English School Owner Tips
English School Owner Tips · 28. January 2021
The following are common questions (and our answers) that new kindergarten parents often ask us: Click here for the Japanese translation.
1. Why do you begin lessons from nenchu (from 4 years old)?
When students join our school, we want ALL children to participate fully in our lessons. We have found that MOST 4 year olds can sing well, speak confidently, do homework in My English Book and Me: Kindergarten 1 and 2, work in groups and make significant progress in a short time.
English School Owner Tips · 23. July 2019
We think that parents are often unsure if their English School choice is good or not.
We equate it with choosing a piano school for our kids. We don’t play the piano. So in reality, we have no idea if it is a good lesson or not.
So, how can parents choose a good English School?
These are a few things to look out for / avoid: (if you have more, please add them in the comments)
1 Who spoke most in class? Teacher or students? Lots of stu
English School Owner Tips · 02. April 2019
English File
We use the English File series with:
1. Jr. High School and High School students
2. Returnees
3. High level elementary students.
4. Adults
About the English File texts:
English File texts are very thorough, teaching grammar, vocabulary, conversation, questions and answers. In addition, there are CD listenings.
The texts mirror what children learn in Jr. High School,
English School Owner Tips · 10. March 2019
Naming your School
It might seem ridiculous, but it took A LOT of thought before we decided on Dave and Amy English School as THE name for our school.
At first, Green Gopher, Purple Panda, Mauve Marsupial were deliberated on because there were similarly named local schools.
Then, the ubiquitous Rainbow English, Sunny Seas English were briefly considered.
Next, a different slant, why not Liverpool “Alright La?”
English School Owner Tips · 27. February 2019
In Part 1, we explained our current advertising methods.
This is what we have previously tried and our thoughts on the effectiveness of those methods.
FLYERS: In the early days of our school, Dave spent many cold, dark nights posting flyers whilst Amy nursed our babies. Posting was essential to get our message out
English School Owner Tips · 18. February 2019
Currently, Dave and I:
1. Have BRIGHT, COLORFUL eye-catching signs. Essential information only. Don’t duplicate (English school and eikaiwa kyoshitsu— not both needed) Cartoon faces: might be effective if like Dave you are “facially challenged”. (and faces stand out)
About us: All of our school location signs are visible from the street, two signs can
English School Owner Tips · 10. December 2018
The ESL market is awash with kindergarten texts. And yet we made our own. Why?
Let’s take a look at what we didn’t like about existing texts. And what we changed to make a kindergarten text WE (and our students) like through My English Book and Me 1 and 2.
Not challenging enough. Many texts introduce 3 - 5 words a unit. And the words are too easy.
English School Owner Tips · 25. October 2018
Start English as soon as you can, kids learn like sponges. Everyone agrees with this. We don’t; kind of.
We ran a very popular Mummy and Me classes. One hour class: 20 minutes play with toys, 40 minutes songs, songs, songs and books. We had 4 classes, lots of students, smooth classes, everyone had fun, learned basic vocabulary, how to interact with others. Unfortunately, when kids "graduated" to our kinder classes, too many M&Me graduates
English School Owner Tips · 06. June 2018
As school owners, we would recommend having rules. And not bending them.
For many reasons:
You are a business. To be professional, you must have rules.
2. Presumably you made the rules for a reason. If you CHANGE them easily, then why did you take the time to think about them and make them in the first place? You won’t see the cram schools
English School Owner Tips · 06. June 2018
Despite the market being awash with phonics texts, we decided to make My English Book and Me 3.
Why?
How is My English Book and Me 3 different?
1. More than 1 anchor word per letter. My English Book and Me 3 introduces 4 anchor words per letter. (picture p. 30 from the CB)