficiently robust. Further improvements in the online teacher-training program would be useful, such as providing tablet applications to assist teachers in implementing suitable intervention strategies and teaching a more focused range of strategies.

Transitioning from paper to touch interface: Phoneme-grapheme recognition testing and gamification in primary school classrooms

Phonological processing of written characters has been recognized as a crucial element in acquiring literacy in any language, both native and foreign. This study aimed to assess Japanese primary school students' phoneme-grapheme recognition skills using both paper-based and touch-interface tests. Differences between the two test formats and the relationship between phoneme-grapheme recognition skills and interaction with gamified digital tests were investigated. Participants were sixth-grade students from two public schools. The results of comparison tests indicated that the touch-interface test had lower success rates compared to the paper-based test for most items, suggesting a difference in performance patterns. A consistent relationship between tested phoneme-grapheme knowledge and successful gamified interaction was found. Findings highlight the potential of touch-interface assessments for assessing phoneme-grapheme recognition skills in primary school classrooms and suggest incorporating more digital tasks to enhance student adaptation.

Developing Phoneme-Grapheme Recognition for English as a Foreign Language: A Longitudinal Study at Japanese Primary School

Foreign language was recently added to Japan's national primary school curriculum. Phoneme-Grapheme Recognition (PGR) skills are a critical step in both L1 and L2 development. Due to its simplistic approach and the lack of new investment in teacher training, research regarding the impact on PGR skills are important. This study tested the relative differences and growth of primary school students' (grades 3, 4, 5, 6) PGR skills across two semesters. Semester-1 (July) and Semester-3 (March) students (n = 256, female n = 130) completed the same PGR test during regular class time. ANOVA and follow-up pairwise tests assessed achievement differences between grades and across the two-semester gap. Difference testing between grades indicated substantial (R2 = .32 & .19) and statistically significant (p < .001) differences at both time points. Pairwise follow-up tests pointed to two steps in statistically different ability (grades 3-4/5-6). Longitudinal tests suggested that the current Japanese national elementary school curriculum supports phoneme-grapheme skill development; However, the two-step ability grouping indicated that the current national curriculum is not sufficiently detailed and/or rigorous to ensure annual student improvement in PGR skills.

Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of primary schoolchildren during the later phase of the pandemic: A case report of an 18-month longitudinal survey in a Japanese primary school

BackgroundDrastic changes such as school closures and stay-at-home measures due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, may have long-term negative effects on children's mental health; however, longitudinal studies after 2021 are limited. This study aimed to observe the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's mental health by exploring changes in their mental health over a period of 18 months. Study designWe conducted a longitudinal study at Chiba Prefecture in Japan, focusing on schoolchildren's mental health changes. MethodsData were obtained from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) questionnaire conducted at single primary school three times from October 2021 to March 2023 which and included 183 participants. This study adopted a linear-mixed model to evaluate changes in children's SDQ scores, with sex and grade as the independent variables, and participants as a random effect. ResultsRegarding changes in SDQ scores, there were no significant changes in the total difficulty scores or in each subscale; Emotional Symptoms, Conduct Problems, Hyperactivity/Inattention, Peer Problems, and Prosocial Behavior. There was no statistically significant interaction between changes in SDQ scores and sex. ConclusionsThis report indicates that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Japanese primary schoolchildren was negligible in the later phase of the pandemic. However, the impact may differ from country to country owing to factors such as social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The feasibility of developing an online teacher training program for a neuroscience-informed mental health intervention for Japanese students

