Natural English Children learn most of their first language by interacting with their parents and siblings. There is a clear reason for communicating, and the context is always real and meaningful. From a language acquisition perspective, having other children who speak the target language is a valuable element to encourage rapid learning. We strive constantly to help our students help each other to build a community of English speakers. Team Teaching Informed by the best language teaching methodologies and linguistic research, our teachers select appropriate techniques for each group based on the particular needs and learning styles of their students. A basic premise of our education philosophy is that all children carry within themselves the person they will become. We believe that children have unique aptitudes, interests and learning styles, which we value and work to help emerge and flourish. To fully capitalize on each child's uniqueness, our classes are taught by a team (made up of a native English speaking teacher and a bilingual native Japanese teacher) that works together to meet the emotional, social, intellectual, and physical needs of each student. Phonics Language is constructed through an array of increasingly complex systems. The most basic skill required to learn these is to be able to recognize the fundamental sound units (phonemes) of the target language. In Japanese, the syllables that make up "kana" are the beginning of being able to read "kanji" (i.e., 国 can be pronounced 「kuni」or 「koku」depending on the usage. The Roman (English) alphabet has a similar problem, as the same letter can be pronounced different ways depending on the word; i.e., the letter 「a」 is pronounced differently in "cat" and "Kate" and "caught". For this reason, children can learn to read more quickly if they are taught all the possible ways to say each letter as they learn it. This teaching system is called "phonics". Total Physical Response Research has shown that most people - especially children - learn information and remember it longer if they use several senses. When it is possible, therefore, reading aloud is a better way to remember than just reading in silence. However, being able to physically act out part what is being communicated makes the learning process far more effective. This teaching method is called Total Physical Response (TPR). In order to learn there must be concentration. A child concentrates best by fixing his attention on a specific, purposeful task he is performing with his hands, such as games, puzzles, cooking, science projects, and crafts. Activities with a tangible outcome are often referred to as task-based. These types of activities stimulate learners and lead them to their own discovery. Dolch Words Although phonics is a powerful tool for shortening the time it takes for children to learn to read, this is only the beginning. Students need to recognize a large number of words automatically. (For example, when taking a shower, a person only needs to read the 「sh」 or 「ri」 to know which is "shampoo" or "rinse", respectively. The rest of the word just "appears" in the mind, which is why fluent readers of any language can read quickly. Without instant recognition of many words, reading can be a slow and frustration activity, but after memorizing even a few of the most common words, reading can be an exciting and confidence building cycle. The list of approximately 1000 of the most common words in English is called the "Dolch words", named after the man who compiled it, Edward Dolch. Nagoya, English, preschool, pre-school, bilingual, bi-lingual, school, Aichi, English school, Chikusa, American, Canadian, Canada, international, international school, international preschool, preschool in Japan, preschool in Aichi, preschool in Nagoya, education, kids education, daycare, kindergarden, kindergarten, international kindergarden, international kindergarten, international daycare Copyright © Kakuozan International Preschool. All Rights Reserved.