Starting from Zero English: Results and Practical Challenges
I enrolled my child in this school as their first school. The curriculum is well-developed, which was good for building a foundation. Even though my child couldn't speak English initially, thanks to the EAL (English supplementary class), they were able to communicate in English to some extent within less than a year. However, because this is an easy-entry school, there are many Japanese students, and if left alone, the children tend to stick together with other Japanese students. As a result, unless the child has a very strong will, it's difficult for them to actually become proficient in English. Particularly compared to children who have been attending since nursery or early grades, those who started around third grade tend to have a stronger sense of Japanese language, so I get the impression they struggle with switching to English. Additionally, I've heard about conflicts that are unique to environments with many Japanese students, so some caution is necessary in that regard. While the school's response itself isn't bad, tuition has been rising steadily, so honestly, I don't feel the cost-effectiveness is good. That said, if you think of it as "a starting point to first get accustomed to English," it's not a bad choice in terms of environment.
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