Curriculum

English

For non-native students of English to succeed and feel comfortable in a global environment, they need to develop both an ability to comprehend and use the language itself, as well as familiarity with the conventions, traditions, historical trends, and concepts of English-language Literary and Verbal Arts. We aim for our students to expand their knowledge through literary works. The students will deepen their comprehension skills and develop their ability to make connections with other subjects and the world. They will be encouraged to approach each topic from different perspectives and to develop their critical thinking skills.

The Kansai International Academy Junior High ELA program follows this integrated, holistic two-fold approach to prepare middle years learners for the rigors and pleasures of higher level linguistic and literary study. Students will be challenged to form and enhance their abilities as listeners, speakers, readers and writers of English in a variety of contexts. They will also be guided in developing and improving critical and textual literacy skills, familiarity with English literary and verbal arts conventions, an appreciation for logical, organizational, and aesthetic features of the English language, their own ability to imagine, organize, find insight, and self-express in a variety of contexts in English, and an introductory awareness of the history of and influential works from the English literary tradition.

In practice, this means that lessons will focus on language acquisition (through study of grammar, spelling, pronunciation, phonetics, and other linguistic mechanics, together with communication- and usage-focused activities such as roleplay, discussion, games, etc.) and on engaging, enjoying, analyzing, and dissecting the literary and verbal traditions of the English language and using techniques and conventions learned to produce original creative works.

Kansai International Academy is a school that provides multilingual education. English and French are compulsory and we provide optional classes such as Chinese. The global society that gets pointed out a lot, English is of course, but from the view of practical use and culture, multilingual human resources will be demanded.

However, the acquisition of a second and third language gets consisted for the first time when Japanese, native language, is acquired enough. That is not as simple as just learning Japanese, however, it means to acquire liberal education such as Japanese history, culture, politics, economics, and so on.

In our middle and high school, we nourish students with total Japanese skills that will be the base for all studies and to learn skills, and ability that meets the level for high-level universities in and out of Japan, but we also put emphasis on the abilities for understanding things and making accurate decisions, thinking logically and expressing those, and creativity that would be needed for the leaders that would have an impact on global society. Not just acquiring a wide range of knowledge and culture through literary works, but we aim to establish an identity as a Japanese by searching the backgrounds of the authors, their historical context, and the view of humans in that age.

Maths

Mathematics is said as common language in the world, and it is being used not just in the natural sciences but also in social sciences and in humanities as well. The ability in mathematics that has been developed in middle and high school will become a strength for students no matter which country or university they go to.

Not just the acquisition of knowledge and skills, but we aim to cultivate logical, critical, and creative thoughts, the ability of abstraction and generalization, and patience and toughness in solving problems at our mathematics classes. We also aim to have our students to understand how did the skills in mathematics, and other fields and techniques affected each other, understanding the international aspect of mathematics through the universality of mathematics and its multicultural element and historical view.

The progress of classes is planned to finish the middle school curriculum that is set in the ministry’s curriculum guideline in the first two years of middle school, then start curriculum for high school from 9th grade. Academic careers of students after graduating high school is diverse in and out of Japan, and there is one year of studying abroad from September in 9th grade. Our curriculum has wide view such as studying mathematics that meets the level of Japanese medical and public universities as well as developing the ability of universal mathematics, and also to prepare for the IBDP course and entering universities overseas.

Drama / Theatre

The junior high school drama classes are designed to support students’ fluency and to develop students’ self-confidence. Students will be challenged to develop better self-expression, stage presence, artistic awareness and acting skills. This class will help students understand how art plays a role in developing and expressing personal and cultural identities. They will explore, express and communicate ideas through drama activities.

The aim of the drama classes is also to introduce them to the study of dramatic literature and a variety of theatre styles. Through the study of various types of theatre, students will become informed, perceptive, and appreciative audience members of plays from various cultures and time periods. Students will be exposed to both classical and contemporary plays, companies and theories. They will examine and compare historical influences and contexts and universal themes in dramatic literature.

French

From Bilingual to Multilingual! The aim for learning French is not only multilingualism, but to understand French and francophone culture, traditions and to become a cultured international citizen. Learning useful French through real-life experience The use of French texts that are in accordance with the EU standard French curriculum are the first steps to learning French.