Background Neuroscience-informed mental health intervention involves integrating neuroscientific knowledge into mental health interventions, showing potential in effectively enhancing children's mental health. Online platforms are deemed suitable for teaching these strategies to Japanese teachers, especially, under the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, there is a lack of research investigating the appropriateness, feasibility, learning needs and goals to develop an online teacher training program focuses on teaching neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. Methods Employing a single-group survey design, this study sought to fill the research gap by conducting surveys and interviews to 20 teachers and 245 students in a Japanese primary school. This study adopted a mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collection from students and teachers. Results Quantitative analysis of student surveys revealed that nearly 30% of students had low subjective well-being and high emotional distress. Thematic analysis of teacher interviews revealed the challenges faced by Japanese educators in delivering effective mental health support, partly attributed to a lack of training in mental health intervention. Approximately 80% of teachers expressed strong or moderate interest in learning about neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. These findings supported the appropriateness and feasibility of an online teacher training program in this domain. Thematic analysis of teacher interviews also revealed the importance of practicality, providing teachers with easily deployable intervention resources, and delivering comprehensive instruction in both intervention and prevention strategies. The analysis also suggested that a format consisting of 6-10 concise, self-paced learning modules, complemented by a brief online interactive session, would be suitable for the online teacher training program focused on teaching neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. Conclusions Future research should focus on developing and evaluating an online teacher training program dedicated to delivering neuroscience-informed mental health intervention. Such a program holds promise for enhancing the mental health of children, integrating the findings from this study.

“Suspending Classes Without Stopping Learning”: An Initiative to Ensure Learning in Japan During the Pandemic

Purpose During Japan's initial pandemic prevention and control period, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan (MEXT) issued several notifications to ensure students’ continuous learning according to the “leave no one behind” philosophy. This study focused on the comprehensive measures comprising top-level arrangements to implement the “suspending classes without stopping learning” initiative. Design/Approach/Methods The study reviewed MEXT's guide on ensuring learning for Japanese primary and secondary school students during the pandemic. Findings The pandemic has accelerated the development of the information and communications technology educational environment and the implementation of the Global and Innovation Gateway for All (GIGA) schools initiative. These developments laid the foundation for the evolution of diverse pedagogical models and feasible methods for promoting equity. The home schooling experience during the pandemic provided a natural base for students to practice and foster survivability. Originality/Value This paper provides scholars with an understanding of the opportunities and challenges encountered in educational innovation in Japan. It provides insights into the future direction of pedagogical development, capability development, and effective educational arrangements for extraordinary circumstances to facilitate educational development from a broader perspective, particularly under the new normal.

Misreporting of height and weight by primary school children in Japan: a cross-sectional study on individual and environmental determinants

BackgroundAppropriate body constitution during childhood is important for future health. However, it has been suggested that thinness is increasing among adolescent girls and boys in Japan. Since misreporting of height/weight may be a possible reflection of the child's ideal body image, we investigated the magnitude and direction of height/weight misreporting and its determinants among Japanese young adolescents.MethodsA total of 1019 children in public primary schools were included in the analysis. Both measured and self-reported values of height/weight were obtained. Misreporting of height/weight was calculated by subtracting the measured value from the self-reported value. The association between misreporting and several variables such as the BMI z-score of individuals and body constitution of surrounding children was explored by multivariate linear mixed models.ResultsAs BMI z-score increased, ‘overreporting’ of height by boys and ‘underreporting’ of height by girls became larger (p = 0.06 in boys, p = 0.02 in girls). Both boys and girls with a larger body size tended to underreport their weight (p < 0.01 in boys, p < 0.01 in girls). Boys who belonged to a school with a larger average BMI z-score were more likely to overreport their weight. This tendency was not observed for girls.ConclusionsSelf-reported height/weight was generally accurate in Japanese primary school children. However, even primary school children misreported their height/weight intentionally like adults, possibly due to social pressure to lose weight or that not to stand out. Thus, health education about appropriate body constitution should be provided from the beginning of adolescence, particularly for girls.

