Anyone who is interested to work, travel, or study in Japan must know a little Japanese. Your daily life will be much easier if you know a little more than “hello” and “what is your name.”
However, little Japanese doesn’t mean just the basics. It is about learning the sentences and its formation so that you can hold conversations. But the language is difficult to learn and would require serious commitment from you. So before you join a Japanese Language School in Bangalore because you are taking a summer vacation in Tokyo this year, you need to keep following things in mind.
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It is a time-consuming process
While you would want the new language skill to be easy and fun to learn, Japanese is far from it! It would a great experience for sure but there is no shortcut to learning it. It will take a long time to learn and even longer to master to be prepared for the commitment. If you think that learning Japanese will happen quickly, then you need to realize that it is a false claim made by websites who want you to buy their products. Learning Japanese is not just about joining a course but also making conscious effort during your free time to practice the skill. You could be watching Japanese films or listening to their music, all of these factors together will contribute to your learning. Believe it or not, despite all your efforts, it may take up to 3-5 years before you can write and speak Japanese fluently.
Set reasonable expectations
As has been mentioned before, learning Japanese would require you to be committed to the schedule and give it your best to incorporate the skill. It is going to be challenging at first but with right guidance and format, you will be able to come up the learning curve. However, learning Japanese is a lifelong process. As you understand the basics, the next step is to practice it on a daily basis. Don’t get into it with unreasonable expectations that you will be able to learn the language in 10 days! It takes years to learn and master, so be sure to give it the time it deserves.
Understand the opportunity cost
Learning Japanese will easily take 3-5 years and even longer to become fluent. Some would think that they could have done something else in that duration and been better at it. So be sure to understand the opportunity cost and prioritize your actions so that you are able to get the best out of it!
Choose the right school
Traditional language schools will only expose students to the new language when they are in the school while at home they speak their native language. Immersion schools, on the other hand, will go above and beyond to keep the student immersed in the language they are learning. In these schools, classes are taught in Japanese language and not the native tongue. It may sound daunting but it actually works wonders in accelerating the learning process. However, it is not everybody’s forte to study a foreign language in this format. So make sure you choose your teaching method wisely.
Be prepared to exit your comfort zone
When studying the language, it is advisable to connect with some locals. You would have to leave your comfort zone one too many times in order to learn Japanese quickly. Make friends online or befriend a Japanese in your city so that you can practice your skills with them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Since you are learning, it is only natural that you will fumble for words. Take it in your stride and be open to feedback if you are incorrect.
Make time for practice
Before signup for Japanese course, make sure you have enough time everyday to spare to practice your lessons. Don’t just limit yourself to classroom sessions. Consider adding reading material, Japanese shows, TV, music etc. to get exposed to the local way of speaking and writing. You need to incorporate these into your daily schedule to get best results.
Acquaint yourself into Japanese culture
Try making an effort to know more about the Japanese culture. Read manga, watch anime, listen to Japanese podcasts, use apps etc. Just remember to surround yourself with everything that brings you a step closer to your goal. A lack in effort will not give you the results you were hoping for.
It is very important to set the right expectations when starting a language course in Japanese. These simple tips will help you stay focused as well as motivated to stay true to your goal. In fact, keeping these things in mind will also make the learning fun!
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Ashly William is a freelance writer, with years of experience, creating content for varied online portals. Her content is published on many national and international publications. She love to write about business services and education.