As children reach the age of 6 and are about to enter elementary school, many families begin to wonder, “What should they learn now?” This time, I would like to organize the points you should keep in mind as you prepare for admission.
1. Skills you need to have before starting school
When children start elementary school, the time they spend sitting and listening to lessons and thinking about their own work increases all at once.
The important foundation for this isnumber sense、ability to write letters,andAttitude to concentrate and work until the endis. Rather than special advance learning, the goal during this period is to complete these foundations without difficulty.
2. Commonly seen around age 6
for example,I can have a conversation without any problems, but when I try to write a picture diary, the pencil stops working.、I can do simple addition, but when I add carry, I suddenly get stuck.This is a common sight at this time of year.
It’s easy to worry about these points when you see how much time you have left before starting school, but each of them is nothing special, and most of them will fall into place naturally through repeated practice.
3. What is important in the Children’s Club’s 6-year-old course
In the children’s club’s 6-year-old course,“Calculation of rising and falling”We will work on this and develop a sense of calculating while being conscious of 10 groups.“Pointillism”In this activity, children will develop their ability to concentrate and move their hands carefully through an activity where they complete a picture by connecting the dots with lines. Also“Development diagram”In this teaching material, children will develop their ability to perceive space through the experience of folding flat shapes to create three-dimensional objects.
In terms of reading and writing,“Picture diary”They will also study basic kanji and practice expressing their experiences in Japanese. When living overseas, opportunities to write in Japanese tend to be limited, but I value the experience of writing even short sentences in my own words.
At the same time, we place importance on developing good attitudes in daily life, such as sitting and listening for a set amount of time and listening to instructions until the end before taking action. In addition to working on learning materials, we are also trying to naturally introduce students to lifestyle habits such as greetings, managing belongings, and following order. Through teaching materials that require concentration, such as pointillism and development drawings, we are also accumulating the experience of “following through to the end.” The image is to achieve a good balance between both knowledge and daily life.
4. Finishing ideas you can do at home
At home, small efforts such as writing down what happened that day in Japanese, even just a few words, and enjoying dot-to-dot drills and puzzles together, can be helpful. Rather than trying to “finish it perfectly,” try to focus on gaining experience in “taking it all the way to the end.”
5. Frequently asked questions
Q. Is the 6-year-old course meaningful even if my child plans to attend a local elementary school or an inter-school?
A. Yes. Regardless of whether you go to a local school, an inter-school, or a Japanese school, the skills you want to develop during this period (number sense, writing ability, concentration) are common, so the content is meaningful. Regardless of where you go to college, setting aside time to be exposed to Japanese will serve as a foundation for when you want to improve your Japanese language skills later on.
Q. At what level do you start learning kanji?
A. We will start at a level that is comfortable for you, depending on your child’s current Japanese ability, so even children who are learning kanji for the first time can participate with confidence.
Q. There are only a few months left until my child starts elementary school, but is it still enough to start now?
A. Even in the remaining period, there are many things that can be fixed by prioritizing and working on them. First of all, we will provide you with a free consultation based on your current situation.
6. For those who are concerned about their child’s condition
In preparation for entering elementary school, how much your child has learned at this stage and what should be prioritized will vary depending on the child. Rather than trying to “make everything perfect,” if you just sort out what to prioritize at this point, it will be much easier to see how you will spend the rest of your life. If you are interested, we offer a free consultation for individual information.