It wasn’t so long ago I looked at the possibilities for teaching English online, but never considered using my webcam and mic to learn Japanese online. Actually, I’ve always thought study materials for learning Japanese were far behind those for learning English. I remember being frustrated at how most English textbooks came with CDs, whereas books for learning Japanese still came with cassette tapes, even though tape players had long disappeared from most electronics stores!
Studying Japanese the traditional way – 10 years ago
In the late 90’s and probably still today, English teachers flooded Nagoya with cheap private English lessons, but if we wanted to learn Japanese, we’d have a choice of about three schools whose prices were exuberant. They offered brain-draining, rote learning-style lessons, and focused more on technical, polite Japanese than the casual conservational language we really needed on a day-to-day basis.
If you looked hard enough, there were a few cheap volunteer classes at community centers, but they were usually at times when most English teachers were working, and exchange lessons were often very one-sided since the Japanese “teacher” just wanted to learn and speak English, knowing nothing about, and having little in teaching Japanese at all.
Japanese learners welcome the internet
Ten years later and things seem to have improved dramatically. I live out in the countryside now so if I’m going to start learning Japanese seriously again (next step - JLPT 1kyu), I’m going to use my favorite tool, the internet. Harvey is Learning Japanese with Google Images, Thomas is posting some ways to Learn Japanese with Google, and SpeedAnki is helping me relearn the thousand kanji I forgot after passing JLPT 2kyu. The site that has really got me interested, however, is JOI - the Japanese Online Institute. I was looking over Mike’s Japanese slang site, when I saw JOI’s advertisement for live Japanese lessons online.
Learn Japanese online with the Japanese Online Institute
I haven’t done a trial lesson yet, but everything about JOI looks professional and good value. If I join, I’d probably buy the PrivateGold Lessons. They’re the most expensive at around $25 per 50-minute class, but you get free registration, a qualified teacher, a personalized curriculum, a progress report after each lesson, and near-complete flexibility in choosing your lesson time – 24 hours a day.
JOI does offer classes from as little as $5, but I think $25 is very reasonable when you compare it to real schools. Take for example the Shinjuku Japanese Language Institute. They charge around $50 per hour, and that’s after you pay $150 to register! Personally, I’d rather study in my pajamas from home.
If you live in Japan, ask your wife or friend to teach you!
You might wonder why I don’t just ask Mami to teach me. Well it’s impossible to stick to a schedule, remain motivated, or take it seriously. Unless money is changing hands, teaching your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, wife or even language exchange partner just doesn’t work.
Should I give up dancing to study Japanese?
Again, I haven’t tried JOI yet, and I’m not sure I can afford online Japanese lessons and ballroom dancing lessons at the same time, but we’ll see. If you had to choose between ballroom dancing or Japanese learning, which would it be?
