Courses
Lessons are held once a week on set days and times, except on determined holidays (please see the lesson calendar).
Classes are available Thursday and Saturday in Himi city, and Tuesday and Friday in Fuchuu machi.
The capacity of all classes is 4-6 people (the STEM course is the exception).
Foundation Course
Target age: 4-7 years, kindergarteners / elementary lower grades
Target level: beginner
Students are emerged in the fundamentals of English. This is to say, we focus on phonics, teaching the alphabet as it is taught in English-speaking countries. In this way, you can learn to read, spell, and speak just like a native-speaker. No katakana! With phonics when you come across unknown words, you will be able to intuitively read them and even write them most of the time without additional memorization.
Students will also dabble in basic vocabulary and grammar years ahead of the elementary school curriculum.
We will capture your attention with lots of exciting activities that make learning English fun, such as simple games, songs, and crafts. Now, at this young age, is not only the easiest time to learn a new language but also the best time to develop a love for it.
Kids Course
Target age: 6-14 years, elementary / junior high school students
Target level: beginner – intermediate
In the kids course, we practice phonics so that it isn’t forgotten, but the focus here is learning vocabulary and grammar. We start your education off with language often used in daily life and then shift to conversational language particularly useful when abroad.
We use carefully selected workbooks to teach English in a way that we think conveys English at a higher level, yet is fun and easy to understand. We also provide homework and online materials to practice English more at home.
Elementary school aged children still benefit greatly when English games are used in teaching, so we incorporate fun communication-based activities in every lesson to effectively train your listening and speaking skills. Then as you level up and get older, activities are replaced with free-talk.
Eikaiwa Course
Target age: 12+ years, junior high and high school students / adults
Target level: beginner – advanced
This course is meant for those who want to train their English communication skills through real conversation. Therefore, free talk is heavily utilized, as well as conversational activities.
For young students and lower level adults, or for anyone who would like to focus on learning new language, we can also use textbooks to delve more into the practical conversational aspects of English grammar, from the basics to the nuances that are brushed over or skipped in public schools.
Because adults often have varied English levels as well as reasons for learning English, we will customize lessons to the needs of each student. For example, we can focus on reading, preparing for tests, or topics of your choosing such as travel or work. Whether you are 12 or 72, or your English level is beginner or advanced, you can improve your English in this course.
S.T.E.M. English Lab
Target age: 6-14 years, elementary / junior high school students
Target level: beginner – intermediate
Our lessons nurture the “power to learn” and the “power to live” as students study a wide range of STEM subjects. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math, however we broadly categorize the topics as either science or crafts. Using English, we will conduct experiments and build projects together.
Students will mainly learn not from a book nor from a teacher, but from their own discovery. We will let nature teach you through experiential learning and trial-and-error, allowing you to also improve your problem-solving ability and technical skill. Moreover, experiments and crafts will largely be completed in groups to encourage communication and teamwork. These are soft skills which are often overlooked but still critical for success.
In this course, English learning takes place primarily through language immersion. This is a method of teaching English wherein other subjects are taught with English as the medium of instruction. Therefore, lessons will be conducted in English whenever possible. And all materials will be printed in English. In addition, English vocabulary relevant to the topic will be taught directly and students will be encouraged to use English when they present their results.
With that being said, the STEM English Lab is not a complete English course. The content is of course mainly focused around science, etc. So a sufficient level of English understanding is recommended to be able to fully benefit from the STEM course. Therefore, we recommend taking the Kids course in addition to the STEM course. We will provide a 4000 yen per month discount to students who enroll in both courses.
“With nature as a teacher, English as a guide, together let’s discover!”
-Science-
Students will study the following subjects through experimentation to develop their rational and scientific thinking.
- physics
- chemistry
- geology
- astronomy
- biology
We will use the scientific method to make predictions, report findings, and support them with reasoning. You’ll demonstrate these ideas in group discussions, written reports, and research presentations. Sometimes students will even be asked to design experiments and write the procedures on their own in order to promote scientific thinking. Scientific thinking is rational thinking, so developing a science background can help lead to success in almost any aspect of life.
-Crafts-
Students will experience the following industries through hands-on work to develop their technical and creative skills.
- construction and engineering
- manufacturing and handicrafts
- agriculture
- bushcraft and primitive technology
- food processing
As the society develops and the population declines, knowledge and skills in the primary and secondary sectors of the economy (i.e. harvesting and manufacturing) are becoming lost. We aim to instill the value of those trades once again and preserve traditional craftsmanship. Similarly, as products become more expensive, more people are taking an interest in being able to acquire from nature, and make by only their own hands, the things that they need. Likewise we aim to promote self-sufficiency, and at the same time, appreciation of nature.
- The STEM course is currently in development but we expect it to be ready to open soon so please join the waitlist now!
- The STEM course is only available on Saturday mornings.
- Because group work is emphasized or sometimes required, the course is exclusively offered as a group lesson and the class capacity is raised higher than in the English courses.
- For some lessons, I think I would like to go on local field trips. On those days, I ask that you drop-off and pick-up students at the field trip location. Later I’m planning on having a classroom in the mountains so we won’t have to go on field trips.