How are the new 5th/6th grade English classes?

[OsakaAmerican]

I'm a mostly-translation work CIR, doing a summer English class for 5th and 6th grader this week. I've worked with kids now and again, but this is the first time actually teaching English to them. It's Day 1, and I'm already struck by the huge range of ability even within my very small class.

So I wanted to ask those of you who have had experience with the new 5th/6th grade English curriculum... How is it going? I remember it was all over the news as it was being started, but I can't find anything that resembles a progress report since it's been implemented. I realize that it's been summer break so it's only really been about 3 months, but I'd be interested to know the thoughts/impressions of anyone who has experienced it first-hand so far.

[Ebi]

For me, the curriculum started this spring wasn't actually "new" since I'd already been teaching 5th and 6th grade almost every week. However, elementary school lessons are yet another ESID situation. One of my schools prepares lessons for me, occasionally taking ideas from Eigo Note, and I'll just follow their instructions once I get there. My other school leaves lesson planing entirely up to me, but it's expected that I will follow Eigo Note for the most part.

If your school uses Eigo Note, then I highly recommend checking out this blog: http://www.eigonoteblog.com/ If they don't, then I'd ask them what sort of topics they'd like you to teach and go from there. Try to get the homeroom teachers involved as much as possible if you can. If you need materials, some of the worksheets and flashcards from this website might be helpful: http://hapilab.obunsha.co.jp/material/index.html

[Crowbeak]

I'm a first year JET, so I've only been using Eigo Note since mid-August. However, I think it's a pretty excellent curriculum. MEXT's goals for compulsory 5/6th grade foreign language (almost exclusively English, so that's what I'm calling it) curriculums is familiarity with spoken English presented in a fun way so that the students will come out with a positive attitude towards foreign language learning. I don't know if you've looked at the Eigo Note teacher's guide, but it's divided up with four sessions for each lesson and the lesson plans do a good job, I think, of working towards the established goals. Some of the specific activities can be replaced with things that might be a little more fun or work better for your individual students' abilities, but if you keep the goals for each session in mind and just modify things it seems to work very well. The teacher's guide is in Japanese, but since you're a CIR you shouldn't have trouble reading it.

[OsakaAmerican]

It was just a week-long thing and happened a month ago now, but I appreciate the reply.
It's good to know that the new curriculum is going well.

[Crowbeak]

Oops. xD Oh well. Maybe another new ALT who's pulling his or her hair out will see it and be saved from stress. Or something.