IB Japan actively promotes a “student-centered” approach to language learning by accepting children as children and not teaching them as adults. The teacher creates a sense of “measured play” mixed with techniques and tactics as an on-going foundation of learning. Lessons are taught through a series of limited drills mixed with activities that raise the emotional index of wanting to learn and use English while effectively enlarging their capacity to retain more. (Learning for children is an emotional experience and not a rational one.) Activities serve as tests, the better the child learns and understands English, the better they succeed at the activity. This clearly motivates the child to want to learn. A child’s sense of reality is play not work. The child is lead towards a succession of achievable language targets.

IB JAPAN CURRICULUM

•  For our youngest students, we have our own structured curriculum with tons of support materials.

•  Elementary age students use Let's Go (4th Ed.) by Oxford Press

•  Jr. High age students use Four Corners (2nd Ed.) by Cambridge Press

•  Adult students use Interchange (5th Ed.) by Cambridge Press

•  Other supplemental textbooks (i.e. Side-by-side, Passport) are also available at the schools to meet our students' needs

IB JAPAN SCHEDULE

•  In a typical daily schedule, a teacher will see 35% of classes with children under 5 years old, 50% Elementary age and Jr. High age, and 15% adult or other. We like teaching kids!

•  Working hours are usually between 1pm and 9pm on weekdays. We are a conversation school, so the students come to see us after their regular school activities.

•  The work schedule is a full-time, 5-day, 40-hour work week. Only about 27 of those are teaching hours (not including breaks). Overtime is accrued for teaching over 1600 minutes in one week or over 8 hours in a day.

•  You have regular teaching locations and see the same students once a week, every week. There are no sudden changes to your teaching locations.

•  All lessons are under an hour (50 minutes is the maximum for 3 or more students) and class size is limited to 8 students. This allows us to give each student the right amount of time and more individual attention.