Skype Japanese lessons are certainly the best way of learning Japanese for those who live outside of Japan. This enables them to speak Japanese with native speakers from anywhere in the world. However, in some cases there is room for further improvement in the way of taking Skype Japanese lessons. In this article, we will show you how to maximize the effect.
How to Make the Best Use of Skype Japanese Lessons
The basic idea is simple. When learning a language, there are things which you can and cannot do alone. Therefore, you should concentrate on what you can’t do alone during Skype Japanese lessons with a native speaker. That is the best utilization. Let’s go over how it will work.
Step 0. Lesson Topics or Worksheets
We recommend you decide which topic or worksheet you will use for the next lesson in advance. We understand that a free conversation can be fun, however, by choosing them you will be able to maximize the effect of your lessons. Regarding Wasabi’s worksheets, we have designed them to be completed in 25 minutes. Thus, you can enjoy both a structured lesson and a free conversation in a single lesson.
Step 1. Preparation
Once you have chosen the worksheet you will use next, you should review it before the lesson. One of the questions that you should avoid asking during Skype Japanese lessons is “この言葉の意味はなんですか？ (What does this word [in a worksheet] mean?)” because you can look up new words on your own. In addition, native speakers are not perfect, thus your dictionary may have more knowledge than your tutor and will give you proper explanations in your first language.
By contrast, one of the questions you should ask is something like “…という言い方は正しいですか？ (Is the expression: …. correct?)” It’s because a proper expression depends on a situation, which your dictionary will hardly teach you. For example, if your next topic is “誘う Inviting,” you should think of some expressions by yourself beforehand and ask your tutor like “友達をご飯に誘うときに、「日曜日の夜、ご飯に行きませんか？」という言い方は正しいですか？ Then, your tutor will give you proper answers with other practical examples. That way, you will be able to naturally use the expression in everyday life.
For your information, the above expression is very polite and is suitable when you make a new acquaintance and want to know him or her better. You should use a more casual one with your close friends.
Step 2. During Skype Japanese Lessons
Just enjoy speaking Japanese. No matter how proficient you are in Japanese, your tutor will never make fun of you, but always smile with great patience. As the saying goes “Practice makes perfect.” The more you use Japanese, the better you will be at Japanese. One point you should pay attention to is when you face words or expressions that you don’t know in a conversation, you should ask your tutor or make notes for the following step.
Step 3. Review
After taking Skype Japanese lessons, there should be some words or expressions that you didn’t know or couldn’t use well. Try to review and become able to use them before the next lesson. By repeating this cycle, your Japanese will certainly improve. If you don’t review them, you may not use them even in the next lesson. You should make the best use of time outside of your lessons. If the amount of words you need to review is large, you may try worksheets at a lower level.
Conclusion
What we have explained so far is very simple: do preparation and review. We know that you may be busy; however, we hope that you can benefit from Skype Japanese lessons as much as possible. We are more than happy to help you learn Japanese. If you have any questions, please let us know at any time via our Facebook page or Skype Chate (Wasabi member only).