In this world always transforming through globalization and diversification, we feel there is the need for our children, who will be carrying the weight of the new era on their shoulders, to hold the power to break through the future with their own strength. This is why the concept of our After School Program is to make the best use of the know-how and achievements of Global Step Academy International School coupled with the experience, knowledge, and network of the entertainment company AMUSE to offer a unique education based on English and sports.
Encouraging creativity and critical thinking
We developed a unique program that puts together the application of STEM Sports®, based on the STEM education method, and the Global Step Academy concept of developing creative thinking through the power of movement.
Enhancing communication and mutual understanding
With the union of English and sports as a focal point, we aim for the improvement of our students’ social and emotional skill control. Students will be able to learn through the experiences they will share with their classmates under the supervision of experienced instructors.
Learning through practical experiences
Thanks to the cooperation of instructors and organizations specialized in physical education, sports and study camps, we were able to create a unique program that you won’t find anywhere else.
Furthering knowledge through online learning
Making use of our after school together with the Global Step Academy Online School Program is an efficient way to facilitate your children’s English learning. Regularly thinking in English will enhance their ability to take initiative independently.
Skills
Creativity and Critical Thinking
It is difficult to make predictions about the future of our society, which means that our children will be required to have the ability to think in a creative way to live in it. Practicing a non-verbal activity, such as sports, in an international environment while attending a language program unique to international schools is a good way to train the power of imagination and the ability to think.
Empathy and Mutual Understanding
Through our after school program, your child will have the opportunity to come in contact with new friends and teachers coming from very different backgrounds. This is a great chance to improve their communication skills and their understanding and trust in others, and therefore their future possibilities, by sharing the same objectives and achievements in team sports.
Individuality
Our after school program is full of new exciting challenges that are going to be a chance for personal growth, prompting children to think by themselves, developing self-confidence and discovering their own personality.
Our Curriculum
Our English program is based on SUPER GLOBAL, developed by Global Step Academy. SUPER GLOBAL offers high-quality international education that aims to build future possibilities and new educational opportunities for the global citizens of the 21st century.
They say it takes 2000 hours to learn English. To master English communication and acquire sound international awareness, it’s important to strengthen the four skills of “listening” “speaking” “reading” and “writing” for more than two hours, two times a week. By doing so, you can develop the necessary English skills for the two areas of “Production” (expressing one’s thinking into words) and “Interaction” (conversational exchange).
To know English means thinking in English, learning in English, and using English to move forward. In order to to do so, the most important skills to acquire are: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.
Listening
In the after school environment, children will be able to absorb English sounds by hearing the native teachers speak. They will pick up English in a similar way to their first language, which is learned naturally from daily conversation.
Reading
Children familiar with phonics will be able to read words even if they see them for the first time. Reading will give them a chance to deepen their interest in scientific, geographic, and historical subjects as well as global issues. Children will develop high reading skills through lessons that encourage logical thinking.
Speaking
Children will learn how to express their thoughts in English thanks to 1 on 1 lesson sessions with a teacher specialized in language teaching. Students will train their English speaking skills by making discussions, argumentations, and efforts to understand each other.
Writing
Learning phonics is a way to approach writing in a fun way, without worrying about the spelling. Children will be challenged to write essays and compositions following the 3 steps of Draft, Writing, Editing.
Level Textbook Reading Workshop Objective
Beginner National Geographic Learning "LOOK" Preparation for Lexile levels depending on the child’s skills Students know the alphabet and can write. They can answer simple questions about their daily life and themselves. They can recognize words from a text, remember information, put events in order and make deductions from sentences they read.
Intermediate National Geographic Learning "Our World" Expected Lexile score of 290L~500L Students understand the grammar and are able to engage in polite conversation. They can ask and answer questions with appropriate phrasal construction.
Explorer National Geographic Learning "Our World" Expected Lexile score of more than 390L
Students mastered reading comprehension and are able to make presentations following a theme.
The Lexile index is a numerical value system developed in the United States for native speakers, which objectively indicates the level of reading comprehension ability and the difficulty of written compositions. It can be used as a reference to find a text compatible with each student’s own reading proficiency level. The higher the score, the higher the level.
Develop an inquisitive mind with National Geographic Learning
National Geographic Learning materials are used in more than 180 countries all around the world by over 8 million students. It is an academic journal carrying contents about geography, anthropology, nature, environmental studies, popular science, history, and culture. In our after-school program, the first in Japan to focus on National Geographic Learning, you can hone your English skills in this innovative way.