Contributions of processes using semantic information and character‐to‐sound correspondences to kanji word‐reading performance in Japanese primary school children

Background In opaque orthographies, such as English, children with low reading skills tend to rely more on semantic information due to their inadequate acquisition of sub-lexical knowledge. This tendency has also been reported for kanji, a non-alphabetic and opaque Japanese orthography. However, previous studies on this phenomenon have had methodological limitations, such as a small number of stimuli in reading tests and insufficient investigation of a consistency effect. This study addressed these limitations and aimed to clarify whether Japanese children with low reading accuracy are characterised by a stronger reliance on semantic information and a smaller contribution to the reading process based on character-to-sound correspondences to the kanji word-reading performance than children with high reading accuracy in reading kanji words. Methods A total of 129 Japanese students in the fifth and sixth grades participated in this study, and 11 of them had been previously diagnosed with developmental dyslexia. They read an experimenter-created list of kanji words. We tested how frequency, imageability and consistency of character-to-sound correspondences affected children's reading accuracy and error types and how the effects of these variables were modulated by reading accuracy level. Results For children with lower reading accuracy, the frequency and consistency effects on reading accuracy decreased, whereas the imageability effect was stronger. Children with low reading accuracy frequently did not respond, whereas children with high reading accuracy made word substitution and legitimate alternative reading of component (LARC) errors frequently. Conclusions The reading processing of children with low reading accuracy is characterised by a stronger reliance on semantic information and a smaller contribution of a reading process based on character-to-sound correspondences to reading performance than that of children with high reading accuracy. Reading characteristics of children with low reading accuracy might be due to their inadequate lexical and sub-word knowledge.

TEACHING OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS BY SCIENCE TEACHERS IN JAPANESE PRIMARY SCHOOLS

The importance of critical thinking in science education is widely recognized. However, little research has been conducted on the teaching of critical thinking by teachers. If actual teaching conditions of teachers in the classroom are clarified, effective teaching methods for developing critical thinking in students could be developed. This study administered a questionnaire survey to ascertain how science teachers teach critical thinking in Japanese primary schools. The study population consisted of 291 Japanese primary school teachers with teaching careers spanning 1–38 years. The survey revealed the following. (1) Teachers taught students the importance of conducting experiments by themselves to obtain results. However, teachers did not sufficiently teach students the need to conduct multiple experiments before reaching a conclusion, improve data reliability before making decisions, or examine their conclusions carefully given incomplete data. (2) Compared to teachers with shorter teaching careers, teachers with longer careers taught critical thinking more effectively, particularly in terms of emphasizing positivity and maintaining a healthy skepticism. (3) Teachers who taught emphasized positivity and encouraged multifaceted thinking were more likely to teach about emphasized evidence. The corresponding causal relationship analysis suggests that teaching that emphasizes positivity and encourages multifaceted thinking is key to promoting evidence-oriented instruction. Keywords: science learning, critical thinking skills, in-service teachers, teaching skills, teachers' training

Prevalence of skin diseases and prognosis of atopic dermatitis in primary school children in populated areas of Japan from 2010 to 2019: The Asa Study in Hiroshima, Japan.

Skin diseases are common in children. However, the prevalence of childhood skin diseases in Japan has not been reported extensively. In this study, dermatologists conducted face-to-face examinations of primary school children over a 10-year period to determine the prevalence of each skin disease. Atopic dermatitis (AD, 12.3%) was the most common disease among first graders, followed by eczema other than AD (9.7%), molluscum contagiosum (1.9%), and verruca vulgaris (1.1%). Among sixth graders, acne vulgaris was most common (9.6%), followed by AD (8.9%), eczema other than AD (6.7%), and verruca vulgaris (3.1%). The prevalence of AD remained stable among first graders after 2010, at approximately 10%-15%, but it increased slightly among sixth graders. Of the 87 children who had AD in first grade, 51 (58.6%) were in remission in sixth grade. On the other hand, AD was diagnosed in 30 (4.5%) sixth graders who had been among the 665 children who did not have it in first grade. The more severe the symptoms were in first grade, the more likely a child was to still have AD in sixth grade, and the more severe the later symptoms tended to be. This study investigated recent trends in skin diseases in Japanese primary school children and found that the prevalence of some skin diseases differed between first and sixth graders. It was also found that children with moderate AD in first grade were more likely to be moderate in sixth grade than those with mild AD.

