Kindergarten classes

Luna has developed a considerable reputation for providing fun & yet serious English language tuition to even very young learners. We strongly believe that getting the foundations right at an early age is crucial if a child is to develop into an English language student with good learning strategies & eagerness to develop. Purely bombarding kids with ‘English’ doesn’t work – an English ‘shower’ is just that – 99% goes down the drain! Here, we put the plug in & make sure he whole 45 minute lesson gets the chance to soak in.

So what do we do? Classes actually ‘start’ as soon as you come into the school. We have a gentle ‘speak English here’ policy. Our teachers work in the same room as students arrive/wait for classes to begin or for mums to pick them up afterwards, and is a very natural environment to say hello & ‘get brave’ with people other than their own teacher & classmates. Friendships blossom quickly, and mums quickly develop a network too!

In class a variety of activities is essential. It goes without saying kids have a short attention span, but equally this age group learn so much so quickly, our impressive stock of materials for songs, games, etc are often challenged! This means our experienced teachers are always seeking new ideas & trying things out in class – we do not believe there is any one way to teach, and are constantly striving to bring in something new.

Each class is encouraged to develop at a natural pace. At this age we aim to give children a grounding in first letter sounds & letter recognition. We do not set end of term targets etc. Regular review & recycling of language is built in through the use of large-format readers, for example – tying in vocabulary & chunks of language with movement & response.

Mums may join these classes if they wish.

Elementary school ages

Luna International has considerable experience with this age group & has a successful track record whilst maintaining a healthy ‘fun’ element to the learning process. An important aspect to this is keeping a broader view to their learning, and not just getting by from week to week. We expect all students to be able to achieve good results in YLE Starters after approx. 18 months study.

All classes are 60 minutes, and once a week. Students are not encouraged to chop & change classes. All classes are text book led, meaning students & teacher alike follow a logical progression of language learning. Luna International has been involved with piloting various materials for publishers, which means we often pioneer the introduction of new series – while avoiding ones we dislike!

Students at this age develop their understanding of phonics (recognising sounds) and consequently develop sound spelling skills. We urge learners at this age to also begin reading for fun, outside of class, with a careful choice of graded readers. We have seen marked improvements in performance from children engaged in regular, organised book-reading.

Homework is a key component to classroom improvement. It is used in class to consolidate learning, develop confidence in problem solving & independent study, refresh vocabulary & grammar structures. We do not expect parents to help children ‘get the right answer’. Making mistakes is part & parcel of the learning process, and allow the teacher to see if there is an area of misunderstanding that needs reviewing.

We believe the atmosphere in Luna International is very supportive for students to relax & enjoy themselves, a nurturing classroom and a cheerful teacher. Trust & mutual respect are key aspects to encouraging interaction – natural, meaningful language acquisition ina safe & friendly setting.