Beyond the Language Barrier: Supporting Your Child from Home

Parents do not need to understand every English textbook to support a child at an international school. A valuable role at home is to listen, identify the specific difficulty and help create a workable connection with the school.

Can parents help if they are not confident in English?

Yes. Ask in the language in which you can have a meaningful conversation: “What did you learn?” and “Where did you get stuck?” The aim is not to reteach the lesson, but to help the student articulate what they understand and where they need help. Short bullet points and translation tools can help with school communication.

How should Japanese and English be used at home?

Keep reading and conversation in the languages your family uses naturally, while practising the English vocabulary needed for school separately. For example, discuss a social issue in Japanese and then summarise the main point in two English sentences. Age and language experience differ, so no single routine fits every family.

What should parents do first when grades fall?

Look beyond a single score: check submissions, teacher feedback, sleep and changes in routine. Talk without blame and, if needed, ask the teacher which skill to prioritise. If additional support is useful, identify whether the main issue is subject knowledge, English or study management before choosing it.