Seven English Courses for Children in Jakarta and Bandung

Most parents agree that English is among the skills a child will need. That's why plenty enrol a child in an English course, so they get the benefit early.

One of those benefits is cognitive development. Learning English trains a child's memory and how much they can hold onto.

It also opens up a considerably wider range of general knowledge, since plenty of encyclopedias, journals and articles exist only in English. That adds up over the years. The benefit lands fully when a parent supports it properly, which includes finding a suitable course nearby.

So what should you weigh up when choosing one? Here are the criteria.

Interactive Teaching, Matched to Age

This one is crucial to how a child learns English. Whether a child ends up liking the language depends heavily on how it's taught, and interactive teaching matched to their age leaves them considerably more engaged.

Interactive teaching also makes the material easier to take in and understand. That matters more at this age than the syllabus does.

Experienced, Child-Friendly Teachers

Teacher quality deserves weighing too. Make sure the teachers have specific experience teaching English to children. Being approachable matters here, since a teacher's main job is making English something a child enjoys.

The aim is that a child's interest keeps growing into adulthood. That is what makes the skill actually stick.

Read also: Nine Skills a Child Will Need in the Future

A Supportive Learning Environment

Even with the right method and experienced teachers, it doesn't hold together without an environment that supports the language. The simplest indicator is whether English is actually used for everyday activity there.

A supportive environment usually also puts its signage and instructions in English. The aim is making the language familiar rather than something confined to a lesson.

With those criteria in mind, here are seven English courses across Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and the surrounding areas. Confirm current ages, programmes and fees with each provider directly.

English First

English First has run classes for children from roughly 3 to 6. In its Small Stars class children learn through a structured method, with the stated advantages of preparing them for primary school, building an affection for English, and supporting their development broadly.

The material has covered phonics, listening, speaking, reading and writing, supported by four course books. It's among the more widespread providers, with branches across Jakarta and other cities.

Golden English

This one is reasonably familiar and has had branches across Jabodetabek. Golden English has run a children's class for primary school age, with a curriculum designed to align with the national one so a child performs well at school.

The teaching has been interactive and multimedia-based, which keeps children engaged. More detail on their Instagram, @goldenenglishofficial.

Lembaga Bahasa LIA

LB LIA has run two children's programmes. Gelato has been built for ages 4 to 6, focused on making a child comfortable and confident using English.

GEYL has been aimed at 7 to 12, focused on total physical response, storytelling, role play and writing. The material is designed to get a child reading widely in English. More detail on their Instagram, @lblia.pusat.

SKOLA

SKOLA has run a children's English class adopting a Singaporean curriculum built around learning through enjoyment. Children learn through drama and performance, aimed at improving speaking, writing and reading, and it has been open to children from roughly 4 to 7 at its Foresta location in BSD, South Tangerang.

More detail on their Instagram, @skola.indonesia. Check current payment options directly.

Bamboo Cyberschool

Bamboo Cyberschool has offered two class levels, intermediate and advanced, for children from roughly 5 to 15. Its stated advantage has been one-to-one teaching with experienced teachers, running eight sessions a month at an hour each.

It has been based in Kelapa Dua, Tangerang. More detail on their Instagram, @bamboocyberschool.

I Can Read

I Can Read has offered English classes for children from roughly 2.5 to 18. A placement test is required first, so a child is put in a class matched to their age and level.

The provider has said it has taught more than 500,000 students. More detail on their Instagram, @icanread.indonesia.

English Trick

For Surabaya, English Trick is worth a look. It has run classes from beginner through to advanced across levels A1 to C1, with certification, and a placement test beforehand so a child is placed at the right level.

Its children's class has been open to ages 6 to 8. Confirm current levels and fees directly.

That covers the recommendations. One thing not to overlook is supporting the learning at home as well, so the environment around a child works with the course rather than against it.

At home you can practise everyday vocabulary together, or build a word bank to make it easier. Providing English books and games in English helps too, so a child feels supported at home as much as in class.

The Happy Kamper app lists English courses with locations and current prices shown. It's worth comparing a few before committing to a term.