International Early Years Curriculum

The GSAIS curriculum is rooted in the UK-based International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC).

The IEYC was launched in 2016 as the Fieldwork Education International Early Years Curriculum for children aged 2–5 years old. It is used by over 140 nurseries and early year settings, in 60 countries worldwide. The IEYC uses international best practices, holistic enquiry and play-based approaches that cover all curriculum areas including personal, social and emotional development.

Our child-centered approach encourages learning through discovery and exploration, focusing on fun, hands-on learning that is relevant to the children and nurturing their natural curiosity about the world they live in. As well as building solid foundations in literacy and numeracy, children attending GSAIS also participate in a range of special subject classes such as art, dance/hip-hop, physical education and music, all taught in English and part of our regular program. This is because we believe in the importance for children to have a wide variety of experiences in this key stage of their development, engaging them from different angles and encouraging them to grow both as individuals and as members of a group.

Our educational focus is on nurturing students to become inquisitive, well-rounded individuals through the cultivation of their intellectual, creative, personal, social, and physical abilities. We are committed to educating all of our students to be international and independent thinkers. We also focus on academic quality, an understanding of diversity, as well as language learning and communication, ethics, self-awareness and mindfulness. Our ultimate goal is for every student to gain the fundamental skill sets and knowledge to become global citizens and be well prepared to continue their education as such at the elementary school level, whether it will be at an international school or at a local school in Japan or overseas.

Jolly Phonics

Our Language Arts program is based on Jolly Phonics.

Jolly Phonics is a comprehensive program, based on the proven, fun and multi-sensory synthetic phonics method that gets children reading and writing from an early age. Jolly Phonics uses the synthetic phonics method, which means that the letter sounds are taught first, on their own, and children are then taught to blend sounds together to say (“synthesize”) the word. When writing a word they identify the sounds and write down the corresponding letters. These skills are called blending and segmenting. This means that we teach letter sounds as opposed to the alphabet.

Students practice phonics, pronunciation, reading, writing and listening by learning songs, actions and stories.

Both stages of Jolly Phonics and Grammar are covered in our main program.

1. Phonics Stage: the letter sounds are taught in a fun, multi-sensory way. Children learn how to use the letter sounds to read and write words.

2. Grammar Stage: the structure of the language is taught. This includes parts of speech, spelling, punctuation, and more. Children learn how to express themselves accurately and well.

Main Subjects

Language Arts

Students practice phonics, pronunciation, reading, writing, and listening on a daily basis, all in a fun way. We believe that learning languages correctly is extremely important to develop communication skills and the ability to understand different cultures. For teaching reading and writing, we are using Jolly Phonics and Grammar. Jolly Phonics is a synthetic phonics method of teaching letter sounds in a way that is fun and multi-sensory, enabling children to become fluent readers. By the time students graduate from K5, they will be able to use phonics to read unfamiliar words, and read and write simple sentences.

Mathematics

In Math, students use hands-on manipulative materials, play games, and engage in multi-sensory activities to develop number sense and link mathematical concepts to their daily lives and experiences. Children will start familiarizing themselves with numbers and counting in Preschool, where they will also learn to group objects by shape, size, and color. As the students progress through K3, K4, and K5, they will be exploring graphing, bidimensional and tridimensional shapes, patterning, measurement, ordinal numbers and number words, two-digit additions, simple subtractions, story problems, and time and calendar concepts.

Science & Social Studies

We adopt a theme-based approach for our Science and Social Studies curriculum. The themes are the same from K3 to K5, although lessons will be differentiated in difficulty depending on the children’s age group. A school-wide party and field trip, which are related to each learning theme are scheduled to enhance retention of the learned concepts.

Arts & Crafts

In Art, we offer a well-balanced variety of lessons covering both painting and crafts. We give importance to the children enjoying expressing themselves creatively through art, and value the uniqueness of each child’s creations. Art and crafts will also follow the monthly themes, taking inspiration from what the children are learning in Science and Social Studies as well as from the observation of nature.

Japanese

In Japanese, students learn how to write Japanese letters (Hiragana and Katakana) as well as learn about Japanese culture and seasonal traditions throughout the year. The Japanese teacher will read Japanese books and teach the students Japanese songs. We will also be making crafts related to Japanese culture and events. We use both Japanese and English when reading books so that children who are learning Japanese as their second language can assimilate Japanese vocabulary more effectively.

Music

During music classes, students will use songs and instruments to learn musical notes and their values and recognize and reproduce rhythm patterns. We will start with simple instruments such as handbells, castanets, and shakers for PRE-K and K3, while K4 and K5 students will focus on keyboards, using singing as a guide as they play.
※Lessons taught by a specialist are available at the Tachikawa and Bunkyo Motomachi campuses only

Physical Education

In Physical Education, students develop gross motor skills such as running, hopping, jumping and throwing. Ball games are also important to our physical education curriculum, as they help develop teamwork and communication. The school also provides a gymnastic program with vaulting horse, mats, bars, and jump rope activities.
※Lessons taught by a specialist are available at the Tachikawa campus only.

SOLTILO

The SOLTILO physical education curriculum, is based on the experience of world-class trainer Keisuke Honda and other professional coaches. We teach children not only to improve their soccer skills, but also their basic athletic abilities and provide mental health care, and support against injuries.
※Available only at SOLTILO GSA International School campuses.

Dance (ダンス)

Children practice different dance styles, such as ballet, hip-hop, and jazz, while preparing for the annual events and presentations.
※Lessons taught by a specialist are available at the Tachikawa campus only.

Park Time

Outdoor playtime is an important part of our schedule. We regularly take the children to the nearby park, where we will play ball games, run and splash around in summer.

