Explore Japanese with a Native Instructor: 25 Years of Experience

Kaoru S.

Konnichiwa! I am Kaoru, a passionate and dedicated Japanese language instructor with over 25 years of experience. As a native of Japan, I have had the privilege of sharing my language and culture with students in the United States.

I was born and raised in Japan, then I moved to the United States in my 20s to pursue higher education.

With my bachelor's and Master's degree in education with a focus on Second Language Acquisition, I built and developed the only Japanese program in the state from scratch at a public high school, where I taught for the last 25 years. Beyond the classroom, I brought over 150 students to Japan in summer time so that the students immersed themselves in Japanese language and culture for over 10 days. I also published a book on the Kansai dialect to help non-Japanese speakers communicate more effectively in the Kansai region.

My teaching philosophy revolves around creating an engaging, friendly, and supportive learning environment and relationship where students feel comfortable making mistakes as a part of learning. Moreover, I employ various techniques to make lessons interactive and enjoyable, including using free speaking activities, cartoons, various mnemonics, real-world tasks. In online lessons, I would like to focus on speaking (if you have other skills to strengthen, let me know; I will make lessons for the skills) so that you would feel confident in communication in Japanese.

Beyond the high school classroom setting, I have taught at community colleges and provided one-on-one online tutoring sessions. My extensive experience allows me to tailor my teaching methods to suit individual learning styles and goals.

With my passion for Japanese language and culture, coupled with my expertise and student-focused approach, I aim to create an enriching and rewarding learning experience for every student.