Why JLIP?

Our programme supports bilingualism from the crucial age of 2.5 years through 6 years old. You may be living in Japan for a few years and hope to give your child an enriched cultural experience. Other families are multi-cultural/Japanese and wish their children to maintain a healthy grounding of both Japanese and English, prior to moving on to Elementary School. We also have foreign parents who share a long history with Japan and are hoping that their children will further their Japanese studies.

Curriculum

Language Arts & Early Literacy

Catering to a range of English and Japanese proficiencies, all children will be assessed when entering and tasks will be set appropriately. It is often necessary to use native language to establish understanding, and our teachers seamlessly toggle between English and Japanese accordingly.

For the Language Arts modules, Jolly Phonics is replaced by the equivalent Japanese Language (Hiragana) reading and writing scheme. We use visual cues, tracing, ‘KARUTA' (a Japanese Hiragana recognition card game) and games.

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Included in the Japanese Language Arts syllabus are:

• Personal introductions and greetings
• Polite words, manners and formalities
• Common verbs, adjectives and nouns
• Question and answer forms
• Age-appropriate vocabularies, such as family members and likes/dislikes
• Children's’ songs and well-known stories

Mathematics

Mathematics is taught in Japanese following the same lesson plans as the Butterfly classroom. The Japanese language employs a rather complex set of vocabulary specifically used for counting, and the children will be exposed to many memorable examples.

Arts & Crafts

Over the year the children enjoy origami (including making mobiles and large scale/group origami), kirie (paper cutting), temari (Chinese style silk balls) and washi (making our own paper). If extending to afternoon classes (Aspace) children can also take part in sumi-e and shodou (ink drawing and calligraphy).

Culture & Customs

Through the study of Japanese festivals (O-matsuri), children experience games, customs, dance, dress up, and celebrations with the local community. We follow all the traditional Japanese dates including Midori no Hi (the Showa Emperor's Birthday), Kodomo no Hi (Children's Day), Hana Matsuri (the Buddha's Birthday), Tanabata (Japanese Star Festival) and many more!

Children love the cooking classes, learning the names of many Japanese foods and ingredients.

Special Events

The children enjoy a visit to the senior citizens in the community, cultural exchanges, and day trips to special places of interest like the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, and picnics like O-Hana Mi (the cherry blossom viewing). Parents are welcome to join these events.

Snack Time

At snack time we reinforce appropriate manners and learn polite phrases, with guidelines to all the table faux pas. They will learn how to use O-hashi (chopsticks), wash hands, set the table, help each other with chairs and food, and brush their teeth afterwards.

We ask that parents provide all children with an Obento furoshiki (lunch box napkin/decorative wrapping) so that we can wrap their lunch box/catered lunch box up for them prior to lunch. This will teach them how to tie and fold a furoshiki, and give the lunch time a very distinct Japanese flavour. We also ask that all children bring in a full O Hashi Setto (chopsticks, spoon, fork).

Sports

In addition to the Butterfly curriculum, we use some equipment common in Japan, like skipping and jumping rope (nawaotobi) and games well-practised by Japanese children will also be learned like ayatori ('Cat's Cradle').

Daily Schedule

8:45-9:00	Free Play
9:00-9:20	Morning Activity
9:20-9:50	Circle Time
9:50-10:00	Snack Time
10:00-10:15	Game/Origami/Story
10:15-10:45	Gym Time
10:45-11:15	Hiragana/Culture
11:15-11:45	Art
11:45-12:30	Lunch Time
12:30-12:45	Tidy up, wash hands and Stretch (Clean Up song)
12:45-13:15	Japanese Language Arts
13:15-13:40	Discussion, Story Time and Pick Up Time

Our Japanese Team

The JLIP is headed by our charismatic and bilingual sensei, Misa Irino. Together with her task force of native Japanese speakers, she leads the children through a fabulous curriculum.

What comes after JLIP?

On the Bugs’ floor (Reception and Year 1), the focus is on English and an International School curriculum prior to elementary school/shōgakkō. To balance this shift, we offer Before School Japanese and individual after-school support classes catered towards your child’s needs.