“This side is the real world and the other one is like Minecraft”

Abstract English has been introduced as a core subject in primary schools across Asia over the past decade. Besides aiming to improve the English proficiency of Japanese primary school students, Japan’s recent reforms also mandate the development of children’s awareness of cultures other than their own. However, relatively little is known about pedagogical strategies to achieve cultural awareness in the Japanese primary school classroom. The objective of this study was, therefore, to utilize an almost wordless picture book and examine the ways children interpret stories about people from cultures other than their own. This study explored the independent meaning-making practices and processes of six Japanese primary school students as they viewed, without teacher intervention, Mirror, an Australian almost wordless picture book about the daily lives of an Australian and a Moroccan family. Interview and observation data provided insights into the children’s meaning-making processes and the ways they interpreted the messages within the stories that led to a range of understandings and misunderstandings across the cultures. The paper concludes with a discussion about pedagogical implications for supporting the development of cultural awareness, for challenging cultural stereotypes, and for facilitating English language learning processes.

Associations Between Student Well-Being and Classroom Adjustment Through the Mediation of Social Support in Japanese Primary School

Associations Between Student Well-Being and Classroom Adjustment Through the Mediation of Social Support in Japanese Primary School

Guardianship dietary and other behavioural factors associated with skipping breakfast in Japanese primary school children: A child-guardian dyad study.

Regular breakfast consumption is widely considered an important component of healthy dietary habits. In this study, we assessed differences in nutrient/food intake between breakfast consumers and skippers. We also investigated behavioural factors related with breakfast skipping utilizing data collected from both children and their guardians. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 14 public primary schools in Japan. Two questionnaires were distributed: a behavioural questionnaire and a brieftype, self-administered diet history questionnaire. In total, 1816 child (10-12 y/o)-guardian dyads were included in the analysis. Intakes of nutrients and foods were compared between breakfast consumers and skippers by the ttest. The relationship between breakfast skipping and behavioural factors was investigated by logistic regression analysis by child sex. The proportion of breakfast skippers in the children was 9.8%. Daily intakes of nutrients/foods were better in the breakfast consumers. Later bedtime, lower nutrition knowledge level, and frequent incomplete consumption of home meals was significantly or marginally associated with breakfast skipping. Guardians' breakfast skipping was also associated with children's breakfast skipping. Some relationships between behavioural factors and breakfast skipping differed between boys and girls. Breakfast consumers had a more nutritious meal quality. To increase breakfast consumption, morning time schedules may need to be rearranged to avoid time pressure. Nutritional knowledge and dietary behaviour appear relevant. Guardians played a major role in coping with breakfast avoidance, in part as role models.

Relationship between maternal employment status and children\u2019s food intake in Japan

BackgroundAlthough long maternal working hours are reported to have a negative effect on children’s dietary habits, few studies have investigated this issue in Japan. Healthy dietary habits in childhood are important because they may reduce the risk of future disease. Here, we examined the relationship between maternal employment status and children’s dietary intake in 1693 pairs of Japanese primary school 5th and 6th graders and their mothers.MethodsThe survey was conducted using two questionnaires, a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire and a lifestyle questionnaire. The analysis also considered mothers’ and children’s nutrition knowledge, attitudes toward diet, and some aspects of family environment.ResultsLonger maternal working hours were associated with children’s higher intake of white rice (g/1000kcal) (β 11.4, 95%CI [1.0, 21.9]; working ≥8h vs. not working), lower intake of confectioneries (g/1000kcal) (β −4.0 [−7.6, −0.4]), and higher body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) (β 0.62 [0.2, 1.0]). Although maternal employment status was not significantly associated with lower intake of healthy food (e.g., vegetables) or higher intake of unhealthy food (e.g., sweetened beverages) in the children, in contrast with previous studies, it may have affected children’s energy intake through their higher intake of white rice. Further, children’s nutrition knowledge and attitudes toward diet, mothers’ food intake, and some family environment factors were significantly associated with intakes of vegetables and sweetened beverages in the children.ConclusionsLonger maternal working hours were significantly associated with higher intake of white rice and lower intake of confectioneries, as well as higher BMI among children. Even when a mother works, however, it may be possible to improve her child’s dietary intake by other means such as nutrition education for children or enhancement of food environment.

