OYIS Saturday Classes have been designed to fulfill the student’s weekly need for more academic educational needs. Our fully immersive English environment with the Saturday Classes is designed to develop the children’s literacy skills (with particular focus upon their written, spoken, and reading skills) and provide ongoing engagement and learning opportunities throughout the day. Students are leveled according to their ability in order to provide them content that creates a more beneficial learning environment.
Based on the children’s Japanese grade level, the students are placed into levels within each of the age groups according to their English proficiency. Students will be tested upon their entry to the program to ascertain the level they are best suited to join within their age group.
All the Saturday Classes have the weekly opportunity for P.E. lessons. Our PE teacher focuses specifically on the student’s ongoing Gross Motor Skill [GMS] development, cooperative game skills, ball and balance skills. With a curriculum focused on the needs and abilities of the particular age group, the inclusion of specifically tailored lessons for P.E. sets our Saturday Program apart from other Saturday classes.
For the students, the development of their IT skills is very important to us. As a result we have constructed a program that allows for each of the age groups to use our IT Lab one a week during their time on Saturdays. The students participate in a number of different computer and technology based activities that work towards strengthening skills sets such as creativity, imagination and freedom of expression. In addition, confidence, empowerment and independence are also strengthened when they interact with information technology.
During the year we hold one Excursion as part of Saturday School. Having the children participate in an excursion where they have the opportunity to learn English enables them to use the language they have developed and practiced over the course of the year. Previous excursion locations have been ARK, Rokko YMCA, Kisen YMCA, and Osaka Aquarium.
As the children continue through our Saturday School Program at OYIS, their English skills increase and develop, we know it can be challenging for non-English speaking parents or caregivers and those that have limited English skills to support their children to complete their homework. To further support you as parents and caregivers, we have implemented the Homework Program for Saturday Students. The program will provide an opportunity for students to do their Saturday School Homework with the help of some of our support staff as and when they need it. Each session will run from 3:00 – 3:45 each Saturday there is a Saturday School.
Saturday can be a busy day for parents, and we know it is not always easy to get everything done you would like to. As a result we have decided to open a Daycare Session for parents so they are able to leave their child a little longer in an English environment to give them a little more time on Saturdays after their child finishes class. Students will have the opportunity to participate in activities such as craft, coloring, free play and free drawing.
Saturday school provides a school bus service.