During class, junior high school students set themselves in real-life situations and role-play what they imagine they would do in that situation and are able to practice the materials they have learned in an interactive way. While learning level- appropriate vocabulary and grammar, digital materials are used and reading and writing skills are refined. Cultural knowledge is heightened with the understanding of French and francophone culture.

Design & Technology

Design and technology is designed to provide middle and high school student’s essential and enduring 21st Century skills. It is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program that uses languages, technologies, sciences, engineering and the arts to understand, communicate, and design. Students will be exposed to programming, robotics, textile manufacturing, video editing, graphic design, wood work and more.

Students will be go through the MYP design cycle in order to appreciate design, understand how to design and apply these skills to create an end product. Students will be aware of product functions, aesthetics, design in society, cultural and technological influences on design. While designing, students will practise basic strategies and skills in research, analysis, ideation and development, evaluation and design communication. Through making their design, students also learn to use materials prudently and develop the habit of effective and efficient work processes in a safe manner.

Design Fair

Up to now, the big end of the year event in junior high school was the Robotics fair. It has been a wonderful event where the students have had the chance to showcase their design and robot to the public. This is a great way for them to develop connections and maybe even apply for a scholarship to some prestigious robotics institutions around the world. The students are expected to design and build their own robots to solve a problem they care about.
Our ambition is to move from a robotics fair to a Design fair so the students can explore their passion and innovates in a variety of fields: robotics, furniture, graphic design, clothes design, board games and more.

Visual Arts

There are two areas which students will experience in Visual Arts, “expression” and ”appreciation”. “Expression” is about practical skills such as paintings, sculptures, designing, crafts. “Appreciation” is to enjoy arts by touching different kinds of artwork to think about the works and understand them.

Our goals for having students to experience artworks that are said to be artistic in general through classes of appreciation, is to have our students to be able to have their own thoughts and impressions, and to be able to understand different sensibilities and thoughts of others.

Additionally, besides “expression” and “appreciation”, we also have another goal, of having our students to be able to develop the ability of feeling something and thinking through visual arts.

乗馬

Horseback riding class is a compulsory course for 7th grade, and is elective after 8th grade. We use school bus to horseback riding school for the lessons every week. Horseback riding course, is not just about riding and learning riding techniques. Taking care of horses, cleaning the stables, managing tools allows students to understand horses better, and enhance communication in between horses. Communicating through a warm heart, is essential in building up trust relationship. Through horseback riding course, students will build up physical performance, foster sensitivity and emotion, deepen liberal arts and enrichen mind. Students can challenge on achieving official certificate and participate on competitions accordingly to the level of techniques.

Quadrille
Quadrille is a choreographed dressage ride, commonly performed to music, with more than 4 horses. Not only with the horse, but it is essential to synchronise with teammates. Last year, in addition to usual lessons, students took extra lessons for quadrille in the end of the semester.

Qualification Review
Students can challenge on receiving official qualification review certified by National Riding Club Association of Japan. Students can take the test suitable to their technique level. The challenge allows the students to set their goals by understanding their own technique level (nationally unified). Not only skill test, but the qualification exam asks about horses in general including tools and taking care of horses.

Finance

Kansai International Academy implements financial education from elementary school. Financial literacy is one of the basic skills necessary likely to writing and reading literacy. It is thought important as knowledge taught while young will still be useful after growing up. Japanese government and Japanese bank has stated year 2005 as “first year of financial education”, and has been putting effort, however it is still obvious that Japanese education system is lacking financial education for students. In Japan, it has been seen a taboo to touch up on or teach about money in education, and is still has not changed. However, financial education is already a norm in primary education in developed countries.

To state the definition of financial education, it will be “to understand how money and financial system works, to think about the life of own and society, and is an education to nourish and enrich the value of life by creating a better life and society” (translated text from Financial Public Relations Central Committee 2007). In order to nourish and enrich the value of life, it is important to know how “trust” is built in the society, and a sense of to be employed, to use financial services, to protect from financial crimes and such. Financial education is unique to itself by learning about money and looking at different subjects from different angles to nourish skills to live on oneself.

Reasons for why the financial education is needed

Changes in social conditions (an aging society with low birthrate)Social change to cashless with the uses of internet banking and electronic money
→ Lack of understanding of the role of ‘money’ and value

Lack of financial literacy and proper knowledge as a consumer
→ Prevention of financial crimes