KA International School Recognized as Japan’s First Visible Learning Certified School

TOKYO, August 2025 — “Visible Learning has provided clarity throughout the learning process. Students now know what they are learning, how they know they’ve achieved it, and the roadmap to success is clearly laid out for them,” said Maha Sadi, School Director at KA International School.

At KA International School (KAIS) in Tokyo, a transformation in classroom learning is underway. KAIS has become the first school in Japan to be officially recognized by Corwin as a Visible Learning Certified School, an achievement grounded in one of the world’s most extensive education research frameworks.

Through a three-year schoolwide initiative focused on making learning visible and driving evidence-based teaching improvement, KAIS teachers and students are seeing profound changes in how learning happens and how students think about and take ownership of their progress.

What is Visible Learning?

A global research framework for identifying what truly impacts learning

Based on a synthesis of over 2,100 meta-analyses and 130,000 research studies led by globally renowned education researcher Professor John Hattie, Visible Learning helps educators understand which teaching strategies have the greatest impact on student learning and achievement.

At its core, the framework shifts focus from what teachers do to how students learn. It emphasizes:

• Empowering students to understand and articulate their learning

• Building metacognition and helping students monitor and adjust their own learning

• Using clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria to provide clarity and purpose

• Building a strong feedback culture focused on student growth and improvement

• Establishing a culture of visible progress and student voice in the classroom

Three Years of Impact — How KAIS Changed Teaching and Learning

Over the past three years, guided by Corwin, KAIS implemented a comprehensive schoolwide Visible Learning initiative:

• Lesson planning now begins with clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria aligned with curricular standards

• Students are routinely able to explain what they are learning and how they know they have learned it

• Teachers engage in ongoing observation, feedback, and collaborative refinement of teaching practices

• Progress and impact are externally validated through annual School Capability Assessments (SCA) conducted by Corwin

“Now I know what I’m supposed to learn and how to check if I’m getting there. We use surface, deep, and transfer knowledge and can apply our learning to different situations,” said M.M, Grade 11 student.

Observed impact at KAIS has been significant. “Students are able to self-assess and guide themselves and each other during the learning process. They have become more self-reliant and resilient, and continuously seek to move their learning forward,” said Justin Bethune, Principal, KA International School.

To learn more about KAIS’s educational approach and Visible Learning certification, please visit our official page.

Student and Parent Voices — Visible Change in Learning

• From “giving answers” to explaining thinking, students now articulate their reasoning and learning process

• Parents report that students are gaining greater self-regulation and ownership of learning

• KAIS is now planning parent workshops on metacognition and Visible Learning to further support this shift at home

• Strong feedback routines that help students become assessment-capable learners and value mistakes, viewing as opportunities for growth

Parent quote:

“We’ve been truly moved by how much our child has grown, both academically and emotionally. The warm, nurturing environment — and the way learning happens at KAIS — have made all the difference,” said a KAIS parent of a Grade 8 student.

Student quote:

“I’ve learned that making mistakes is okay — it’s actually a good thing because it’s part of how we grow. When I look at mistakes differently, I can understand my learning better and keep improving,” said J.M., Grade 11 student at KAIS.

Japan’s First Certification — Why It Matters

KAIS was awarded Japan’s first Visible Learning Certified School status by Corwin, the global provider of Visible Learning professional development.

This certification recognises schoolwide impact, not just the efforts of individual teachers. It affirms that KAIS has built a sustainable, evidence-based culture of learning improvement, and that the principles of Visible Learning are embedded in everyday classroom practice, leadership decisions, and schoolwide planning.

About KA International School

Located in Tokyo, KA International School is a small international school with a strong track record of student achievement.

• Emphasis on high academic expectations, creative learning, and a safe, caring environment

• Integrated Visible Learning practices across all subjects and grade levels

• Personalized learning that supports student engagement and motivation

• Strong sense of community that fosters meaningful relationships and trusting home-school partnerships

• A wide range of elective subjects (such as robotics, filmmaking, cooking, and manga) 

KAIS serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12, ages 3 to 18, and is home to an international community of approximately 150 students.

To learn more about KAIS’s educational approach and Visible Learning certification, please visit our official page.

For Media Inquiries:
KA International School / Global KA Holdings Inc.
Press contact: [contact@globalka.com]