Time to learn English: “between 3000 and 5000 hours”
As Professor Wako Nakashima from Toronto University and Professor Terence Odlin from Ohio State University demonstrated with their research, “between 3000 and 5000 hours” is the standard time needed to acquire English competence. In Japan, after the educational reform of 2020, in elementary schools English hours were increased to 630. What about the 2370 hours left to reach the standard 3000? That is why additional English learning opportunities are so important.
The importance of reading comprehension
Our program focuses on teaching how fun it is to read. In order to succeed in language learning, constant reading practice is extremely important. By reading, children will come across a richer vocabulary and deepen their understanding of English in relation to their mother tongue. During their learning journey, children will discover many new words. However, after developing their reading comprehension, it will become progressively easier to grasp the meaning of new words from the context. Reading aloud will give them confidence in their speaking and help with intonation and pronunciation. Listening to the teacher or other students reading will help them acquire active listening skills by remembering the content of a story, putting the events in sequence, and making guesses about the characters’ emotions and circumstances. Through reading practice, students will be able to acquire rich knowledge and find their favorite book genre. Having a conspicuous reading experience in childhood will bear fruits for their whole lifetime!
SRA Reading and BOB Books Reading Materials
SRA Readers are teaching materials by the company McGraw Hill, one of America’s largest schooling publishers. This series is an introduction to reading, which uses suitable and simple phrases, comprehension quizzes, and vocabulary composition questions. Using these materials, students will gradually advance in their Lexile score.
Our program combines SRA Readers with BOB Books. BOB Books use consonant, vowel, consonant words patterns to simplify the blending of sounds for children. Students who read BOB Books will get to know many sight words (recurring words that do not follow phonetic rules) and improve reading fluency and confidence.
Reading A-Z (Raz-Kids)
Raz-Kids is an online English library that offers “Listening”, “Reading”, and “Recording” tools. They are supplementary materials that students can use autonomously at home. Raz-kids has 29 levels and 500 books, and it is used all around the world. After selecting the appropriate level, students will be able to both read independently or listen to a native speaker reading stories. They will also be able to record and listen to their reading to improve pronunciation.
Feedback on Seesaw
We use the “Seesaw” app to let parents know about lesson contents and the topics your child is learning about. Seesaw is used in 25,000 schools in the United States (¼ of American schools) to share lessons and projects between students, parents, and teachers. We will share reports and monthly assessments, together with the current Lexile score.
Sports Academy Programs
Physical Education/Fitness
Our sports program follows the concept implemented in most International Schools and IB (International Baccalaureate) of “moving your body while thinking and using your head”. In this program, children will run, do mat exercises, dance, improve their coordination through fitness, and play team games.
STEM Sports®
STEM Sports is a special program based upon America’s Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), America Common Core, sports, and STEM education. Its purpose is to boost students’ logical thinking and reasoning through sports.
※This program is available at the Tachikawa campus only.
Golden Age Program
The term “Golden Age” refers to the period when the neural system of children, typically between the ages of 10 and 12, experiences the most significant development. Particularly, from the age of 3 to 8, it is called the “Pre-Golden Age,” during which children acquire fundamental motor skills through play and various physical activities.
Our Golden Age program is based on BUDDY’s experience in the field, and incorporates the principles of coordination. We will provide various sports and activities that promote physical health and holistic learning while fostering the children’s overall body and mind development.
*This program is available at the Fukuoka Chikushino campus only.
Schedule
Tuition
| Schedule | Tuition | Facility/Materials | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lesson a week | ¥14,300 | ¥5,500 | ¥19,800 |
| 2 lessons a week | ¥25,300 | ¥5,500 | ¥30,800 |
| 3 lessons a week | ¥39,600 | ¥5,500 | ¥45,100 |
| 4 lessons a week | ¥52,800 | ¥5,500 | ¥58,300 |
| 5 lessons a week | ¥63,800 | ¥5,500 | ¥69,300 |
Admission Fees: ¥55,000
■Siblings Discount
A 10% discount on monthly tuition is available for siblings (from the second enrolled students onwards).
■Partner Discount
A 10% discount on monthly tuition and free admission fees are available for students from BUDDY SPORTS KINDERGARTEN (Fukuoka Chikushino campus only).
■Seasonal Programs Discount
GSA after school students are eligible for a 20% discount on all seasonal programs organized by Global Step Academy Group (Summer School, Winter School, Spring School). Find out more about seasonal programs here.
Locations
6-14-26 Shibasaki-cho, Tachikawa City, Tokyo.
※10 minute walk from JR Tachikawa Station.
※1 minute walk from Tama Monorail Line Shibasaki Taiikukan Station.
