Oita Japan, International school, Nursery school, English conversation, Oita international pre-school

On April 1st 2008 Oita International Preschool opens its doors for the first time.
The first day of school for most preschoolers, separated from their mothers for the first time, is a day of loneliness and anxiety.
However add to this the fact that their teacher speaks a language they don’t understand and looks like no one they have ever met before, it was a frightening experience for the majority of the kids.
The native English teacher could not even go near half the children without them bursting into tears.
It was a long first month, but as one month turned into two and then three, the children now comfortable with their teacher and their new surroundings began blurting out English words like “here”, “thank you”, “good morning” and “see you.”
It was very amusing to watch two and three year olds who only several weeks ago were arriving in tears now arrive at school with smiles on their faces and greeting the teaching staff with cheerful good mornings.

 

 

At the end of July children from other kindergartens and preschools in Oita city and even from a neighboring prefecture gathered at OIP for our month-long Summer School. The children’s level of English ability ranged from beginner to semi-advanced.
A carefully prepared curriculum ensured positive development was achieved by all the children. Throughout the summer, a large emphasis was also placed on developing the children’s sense of independence.
On the various field trips we went on, we always used the public transit system.
This was a great experience as most of the children had never ridden a city bus or commuter train before.
Children who embarrassed easily or who were reluctant to ask about the unknown were by the end of the program confidently speaking and asking questions in English.
On the last day of Summer School, the children re-enacted they story book “Five Little Monkeys” and the marvelous progress they made was obvious for everyone to see.

 

 

During the summer of 2008 OIP was host to a group of education board members and teachers from Korea. After watching an OIP lesson, the Korean teachers took over and taught a lesson of their own.
After a little initial confusion, all the children were soon having fun.
Korean educators have emphasized the importance of the English immersion education system and the visit was a great chance to exchange ideas and opinions. Our discussion with the teachers included such topics as ‘Why should English education start in childhood?’, ‘How to raise bilingual children’ and continual teacher training. According to the Korean teachers, childhood English education has become commonplace in their country and the number of Korean families choosing to immigrate to English speaking countries has been increasing. The visit was a very memorable experience for all those who participated.

 

 

In October OIP’s first international students enrolled and the teaching staff soon found themselves confronted by a communication barrier as the children’s native language was neither English nor Japanese.
Having studied abroad when I was a high school student, totally immersed in an English environment, I know firsthand the feeling of frustration at not being able to communicate with others.
At first I was concerned about our new students, but sure enough they had adapted to the new environment quickly. My sense of relief however was not without exception. When one of our Japanese children is warned by one of our native English teachers, and if that child does not understand, one of the Japanese staff members can explain the warning in the child’s native language and an understanding can be achieved. The problem we now faced was how do we warn a child who does not understand English or for that matter Japanese.
The children’s native language is Portuguese, and even though they have been learning English quickly since joining I soon realized that it would be necessary to learn some basic Portuguese. I am studying Portuguese now, as the children have temporarily returned to their native country. By the time they get back myself and the rest of the staff will have prepared an environment to better meet the children’s needs.

 

 

At the end of October, the children experienced their first Halloween. Halloween is our second largest event of the year, Christmas being the first.
The festivities began with pumpkin carving. Some of the children were shocked to see the giant orange pumpkins, some even larger than the children themselves.
“Yuck” and “Stinky” were just some of the words the children used to describe their first pumpkin carving experience. The children worked very hard and created some amazing Jack-o-lanterns.
The following weekend, the children came to school dressed in costumes and we went Trick or Treating in Takemachi. The children had a fantastic time visiting the shops and collecting chocolate and candy. Their laughter and eager shouts of “Trick or Treat” echoed throughout the shopping center.
OIP would like to thank all the parents and the shop keepers of Takemachi whose support and cooperation made this event an outstanding success.

 

 

Christmas is the largest event in the school’s calendar and in December the students and their families all gathered together for OIP’s first Christmas Concert and Dinner Party.
As the majority of the children had only been enrolled for two months, the amount of preparation time was limited, however the children put on a fabulous performance considering the circumstances.
Just as amazing as the concert, were the children themselves the following day. The OIP teaching staff was pleasantly surprised when they greeted students who arrived at school with a newly discovered sense of composure and confidence only a day after the concert.
It is our hope that through unique opportunities and experiences like our Christmas Concert and Dinner Party our students will obtain precious skills that will help them as they grow.

 

I started studying English when I was a junior high school student and I was very fortunate to participate in several international exchanges and homestays.
In Oita it might not be obvious yet but the number of people able to speak English is increasing. However I am often asked when traveling overseas, “Nearly all Japanese people have studied English for at least six years (junior high and high school).
So why are there so few people who can actually speak English?”
Among other Asian countries Japan is famous for its shortage of English speaking citizenry. I often wonder what the cause of this may be. Is it the fact that most students begin by studying the more tedious parts of the language like grammar?
The first impression of a language is a very important. A good first impression can create motivation and curiosity. On the other hand a bad first impression will cause most to abandon the subject entirely.
In an enjoyable low pressure environment children can learn English naturally through playing and everyday activities.
As globalization continues to progress, a comprehensive understanding of English and the uninhibited ability to use it will be a prerequisite for success in the near future.
So why not give your child a head start?
Oita International Preschool takes great pride in teaching the children who will become the international generation of the future. Thank you for taking the time to read this.