Field Trips and Special Activities

To enrich the students’ learning, we will go on field trips according to the curriculum themes. In addition to full-day field trips, the students will also have the chance to participate in half-day activities in the school’s surroundings, such as potato digging, visiting the neighborhood fire station, or having exchange playdates with other schools nearby.

The Students Path to Graduation

PRE-K

Beginning: For most toddlers, preschool is their first experience being away from their parents for a long period of time. We need to keep in mind that children who come to school from this age are still learning to talk. At the beginning, many children experience separation anxiety so it is our job to make sure they feel comfortable and safe in their new surroundings. As students settle in they learn to greet teachers and one another. We encourage this positive social behavior and open communication.

Preschoolers also start to gather together during circle times to build vocabulary, learn songs and play with numbers.

Developing: Once children are familiar with their new friends and teachers, they will learn how to use the toilet properly. As students develop new listening skills they will be able to move around the classroom in an independent way when it is appropriate. Children start to understand the difference between “time to listen” and “time to play”. During this stage of their development, they will be more adept at paying attention, speaking, and listening. Lessons at this stage will incorporate phonics and numeral play too. Also throughout this stage, we emphasize table manners including how to use utensils properly and how to clean up.

Mastering: By the end of the year, preschoolers will be able to follow the daily routine and listen to the teachers’ instructions. They will also be able to go to the toilet by themselves. As preschoolers become independent they become more creative too. We give them many chances to express themselves through language, math play, and all kinds of craft endeavors. By this stage, preschoolers can communicate well, they can express their opinions, and carry out all manner of conversations. The children are now ready for K3.

K3

Beginning: At the start of the school year in K3, students will adjust to a new classroom, become familiar with new teachers and a new routine. Children who are coming to school for the very first time may cry as they separate from mums and dads. During the first few months, we place an emphasis on independence. We want students to feel comfortable coming to school and at the same time, we challenge them to become a part of a cohesive class atmosphere. Once there is a semblance of cohesion we are able to start stretching the children’s attention spans and garner their interests.

Developing: As children become more comfortable in K3 they start to make new friends, socialize more and learn to share. Children start to experiment on their own and in groups. At the same time in class, we focus on challenging the children’s intellects. We encourage imaginative language expression using a phonics-based approach; running an IEYC based integrated method. During this time in the classroom, children will further develop their fine motor skills with an ongoing variety of theme-related art and craft activities. As time goes by, we start to see where each child’s natural abilities lie.

Mastering: By the end of the school year, most K3 students will be highly sociable, be able to express themselves well, know how to manage their own things, and feel very comfortable at school. Children will have a lengthened attention span, be confident, be aware of the flow of each day, feel comfortable eating a variety of food, use scissors well, use colors, be able to cut, paste and write their own names. By the end of K3, children will also be able to count up to or beyond 20 and match numerals to their corresponding amounts. For non-native English-speaking children, during this stage of the year we hear more complete sentences in English as they become more confident expressing themselves.

K4

Beginning: At the beginning of K4, children will adjust to new teachers, a new classroom, and a new routine. The self-confidence that the children bring with them from K3 will be used as a foundation on which to further build. Students will come ready to take an active interest in learning and be ready to explore new things. We will be helping children stay motivated especially when dealing with challenging assignments. We will also show them that they can indeed improve on things that they may not yet be good at. Letter sounds and sight words will be reviewed at the beginning of the year to make sure that all children have a working knowledge of the alphabet and phonics.

Developing: By this time of the year, children will interact comfortably with their friends during both work and play. They are becoming independent learners, and we see them complete tasks with intent and focus. Students will be able to complete more complex tasks and they will be expected to exercise more self-discipline. They will be able to do things like pay undivided attention, resist distractions, and complete work on time. The children’s enthusiasm will be harnessed for active participation in the classroom and for accomplishing assignments relative to each child’s own aptitude for that discipline. For literacy readiness, we emphasize things like phonemic awareness, sentence word counts, rhymes, syllables, and help them identify beginning consonants in words.

Mastering: By the end of K4 students will have lots of practical experience in dealing with simple mathematical equations. Children will have a solid phonetic foundation upon which to further build their basic reading skills. As they further master skills they enjoy having their voices heard. They will be able to tell stories before the class in their own words. Students will be able to deal with their own issues too and find solutions if they have conflicts with others. Teachers will mediate but by this stage may not need to directly intervene. Children will be adaptable and flexible. They will be ready for the next step in their schooling.

K5

Beginning: At the beginning of K5 children will learn to follow a new set of class rules and implement the lessons in self-discipline they have been learning up until this stage. Students will have fun with a new kind of learning when they are given more responsibility for setting their own goals and learning outcomes. To further expand the children’s literacy readiness, they will be introduced to consonants and vowels. They’ll also be introduced to writing comprehension and will extend their math knowledge too.

Developing: As students further develop in K5 they display more and more independence. Through a mixture of individual and group-oriented activities, children take on a newfound responsibility and enthusiasm for learning. As their literacy skills progress, students start to read short sentences and enjoy reading materials such as simple poems and rhymes, classroom news, and even simple books. By now, the class is a cohesive unit as children get to further know and respect each other. They are now sensitive to each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Mastering: At the end of the year, K5 students will have a solid academic foundation upon which to build. They will be able to solve simple math problems, express themselves through simple creative writing activities, and, with guidance, they will also be able to self-correct much of their own work. Children that have shown an aptitude for art and creativity will be encouraged and given room to grow. By this time of the year, class activities move with efficiency and an urgency that the children can now relish. They will now be ready for the challenges of elementary school.