‘Children’s Education:
What Parents of Elementary School Children Can Do at Home’
Foreign Residents’ Child Support Group

http://kodomosupport.jimdo.com/
Kiiko Tadokoro

tadokoro12@yahoo.co.jp

How are you, everyone? Let’s think about this together.
① Language
When children leave the house, they lead their daily lives entirely inJapanese. At home, speak in your own language and make sure
your children don’t forget the language. Children are also studying their own
native language.
You can tell your children important things in your own language.
When you return to your home country, your children can talk to
your relatives and friends.
Children can learn the culture in which their parents were raised.

Knowing two languages and cultures is like holding two bags.
When remembering new words, it is important to know the concept behindthem.
Knowing the concept of a word in your native

When remembering new words, it is important tolanguage makes the Japanese easier toknow the concept behind the word.

understandNative language

Japanesehot ⇔ cold

あつい⇔さむいNative language

Japaneseflower

はな

Word conceptplants

sucks up water from the root

pretty colours
insects pollenate it

nice smell
creates seeds and fruit

② An Orderly Lifestyle
School teachers tell students to lead an orderly lifestyle.
Now is the time to raise your child to have a healthy body and mind.
In particular, children who feel stress outside the home can go to school happily thenext day if they can come home and eat dinner with their family happily, sleep well andrest their mind and body.

Listening to what their parents teach them in everyday life, children trust theirparents and can try new things.

③ Homework and Studying at Home
There are two kinds of Japanese.
Japanese Used in Everyday Life

Words in Daily Life, and Words Used at SchoolAge 11-13
Study words

Japanese used when listening to teachers(Learnt over 5-7

and friends and when expressing theiryears)

Age 9-11
Age 6

own feelings.
Words in daily life

Japanese Used in School Studies
Japanese used when studying Japanese,arithmetic, sociology, science etc.
At primary and middle schools children read textbooks, think and write to remember
information.
This is why there is kanji practice and textbook reading in children’s homework.
Make sure your children study a little bit everyday at home.

From the point when children begin studying Japanese until they can understand theirteacher’s well, takes anywhere from 1 to 2 years. Of course children are trying their best at
this time. Please be sure that all caregivers are giving the child plenty of praise.

Pleasealso be sure to talk with children about world news, the importance of peace, environmental
issues and other things which may be important to your child on a frequent or daily basis.

④

There are Notices from Schools Everyday
In these notices, the school schedule and what should be done inpreparation is written.
When you don’t understand, it is good to have a friend near your home who canread the notice for you and tell you the information.

⑤ In the Evening, Make Sure Children Prepare for the Next Day of Schoolby Themselves
There are many things children must take to school.
Be sure to put any textbooks and other things necessary for the next day into
your child’s school bag before going to bed.
When there are no school lunches, children should take a packed lunch to school.
It’s best to prepare the evening before said days.

⑥ Do You Intend to Go back to Your Home Country?
If your child can read and write in your native language, then they will be able
to study right away if you go back to your home country.