Pursuing an international education has become a popular choice for many families, particularly among Japanese families living in Thailand. Due to the large population of Japanese families living in Bangkok, many send their children to a Thai Japanese Association School (TJAS) that is based on a Japanese education system. The student population at a TJAS is significantly more than the student population at ISB; however, international education has gained traction in recent years for its innovative and global approach. ISB is taking this opportunity to create more pathways and options for how the school can support prospective Japanese students.
Two years ago, ISB hired Kaoru Muroga, a former principal at a TJAS in Thailand, as an executive advisor to support the enrollment of Japanese students. He holds information sessions for prospective Japanese families and also contacts parents’ Japanese companies and embassies for partnerships. This is a new position separate from the liaison translators that the school established last year.
Of the parents who shared their thoughts on what makes ISB appealing, all of them mentioned the education curriculum. Yuri Saito, a mother of four children, says, “I appreciate the Sheltered Immersion Model at ISB and also that the curriculum is American-style and allows my children more flexibility in their classes.” A Sheltered Immersion Model is a type of teaching method in which EAL students can participate in a classroom environment where other classmates speak fluent English to effectively enhance their English skills. Mr. Muroga says that the EAL program at ISB is comprehensive especially for high school students compared to other ‘like’ schools. ISB also offers the non-IB diploma course, which is especially helpful for Japanese students who are not confident in their English skills to still attain the ISB diploma.
The school also allows students taking the non-diploma route and enrolling in Japanese universities to graduate in December so that they can start university in April with the rest of their Japanese peers. “Because many Japanese students take advantage of this offer, we are building more connections with Japanese universities and creating several options,” says Andy Vaughan, the dean of students. Another mother who has two children in eighth grade and eleventh grade, Chisaki Miyajima, commented on the selection of teachers at ISB: “At ISB, there are many veteran teachers from around the world and the student-teacher ratio is low, so my child can have a more personal relationship with their teacher.”
However, starting a new school life in ISB also comes with struggles, especially for non-native students. Senior, Yuika Susa, mentioned that she cannot verbalize her thoughts in class because she lacks confidence in her English vocabulary, making it seem like she is not understanding the class. Engagement and collaboration are important components of HAL grades and she struggles with showing engagement through communication. Another interesting struggle among the students interviewed was confusion between answering “yes” or “no” to certain questions. For example, when asked “Don’t you like ...?” “Do you mind …?” an answer of “yes” in Japanese would be an answer of “no” in English and vice versa. Some say they had awkward experiences because they mixed the two. With these difficulties in mind, Yuya Tokai, a student ambassador who frequently assists Japanese students, says, “Japanese students tend to be viewed as shy and quiet who have a tendency to stick with their Japanese friends, but most times, it is due to cultural differences or that they are nervous about speaking English.”
Despite the growing popularity of ISB, Mr. Muroga mentions that the enrollment number of Japanese students is still relatively low among other ‘like’ international schools such as NIST and Bangkok Patana School as it is far away from Bangkok. ISB used to have the third largest Japanese population among international schools in Thailand, but now it is ranked fifth with roughly 80 Japanese students in total. However, the big campus is one of ISB’s most attractive features that cannot be experienced in Japan or other schools in Bangkok, so he encourages all families to come and see the campus with their own eyes before making any quick decisions.
In the future, Mr. Muroga expects the enrollment number to grow and eventually hopes that ISB will become the default international school that Japanese students come to. He also hopes that the school can extend its Native Japanese classes to elementary school students in order to maintain their mother tongue. Without a doubt, it is important that ISB continues to increase the enrollment of Japanese students who make up a large chunk of the culture and diversity at ISB.