English Language Matters: School refusers

By October, junior high school teachers, parents, and first-year students are deep into the school year, making friends and getting used to middle school life. It all starts in April when the students are inducted into the school culture. But some don’t make it this far. Every week, I place a handout on the desk of a student I haven’t met yet. This student passed the entrance test, attended orientation, and then disappeared. Classmates ask me why I continue to put handouts on the child’s desk. I tell them every day is a new day, and we can’t forget the 不登校, futoko, classmate who may attend. I know why the student doesn’t attend, as I get updates in staff meetings and correspondence. It’s classified information, but suffice it to say, the child doesn’t attend due to interpersonal issues.

Compulsory education doesn’t equal attendance

Parents and guardians are legally required to register their children for nine years of compulsory education. However, the number of non-attending children enrolled in private high schools continues to grow, as reported by Nippon.com. Public schools also saw an uptick in school refusal after the pandemic.

That article mentions that some boards of education offer learning centers for students who can’t or won’t attend. Some years ago, when I was support staff for a school board, I was assigned to an off-campus classroom for junior high students. The center, overseen by a retired principal and staffed by psychologists and subject teachers, was a safe place for junior high students. 

A little fantasy to bring smiles to girls who've turned their backs on school - image, Canva AI

English lessons for resilience

The principal asked me to instruct six girls in English communication. They were all fans of the animated movie Brave, so I created a reading unit about the movie, Scotland, and the medieval world. Because the students were so keen on the subject, they cracked their dictionaries, helped each other with comprehension questions, and discussed the movie’s setting, characters, and plot. They’d all missed significant chunks of their English lessons, so they needed support from me and the English teacher. We watched parts of the animated movie with its mix of fantasy, family values, teenage angst, and responsibility. The girls opened up to each other and me about their struggles and hopes.

Does your municipality’s school board provide a center or classroom for students who don’t attend school?