bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

A free two-week trial will introduce your child to the world-famous Kumon teaching method, which helps build extra-strong skills in maths and language

The Kumon teaching method is increasingly attracting parents who wish to give their children a learning experience that is effective, different and focused on the individual pupil.

Between October 16 and 29, Kumon Hong Kong is offering a free two-week Free Trial programme during which students can study Kumon Mathematics, English Reading, English as a Foreign Language and Chinese Language.

Last April, when Kumon launched its first free trial, about 4,000 students participated, and of these more than 70 per cent enrolled in the full Kumon programme.

'We want to provide free opportunities to as many children as possible,' said Kinichiro Yoshida, managing director,  Kumon Hong Kong.  'We want them to experience our mission and vision. A lot of people in Hong Kong have heard of Kumon but don't know what it is.

'We believe every child has his or her potential, and that potential should be developed to the maximum. By doing so, we foster capable people and contribute to the global community.'

The Kumon education system focuses on mathematics and language training. The Kumon Institute of Education  was founded by Japanese mathematics educator Toru Kumon in 1958,  and Kumon Hong Kong was established in 1988. The Hong Kong branch has more than 123 centres across the territory, teaching Mathematics, English Reading, English as a Foreign Language and Chinese programmes.

With more than 3.9 million students worldwide, Kumon is one of the world's biggest learning institute.

Toru Kumon was a high school mathematics teacher before he started his own school. In 1952, noticing that his elementary school-going son was not performing well in mathematics, he decided to create his own teaching materials for the boy. Every day he would see to it that the child spent 30 minutes on maths worksheets he had prepared.

This continued until the Primary Two student reached Primary Six, by which time little Hiroshi was doing integral calculus, a subject taught only at university.

Mr Yoshida emphasises the difference between Kumon and other tutorial schools, and the family-centric nature of the system.

'The Kumon concept begins with the family. School education is about teaching large groups of students, while family education is more about the individual,' Mr Yoshida said.

'Most tutorial schools are supplements to school education, and Kumon is an extension of school education. The student's school results are not our primary concern. We are more interested in exploring the child's potential and providing the appropriate level of study for each child.'

Entering a Kumon classroom for the first time can be a bit of a surprise. You see children poring over worksheets in a classroom free of those classroom must-haves - blackboards and overhead projectors.

Also, the children are clearly of different ages. Closer inspection will reveal that each child is doing his or her own thing: all are working on separate tasks, and at their own speed.

Studies at a Kumon school begin with a diagnostic test for the pupil. Based on the result, the instructor sets a starting point that is deliberately pitched at a low level. Starting with relatively simple maths or language tasks gives the child an early sense of fulfilment and builds confidence. This sets the tone for the rest of the child's time with Kumon, and for tackling more challenging work.

An innovation at Kumon is the introduction of the Jet-plane Progress system this year. It consolidates existing methods and grades the result at different levels.

At level A, the school shares its vision and values with the students and their parents, while stressing the importance of discipline. The process of acquiring good learning habits (through worksheets) continues up to level C.

Levels C to F see the child evolving into an independent learner. At this stage, pupils should be able to identify and correct their mistakes, work on their own and set goals.

By level F, the students are practising self-feedback, and creating their own study programmes. From level J onwards,  the goal is to complete the programme and set a target for the future. The Jet-Plane Progress is designed to stimulate interest in learning and set a strong foundation for future education.

During the Free Trial programme, the child is trained to develop a positive attitude to learning and acquire good learning habits, Mr Yoshida said.

'The children learn the rules and acquire the discipline expected in a centre,' he said. 'They learn to work quietly and steadily. They are also taught how to greet the instructor, and the importance of being polite and always saying thank you. And they get into their stride by spending half an hour every day on their worksheets.'

Mr Yoshida expressed the hope that more Hong Kong parents would consider entering their school-going children in the Kumon programmes.



Study this class closely - it's smart and different