DEUTSCHE SCHULE KOBE European School 神戸ドイツ学院　ヨーロピアンスクール

EAL stands for English as an Additional Language. Students’ backgrounds at our school are diverse. For those who are taught EAL, English is a language they need to learn in addition to whatever language(s) they are presently using because without it they have difficulties following classroom teaching.

EAL lessons provide English support for those school children who need it. At kindergarten age, children learn a language being surrounded by it, observing and imitating how it is used. At this stage, trying to teach language abstracted from its natural practical environment only causes confusion. Once children start school and become able to acquire skills and knowledge in non-empirical ways, however, EAL lessons offer a short cut to better English ability.

Besides serving its main purpose defined above, EAL is presently taught at a surcharge of 1,500 Yen per lesson to a small number of students whose parents applied for it, and whose time tables allowed it. Also, our German students receive English tuition twice a week. Although they do not need English skills in their German speaking classrooms, teaching English at primary schools is now a practice gaining ground in parts of Germany, and reflects our hope as an international school to turn our students into functioning members of the international community.