Comprehension Skills Are the Key
Kumon’s programs have been around for close to 50 years in Japan. Over the last 15 years, the number of students who study both math and reading (Japanese) programs has been almost the same in the country. One of the Japanese mathematicians, Mr. Masahiko Fujiwara, published one of the best sellers in last year. In his book, he emphasized the importance of developing comprehension skills repeatedly. Because strong comprehension skills affect the level of mastery in every subject, it is not surprising to see the number of students who study reading program in U.S. has also increased dramatically over the years.
We feel that it is important to state about Kumon’s reading program to our students and their parents. Kumon’s programs are completely different from the conventional lecture-style approach of learning. Our programs place a strong emphasis on developing self-learning skills because that is one of the most effective ways to learn. It is proven that students are capable of advancing their studies beyond their school grade level. Advancement is not contingent upon teacher’s explanation. The program is systematically and scientifically organized in such ways that students are able to attain their full potential as long as they work through the program consistently.
Reading program form level 7A to 2A
About 1800 words along with colorful pictures are presented in these levels. Enjoyable “look, listen, and repeat” exercises and visually appealing colorful illustrations help students develop and expand their vocabulary at steady pace in level 7A to 6A. Phonics rules and exercises are enforced in level 5A to 3A. Writing exercises in these levels stimulate students’ brain-cells activities. Level 2A prepares students to identify nouns, verbs, and adjectives used within sentences. Simple grammars exercises are also introduced.
A I to F II
From level AI to CII, students study the structure of simple sentences and learn expressions which convey intention of the sentence. Each level is divided into 2 sections: I and II. Grammar exercises are heavily emphasized in I, and the level of difficulty is increased gradually as students make progress through the program. Comprehension and writing skills are reinforced through reading stories in II. Most of the passages or stories presented in these levels are excerpts form the Recommended Reading List. These award-winning books are consistently used in the public school’s reading programs. By mastering the skills in these levels, students will be able to write grammatically correct sentences, and they will also be able to define main ideas within a story to better understand the story as a whole.
Level G to L
Because SAT examination requires students to write an essay, it is vital for students to develop the skills to summarize the main ideas and express them articulately. Developing such skills require a lot of input of reading many literatures. Concision and summarization exercises in these levels help students prepare for examinations in the future. Well known literatures (Hamlet by Shakespeare, The Old Man and the Sea by Hemmingway, ect.) are introduced in these levels.
Our programs are designed to help students develop self-learning skills. We believe this is one of the most effective ways to maximize each student’s academic potential. When students experience the positive outcome of the program, they will be able to reinforce the skills they have mastered. The students who have learned how to learn can apply their skills to any field as they go through their lives.
Schedule