Hybrid spaces: Japanese teachers in Korean rural schools during the wartime mobilisation (1931–1945)

ABSTRACT This paper examines the memories of Japanese teachers who worked in Korea during the colonial period. By focusing on the autobiographical narratives of three Japanese primary school teachers who worked in rural Korea between 1931 and 1945, this study aims to unpack the relatively under-studied aspects of colonialism. Their narratives carried personal histories regarding their choice to study and work in Korea, the nature of their relationship with Korean children, and the memories of the political and cultural atmosphere at schools in pre-war Korea. These memoirs were accounts of Japanese colonialism through the “Japanese eyes”. As they intimately interacted with the local community and students, their memories were multifaceted and complicated; these were not simply apologetic or nostalgic but involved particular social relations that they had experienced in Korea. In this paper, I attempted to shed light on the reconstruction of the grander narrative of pre- and post-war educational history in the region by looking at the complexity of their “reflected” memories.

日本における小・中・高校生の自尊感情の実態―性別と学年による違い―

日本における小・中・高校生の自尊感情の実態―性別と学年による違い―

Validation of the Physical Activity Questions in the World Health Organization Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Survey Using Accelerometer Data in Japanese Children and Adolescents.

An international physical activity (PA) questionnaire is beneficial to make cross-country comparisons among children and adolescents. This study assesses the validity of the PA questions in the World Health Organization Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (WHO HBSC) survey in Japanese children and adolescents. Participants were fifth- to sixth-grade Japanese primary school students (67 students aged 10.8 [0.5]y) and first- to third-grade junior high school students (108 students aged 13.0 [0.7]y). The Japanese version of the PA questions in the WHO HBSC (WHO HBSC-J) was used. To assess the validity of the PA questions, the authors used a partial correlation adjusted for sex, age, and relative weight between the answers to the survey questions and objectively measured moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) by an accelerometer. A significant positive correlation was found between accelerometer-measured MVPA and the number of reported days with at least 60 minutes/day of MVPA in primary school students (r = .39, P = .002) and junior high school students (r = .32, P < .001). The HBSC-J has moderate validity for evaluating MVPA in Japanese primary school and junior high school students.

Nutrient adequacy of Japanese schoolchildren on days with and without a school lunch by household income.

BackgroundEvidence for whether the nutrient intakes of Japanese schoolchildren differ according to household income is sparse.ObjectiveWe investigated the role of school lunches for nutrient adequacy among Japanese primary school children using dietary reference intakes in a cross-sectional survey.DesignParticipants were 10- to 11-year-old (5th grade) children from 19 public primary schools in four prefectures of East Japan, and 836 children were analyzed. The participants completed 24-h dietary records with photographs of their meals for 4 consecutive days, composed of 2 days with and 2 days without a school lunch. −Children’s household income was obtained from questionnaires that were completed by the participants’ guardians and divided into the following three categories: low (0.2236–2.2361 million yen; n = 319), middle (2.3333–2.8868 million yen; n = 194), and high (3.1305–6.3640 million yen; n = 323). Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds ratios for whether participants had poor nutrient intakes, with adjustment for confounders.ResultsOn days without a school lunch, the prevalence of nutrient shortages was significantly higher compared with those on days with a school lunch for most macro- and micronutrients among all three levels of household income. Children from low-income households had higher rates of nutrient shortages for vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, K, Mg, P, Fe, and Zn than those from middle-income households on days without a school lunch (P = 0.004, 0.001, 0.001, 0.006, 0.037, <0.001, and 0.015, respectively), but those differences were not significant on days with a school lunch.ConclusionThe findings suggest that school lunches are important for achieving adequate nutrient intakes in schoolchildren and reduce disparities of adequate nutrient intake by household income levels.