Robots land in English lessons in Japan ahead of new curriculum

TOKYO - An increasing number of elementary schools are using robots and artificial intelligence in their English classes.

The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry is planning to encourage elementary schools to introduce such devices ahead of the implementation of new curriculum guidelines, which will officially make English a subject to be taught in the upper grades.

Humanoid robot Nao greeted 19 third-grade students at Meiji Elementary School in Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, in mid-September, saying: "How are you?"