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Junior high school teacher Motoko Okubo has used the handheld DS and textbook software since May in weekly sessions focusing on vocabulary, penmanship and audio comprehension. With years of games such as Super Mario on the prohibited list, she says students weren't expecting the Nintendo welcome. "They've been using it at home playing games, so at first they were surprised they can use it at school," Okubo said. Still early in a one-year free trial period, vice principal Junko Tatsumi says results so far have been encouraging in Japan's long struggle with English language education.

I love the idea of using new and fun technologies in the classroom. However, it needs to be balanced with real teaching, and a human touch. I think the best thing teachers can do with technologies such as Nintendo DS is use them to get students using English outside of the classroom. If all the kids have a Nintendo, and enjoy using the technology, what better way could there be to get them studying at home? One of the great dangers presented by technology in the classroom is for teachers to rely on the software to be the teacher. Japanese education is way too textbook reliant as it is. Now the teacher can stand at the front of class and say, do Level 2 and I'll give you a sticker.