Afterschool Kindergarten

What is the goal of Afterschool Kindergarten?
We began our Afterschool Kindergarten program more than 20 years ago with the goal of providing a fun and comfortable learning environment for all levels of English speakers from ages 3-6. Our core belief is that education starts with your child wanting to go to school and, in this way, learning comes easily and more naturally.

How can my child grow in Afterschool Kindergarten?
Joy to the World strives to offer a customized experience that targets the best opportunity for learners to grow, that is why we offer classes for beginners and advanced English speakers to provide chances for growth and advancement no matter age or English level.

In our Beginner's Class, we start with the foundation of learning, which is providing a safe and comfortable environment where children can have fun, explore and express themselves. We do this through dancing, singing, fun games, and group activities. By mixing these fun and physical activities into our class routine, children will enjoy themselves in the classroom, which builds motivation to participate and learn in an all-English environment.

Over time, through questions and answers, vocabulary building through flashcards, phonics practice, and talking with our experienced teachers, children eventually grow in confidence along with their speaking and listening skills and transition into our Advanced Class.

The Advanced Class is for students who feel comfortable communicating in English. We use an interactive style classroom that focuses on building language skills through increased speaking and listening, both with the teacher and other students. In addition to singing, dancing, and games, students also share their opinions, are asked questions that develop critical thinking, and role play all to develop natural English ability.

Why should I enroll in Joy to the World’s Afterschool Kindergarten Program?
We are proud that our Afterschool Kindergarten program has consistently provided families with an option to help develop and maintain their child’s English ability. Joy to the World is unique in its overall experience in child care and as a respected educational institution in Bunkyo since 1999. In addition to our solid foundation as a school, Joy prides itself on the positive and experienced staff that compose the international community of teachers in our school.

At Joy to the World, we truly believe in creating an environment where all students are successful, and we have received many positive reviews and comments from our parents for the open way in which we work with families to continually focus on each child’s development and growth. At Joy, we put children first and are always striving to build on our already long-standing reputation in the community.

The Joy Progression
Many students joining our Afterschool Kindergarten do so from 3 years old. We are proud that the standard for our students has been to consistently advance from Beginner to Advanced Class and then smoothly transition into our Afterschool Elementary program.

We firmly believe that the earlier your child begins participating in an English-speaking environment, the faster and more naturally they acquire English. In addition, students starting from 3 years old have proved to be the most successful at academic development as they begin at an early age in a classroom setting.

Junior English Test
Joy to the World is the only kindergarten in Tokyo licensed to give the Junior English Test (JET). Our staff members are specially trained on how to administer this test, which is normally meant for Elementary school students, to younger ages. Families who wish to take this test may sign up beginning from 4 years old.

Our families find that this is a useful tool in tracking their child’s English ability and growth. Over time, students attending our school who take this test report marked improvement, with some Joy students even passing the highest level of the test.