Beginners Japanese Class (25min)

***This 25min weekly class is suitable for students who would benefit short sessions, such as those new to online learning, shy, or having busy schedules. Schedule as many sessions preferred throughout the day/week as you’d like***

Q: Do students need to know any Japanese prior to taking the class?
-No. Class will be taught in English, no prior knowledge or ability to read required. 

Q: Who is this class for?
- This class is designed for students whose first language is English with little to no background in Japanese. Students can build a foundation by studying Pre-School to Elementary level letters, words, sentence patterns, and phrases for travel, basic conversation, and everyday scenarios. 

Q: How does this class work?
-All sessions are private and tailored to students beginner related goals. In each 25-min session, we study about 6+ main objectives (letters, words, phrases, etc).  I keep track of student progress and review material in following sessions as needed. Once a month, students have the option to go over some seasonal/ cultural material relevant to that month.

Q: Is this class interactive?
Yes. Students participate in interactive activities that are fun and build memory. I am sure to consider student/parent feedback while upgrading lessons to ensure students experience proactive classes and are absorbing as much as possible. 

Q: What device should we use to take class?
Students can take this class anywhere, anytime, and on any device without notebooks or homework. While it is not required, I recommend taking class on a device that can annotate, or draw on ZOOM. iPads are generally the best device for this class.

Q: How often should students take class?
I recommend 2, 3x a week. Nonetheless, I encourage students to think of our class time as the time they can commit to studying. Students can take one to several classes during the week and adjust around their schedules. Self-study students are typically inspired to study independently immediately after class, so it is beneficial to schedule sessions throughout the week to encourage habitual independent practice.

Q: What are you like as a tutor?
It’s my personal goal as an educator to help students not only learn, but grow a positive association with learning. I will carefully observe the student’s learning style, and use study methods that are both effective and enjoyable.  I wish to provide an outlet for passionate learners who may not have someone in their life sharing the same interest of Japanese language. I have self studied and taken private Japanese classes from native teachers so I have a lot of insight to share.

Q: Do you provide study material?
Upon request, I provide optional digital/printable study aids and worksheets for passionate self-study learners.

Q: Will there be homework?
No. 

Q: What if we prefer homework?
I recommend instructing students to take notes, and create flashcards. (Sometimes I provide flashcards). Learners can track time spent studying their flashcards on a study log.

Q: Do you provide progress reports?
Yes. I reach out to parents every so often with updates on their learners upon our first few meetings and as they reach new milestones. I take great care when writing these.

Q: I want to speak right away, can we focus on conversational Japanese?
Yes. I offer interactive study sessions in English for students looking to prioritize speaking over reading. I also offer conversational lessons in Japanese for those who can read.

Q: I want to learn the language thoroughly, can I focus on letters and reading?
Yes. I offer interactive lessons for students to practice letters and reading.

Q: I want to learn a bit of everything, can we practice multiple topics?
Yes. Students can switch between topics at any time upon completing there current lesson. 

Q: I’m not sure what my goals are.
-I will conduct an interview in our first session whilst we mutually create a learning path/ set goals. Parents are welcome to join in on the conversation or send me a message about what they would like their learner to focus on in class.


Here is an outline on what a typical class would look like…

Introduction
In the beginning of class, I will briefly ask “How are you?” “How’s the weather today?” etc. I wish to make students feel comfortable and extend this feeling throughout the class. Being that Japanese can be very difficult to study, I encourage students to develop a positive association with language learning. I will only use positive speech, and guide students to overcome any doubt they may experience.

Learn/ Review Topic
I will go over the topic in order to prepare students for the study session. For example, if the students is studying Hiragana, we would review the entire alphabet before testing our knowledge. 

Test Our Knowledge
Students will test their knowledge in several ways, such as through translating or answering multiple choice questions. I often ask students to share verbal explanations of their choices and thought process.