Junior High Schools - help please!!

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Member since 12 January 2018

Emily_USMember12 January 2018 21:08:13

Hi everyone -

I've looked through pretty much everything but couldn't find any information about foreign kids in Junior High schools in Japan. My daughter is an 8th grader here in the US, and a family situation has come up that might require us to relocate to Japan and live with her grandparents in Tomakomai.

My daughter is half-Japanese but she was born and raised in the US and even though she knows hiragana, katakana and some basic kanji, her Japanese is very limited. She is not fluent in conversation and can only read or write very basic Japanese.

I have been trying hard to find any information from parents who moved to Japan with junior high kids but had no luck. Is it too late for non-native speakers to enter the Japanese school system at this point? Has anyone done it? Were the kids able to adjust/learn the language? I would really appreciate any advice/experience/thoughts/etc. Thank you so much!

Ghiro630 New member

Member since 05 August 2017

Ghiro630New member19 January 2018 14:01:52

I had been working as an ALT for a while now, though I’m not sure about the whole process I guess the best way for you to do is go to the city hall in Tomakomai and ask for a

Ghiro630 New member

Member since 05 August 2017

Ghiro630New member19 January 2018 14:07:20

I’m not sure about the whole process I guess the best way for you to do is go to the city hall in Tomakomai and ask for an advice. I think your daughter will need to take some test to assist her level and the result will determine which school she’ll go. I think entrance test will this coming February if I’m not mistaken. If all things fail then you have no choice but to enrolled her in an International school

Sfllc99 New member

Member since 17 April 2014

Sfllc99New member22 January 2018 15:21:11

Hi,
I moved from the states at the same age as your daughter. I went to Ooizumi Gakuen in Tokyo
They have a special class for foreigners.

Kai

Sfllc99 New member

Member since 17 April 2014

Sfllc99New member22 January 2018 15:27:40

Sorry just noticed your going to Hokkaido. But as far as adjusting, it was more of a crutch and held me back by having friends that spoke English. I think your daughter will make Japanese classmates that will want to learn English so sort of a win/win. It will be hard in the beginning but she will pick up the language much quicker. My younger brother was put into a regular Japanese elementary school and his Japanese is better than mine was.

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