Motivating Upper Elementary Learners through Task-Based Activities: A Consideration of Revised English Textbooks in Japan’s Elementary Foreign Language Education

Following the 2017 revision of the Course of Study by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), English became an official subject for fifth and sixthgrade students in 2020. During the transitional period, MEXT provided We Can! as provisional material, and from 2020 onward, seven publishers issued authorized textbooks. In 2024, revised editions were introduced to enhance communicative competence through more meaningful tasks. However, increased vocabulary and complex structures have created challenges for learners, who often participate without full comprehension. This study focuses on Junior Sunshine 5 and Junior Sunshine 6 (Kairyudo) and explores how taskbased activities can enhance motivation and comprehension. Drawing on classroom observations and sample activities, it proposes practical ways to support meaningful engagement even when input exceeds learners’ proficiency.