Translation guide
In Japanese, the term for 'special school' depends on the type of special education. The most common term is 特別支援学校 (tokubetsu shien gakkō), which refers to schools for children with disabilities. Other terms exist for specific types of special schools or alternative education.
Refers to a school that provides specialized education for children with intellectual, physical, or developmental disabilities.
The standard term for a special school in Japan, covering intellectual, physical, and health-related disabilities. It replaced the older term 養護学校 (yōgo gakkō) in 2007.
彼は特別支援学校に通っています。
He goes to a special school.
特別支援学校の先生になりたいです。
I want to become a teacher at a special school.
The older term for special school, still sometimes used colloquially or in historical contexts. Officially replaced by 特別支援学校.
昔は養護学校と呼ばれていました。
It used to be called a special school.
Refers to a school that caters to a particular type of disability, such as visual or hearing impairment.
A school for the blind or visually impaired.
盲学校では点字を教えています。
They teach Braille at the school for the blind.
A school for the deaf or hard of hearing.
Refers to a school with a special focus or non-mainstream approach, not necessarily for disabilities.
A vocational or technical school, often translated as 'special school' in some contexts, but more accurately a 'specialized training college'.
料理の専門学校に行っています。
I'm going to a culinary school.
The English phrase 'special school' can be ambiguous. In Japanese, always specify the type of special school if possible. Using 特別支援学校 is the safest general term for schools for children with disabilities.
特別支援学校 is the current official term, while 養護学校 is outdated. Use 特別支援学校 in modern contexts unless referring to the pre-2007 system.
聾学校では手話を使います。
They use sign language at the school for the deaf.
Historically used for schools for children with intellectual or physical disabilities, but now largely replaced by 特別支援学校.
養護学校は特別支援学校に変わりました。
Special schools have been replaced by special support schools.
A less common term that can refer to a school with a special curriculum or for specific groups, but not the standard term for special education schools.
その特殊学校では芸術に力を入れています。
That special school focuses on art.