TEACHER CASE STUDIES

Listen & Learn: Hello, Manami! I hope you are having a nice day! I am delighted to speak with you today. Perhaps we could start by you telling us which language you teach and you chose a career in teaching?
Manami: Good morning! Yes, of course. I teach Japanese, which is my native language. I graduated from Sapporo University and then worked at a publishing company in sales, while also teaching English to young children. I moved to America 5 years ago and decided to pursue teaching full time.

Listen & Learn: And can you share with us your teaching qualifications and history?
Manami: I took a teaching course at university, so I am fully qualified to teach languages at middle school and high school in Japan. I taught English in Japanese schools for about 2 years before coming to America to teach Japanese.

Listen & Learn: Well, you must have had your pick of places to work after switching from Japan to the US. What attracted you to teach with Listen and Learn?
Manami: Actually, it was you who found me! Listen & Learn found my resume on a job search website and asked me if I’d like to teach some of their clients. I feel very lucky because teaching Japanese is something I do well, and Listen & Learn gave me the opportunity to do it in America.

Listen & Learn: What is the thing you love most about working with Listen and Learn? Or how has working with us helped you to develop your skills as a teacher?
Manami: I still miss my hometown so much, but Listen & Learn gives me the chance to teach Japanese. This makes me happy because I feel connected to my culture during my lessons and enjoy it when my students show enthusiasm for the history and stories I tell them! As for new skills, I’m always nervous about accidentally speaking at the same time as my students. I don’t want them to think I am speaking over them. I have learned that teachers should always let students talk, so when this type of situation comes up, I always pause and let the student speak. Because of this, my students often tell me that I’m a tremendously patient teacher. Hearing that is great and it makes me feel like I am a useful teacher.

Listen & Learn: We certainly consider you incredibly useful, and we have been delighted with the positive feedback your students have shared with us. So, other than your stories from Japan and your patience, what else should students expect from you as their teacher?
Manami: I always plan my lessons and create lesson materials to match the interests and needs of my students. For example, one of my students really likes Japanese comic books, so I create exercises using Japanese comics, and we frequently focus on learning common terms and techniques that will help improve their ability to read comics in Japanese.

Listen & Learn: That’s great, Manami! We really value the flexibility at Listen & Learn, so every course is fully tailored to the client’s needs and interests. But it’s important that students put in the work too, right? So, what do you look for in a student?
Manami: I have a student right now who studies very hard, which makes all the difference. He’s been learning Japanese by himself for many years, so he could already read and write pretty well. Now, he really wants to improve his speaking and listening skills, so I’ve been trying to let him practice speaking as much as possible in our lessons, but his hard work and determination make my job so much more enjoyable.

Listen & Learn: That’s excellent! I couldn’t agree more that a determined student is one of the key requirements to learn a language well. But dedicated learners have lots of language schools to choose between. Why do you think they should choose Listen and Learn?
Manami: This is an international company with forward-thinking attitude to always improve and stay at the top when it comes to providing the very best language training. You have a library of resources for teachers and students, and the Listen & Learn staff is always very kind and helpful!

Listen & Learn: And last of all, can you tell us a favorite phrase you like your students to learn?
Manami: I sometimes say, “anata wa gariben desu,” which means, “you are a hard worker (or you are a nerd).” My students think it is a great phrase to know!