“Learning a second language opens doors” someone once said about Kitazono High School. This school emphasizes foreign language education.
Welcome to Kitazono High School. It is located in Tokyo’s Itabashi ward. This high school is more than just a place of learning. It actively fosters international connections.
Kitazono High School is a partner in the PASCH program. PASCH stands for Partnerschul Initiative. It is an exchange program for adolescents learning German. The German ministry for foreign affairs hosts it. This program strongly promotes international exchange.
About 200 Kitazono High School students study German. Impressively, Kitazono High School students have won the Japan-wide German Speech Contest for High Schoolers. Dokkyo University hosts this contest.
Kitazono High School maintains relationships with schools in other countries. It interacts with one Australian school and two German schools. The connection with the Australian school began 14 years ago. Every August, students from Kitazono High School travel to Australia. They attend lessons at their sister school as part of their English training. These students stay with host families. This helps them learn about foreign culture firsthand. The students continue to exchange letters and emails after the training.
The relationship with the two German high schools started in 2010 and 2013. Kitazono High School students visit these sister schools every other year. They participate in an international exchange program in Germany. Like the Australian exchange, students continue communication after returning home.
These international exchanges offer valuable opportunities. Students interact with peers from other countries using a foreign language. These experiences deepen their understanding of traditional Japanese culture. Students also develop the confidence to discuss Japanese culture with people from other countries.
During a visit in 2019, a German teacher provided an overview of their German education program. They also shared plans for the future. CEO Kato participated in a German lesson for second-year students. He spoke to young German learners about their future possibilities. Kato introduced special German terms used in patent translations. He also introduced the profession of German translator in an entertaining way. The students asked many questions. Kato answered them with humor. It was a very active lesson.
Kitazono High School’s commitment to international exchange shapes its students. They gain language skills. They also gain cross-cultural understanding and global awareness.
The school believes studying languages can be joyful. It also believes it can open career paths like translation. Perhaps some students will become patent translators. Kitazono High School plans to expand its outreach. It aims to spread the joy of patent translation to more schools and universities across Japan.