Mirai Inc. (Headquarters: Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture; President: Akira Senoo) is pleased to announce the launch of a new course at its English conversation school, The Bohme English Academy ボームイングリッシュアカデミー, where students can learn English conversation communication enjoyably using board games.

Amid rapid globalization, English education has become an extremely important issue in Japan, where English classes have been made compulsory in elementary schools since the 2020 academic year. According to the EF EPI English Proficiency Index, which benchmarks English skills in 112 countries worldwide, Japan ranked 78th in 2021, significantly lower than neighboring countries. One reason cited is the traditional focus on passive learning centered on reading and writing, prompting ongoing reforms in educational methods.

At Bohme English Academy, the focus is on practical English communication, emphasizing being understood and enhancing spontaneous conversational skills rather than merely mastering grammar and difficult vocabulary. The approach encourages students to speak first, even if imperfectly, and improve through experience, thereby cultivating English as a practical communication tool.

The newly launched Gamification Course allows learners to casually and playfully study English conversation through board games, of which there are approximately 100,000 varieties worldwide. Each session sets themes such as vocabulary, spontaneity, or negotiation skills, and games are selected according to the class’s English level and each individual’s learning goals, providing an optimal environment tailored to each student.

Furthermore, in today’s VUCA era—characterized by declining labor populations due to low birthrates and aging, slow economic growth, and various uncertainties—the importance of education fostering individual purpose and leadership is growing. Bohme is also developing curricula designed to create such goals collaboratively, aiming to expand these initiatives in the future.

What is Gamification?

Gamification refers to applying game design elements and principles to non-game contexts. It is a communication method used for various objectives, such as enhancing participant engagement and developing skills through gameplay. Many studies on gamification have shown it to have positive effects on participants despite individual and contextual differences.
 

Why Board Games?

There are about 100,000 types of board games worldwide, each requiring various communication skills. These include negotiation and strategic interaction, team decision-making discussions for achieving goals, vocabulary for verbalizing abstract ideas, and conversations from multiple perspectives. Introducing English conversation through a casual gateway like games lowers the barrier to learning English, which is often seen as difficult, leading to increased adoption of board games in English language education in recent years.
 

Contact & Consultation

Consulting Division Senior Manager Takeshi Fujii Phone: 082-535-5231 Email: takeshi.fujii@go-mirai.jp