English
Curriculum Aimed at an Ivy League Education
Having attended an IB curriculum international school and an Ivy League institution, Rachel, CEO of Nao Now, acknowledges that she greatly benefited from an educational framework emphasizing the cultivation of critical thinking and creativity. This philosophy prompted her to devise a creative, activity-based curriculum during her tenure as a teacher in the U.S. Subsequently, she introduced this curriculum to Nao Now, departing from conventional conversational classes where students merely memorize words and sentences. Instead, she infused the curriculum with project-based activities, experiments, and topics relevant to everyday life.
Furthermore, Gail, a co-founder of Nao Now, collaborated with Rachel in consulting with educators at UC Irvine, individuals with whom they maintained a personal relationship. They gained valuable insights for teaching speaking, reading, and vocabulary, which they seamlessly integrated into the Nao Now curriculum. As an illustrative example, recognizing the effectiveness of visual aids in vocabulary acquisition, every lesson on Nao Now incorporates a related video for each new word.
English Lessons with American Culture
Rachel and Gail have indelible memories of the inaugural Nao Now lesson they collaboratively crafted — the "Lady Gaga" lesson. This particular lesson featured "Tongue Twisters" designed to enhance pronunciation skills, accompanied by specially curated materials infused with a Lady Gaga theme. Remarkably, this lesson remains a cherished favorite among numerous Nao Now students.
Transitioning from the captivating realm of Lady Gaga to iconic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty in New York City, Nao Now's lessons consistently explore facets of American pop culture and history. Rachel, discerning a cultural gap among Korean students who exhibited proficiency in English but lacked a corresponding cultural background, aspired to bridge this disparity. This observation stemmed from her experiences both at Yale and during her tenure as an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles. Despite their fluency in English, Korean students often felt culturally excluded. Motivated by this realization, Nao Now's program is purposefully designed to not only impart language skills but also to provide a comprehensive understanding of American culture.
"While our program aligns with TOEFL standards, it goes beyond mere emphasis on words and grammar. It is a comprehensive curriculum that instills cultural context and encourages students to "think" in English."
-Rachel, CEO of Nao Now
Explore Lesson Topics in Nao Now Curriculum
All classes at Nao Now are structured around specific topics. Each lesson revolves around a single theme, with conversations and exercises centered on that particular subject. The topics in Nao Now classes are curated around culture-related subjects, providing insights into American culture, and are further categorized into pop culture, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, and the arts.
The merit of these topic-oriented lessons lies in their enjoyable nature, relevance to ongoing cultural trends in the U.S., and their efficacy in encouraging students to think in English naturally. Notably, these lessons play a pivotal role in fostering skills and attitudes such as critical thinking, debate skills, and self-confidence — attributes highly esteemed by leading U.S. universities.
From iconic American landmarks like the Grand Canyon and the Empire State Building in New York City to the globally acclaimed painter Van Gogh, Pre-level 1 encompasses a diverse range of topics.
In Level 2, the subjects cover a broad spectrum, ranging from America's beloved former president, John F. Kennedy, to Taylor Swift, the superstar of America! For additional topics, kindly visit the "Courses" section on this website.
