My Child Understands English, But Only Speaks Japanese at International School in Tokyo. Are They Actually Learning?

One reason that Japanese parents send their children to international schools is to learn English. Parents often ask me.

“International schools in Tokyo are expensive. Is it worth it if my child is only speaking Japanese at school?”

Honestly, this a fair question. I think these conversations with your child's school are best approached from a place of partnership rather than assuming that something is wrong with the school teaching approach or with your child.

It is easy to find advice online telling parents to “just wait out the silent period” or “trust the school process.”

Sometimes that may be appropriate.

But every child, school, and classroom is different.

A child understanding English but continuing to speak Japanese does not automatically mean they aren't learning English.

There are several reasons a child might continue to default to Japanese.

School Setup: Does the school have dedicated EAL support and regular language assessments, or is the classroom teacher trying to support different language needs on their own?

Classroom Dynamics: Are other children also speaking Japanese? If so, your child may have fewer natural opportunities or reasons to use English with their classmates.

Personality & Confidence: Is your child quietly absorbing English and becoming more comfortable, or are they hesitant to speak because they aren't confident using it?

Language Foundation: Is this simply part of the process of developing English, or does your child need more targeted support to move from understanding English to using it independently?

These are very different situations, and they can look surprisingly similar from the outside. You don't have to figure this out on your own.

If you are worried about your child's English development, or you're not sure what questions to ask the school, book a free 15-minute consultation and let's talk. Kinota Braithwaite - Learning & Assessment Specialist

More Than Just Tutoring Tokyo

kinota@morethanjusttutoringtokyo.com