RICKY DLS 英会話 blog

One of the hardest things to do when learning English is to start thinking in English rather than translating back and forth between the two languages. But once you find the switch that resets your brain mode from Japanese to English you will become a fluent speaker in no time.

This is especially important for native Japanese speakers due to the fact that the Japanese language structure is completely different from the English one. Therefore when trying to translate word by word from Japanese to English, the outcome is odd at best and incomprehensible at worst.

Find the switch. Before entering the classroom, program your brain to think in English only, and once you master that technique, watch your English take off.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

One thing I have noticed while teaching English in Japan is that many students like to use difficult words, even when their level is still basic, and they often get stuck on them, looking up the expressions in the dictionary and hence sacrificing fluency. I always tell my students to think easy and work with words they know rather than losing time looking in the dictionary or trying to recall complicated vocabulary that is buried deep down there in the brain’s long-term memory. Build your vocabulary little by little by writing down the words you learn in your English class week after week, memorize them at home and use them in your next lesson. Once you get to an intermediate level it’s OK to start using more difficult words as long as they don’t interfere with fluency. For beginner levels I definitely recommend: Think easy!

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

Complimenting is a great way to practice your English! Each year a list of English proficiency around the world is published and it is quite shocking to learn that Japan ranks worst in Asia after Laos and Cambodia. Why, one asks, why are there not more people in Japan that speak English? If you ask me, many Japanese UNDERSTAND English but they hesitate to use it because they do not want to speak flawed English. Japanese people are perfectionists, and that can be a huge learning barrier. When I traveled to Thailand and China, everybody, and I mean everybody from the taxi driver to the waiters to random people on the street, spoke to me in English. Their English was far from being perfect but they didn’t care. Advice to my students: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. We, the teachers, are here to guide you and correct your mistakes so that you can learn from them. If you feel uncomfortable speaking in front of others, take 1-to-1 lessons first and switch to interactive group lessons when you become more confident.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。

A question English students often ask is how they can progress faster, and I always tell them: Take lessons on a regular basis, and make the most out of them. By ‘regular basis’ I mean at least once a week, that’s the minimum. As with anything that has to do with learning, be it a sport, a dance, or a language, constancy and continuity are the safest bet for improvement. Constancy focuses on practice, and practice embraces repetition, all of which will eventually lead to perfection. ‘Make the most out of it’: take advantage of your time during the lesson, meaning TALK, TALK, TALK. Do not only talk when prompted ie when the teacher asks you something. Instead, have something prepared for every class, something you want to share. That could be a recent personal experience, a movie or book review or some news. If you speak English regularly in class where you will be coached and your mistakes corrected I can guarantee that you will make good progress.

私は英語とスペイン語の先生です。