Coupled with her positive, encouraging and supportive demeanor, Yamafuji-sensei is an expert in delivering clear and effective instructions in my Japanese lessons. She targets, implements and assesses student achievement in a relaxed, entertaining environment, making learning seem “fun and easy”.

• All of Yamafuji-sensei’s instruction is given in Japanese, which reinforces listening skills, enlarges vocabulary, and trains the student’s mind to think in Japanese. If I do not know a word, Yamafuji-sensei writes the word down in Japanese and English, and I understand, without interruption of the flow of the lesson. I use this same method in my classes.
• Every grammar and vocabulary concept presented is accompanied by a visual image, the appropriate text and Yamafuji-sensei speaking it as well. Then, I write down the concepts and continue to listen and repeat, viewing the image and text again. I personally use this effective method too, so students are exposed to listening, speaking, reading and writing from the start.
• Yamafuji-sensei uses verbal assessments to verify that I have mastered the material, and reviews the lesson’s material in an organized and structured way. The lesson goal and objectives are easily apparent.
• Nihongo-Pro’s Support Room offers students a whiteboard, which is essential to lesson delivery, especially for visual and spatial learners like me. I personally cannot teach and learn without a whiteboard.
• Finally, an aspect of utmost importance in evaluating my teachers is the classroom environment. Yamafuji-sensei has created a distinct positive instructional environment conducive to learning. She always is concerned with my well-being, and as evidenced by her lessons, has built a strong working relationship based on trust, support and encouragement.

In conclusion, I am extremely satisfied with my choice to study Japanese at Nihongo-Pro. With education as my own profession, I feel assured that I am in good hands with Yamafuji-sensei and Nihongo-Pro, as evidenced by my tremendously improved listening, reading, speaking and writing ability.

After just the first online Japanese lesson, I had gotten beyond feeling I ought to learn Japanese, and had instead developed a real desire to learn the language. I also quickly developed a friendship with Sei-Sensei, a wonderful teacher and person who shares some things in common with me. Sei-Sensei has such a great sense of humour and excellent English! She understands all my jokes and we laugh a lot. I really look forward to my lessons; once I get more time, I am looking forward to increasing my study at Nihongo-Pro to two lessons a week.

Sei-Sensei says I learn fast and she often remarks on how I constantly ask for more homework! Not only does she teach me how to speak Japanese and construct Japanese sentences correctly, we exchange cultural information also. Outside of our online lessons we regularly exchange emails—I’m looking forward to the day when I can write a whole email in Japanese!

I have learnt 4 foreign languages at different periods of my life, always with great pleasure, but none have given me so much satisfaction as Japanese—I would never have imagined it! Thank you, Sei-Sensei and Nihongo-Pro!