初級者からIELTS対策などの上級者まで,幅広く人気のPatricia先生にレッスン内容やオーストラリアのことを沢山聞いてみました！

Q.“Hi, Patricia! Please introduce yourself.”

A.“Hello everyone! My name’s Patricia and I’m an English teacher living near Brisbane, Australia. I have a Graduate Diploma in TESOL and have been teaching for more than 20 years!”

Q.“What’s a hobby farm? How does it differ to a normal farm?”

A.“A hobby farm is a small farm that is run for pleasure rather than profit. It’s usually owned by people who have other jobs as well (in other words, the farm is not their main source of income). We grow our own fruit trees and vegetables and have a rooster and some chickens.”

Q.“What are some cultural differences between Japan and Australia?”

A.“There are so many differences that it’s difficult to know where to begin!

The food, the language, the way of eating (we use a knife and fork rather than chopsticks – I can use chopsticks but I’m not very good at it! ), the climate, style of housing, even the way of bathing is different! However, it would be a mistake to think that the differences are too great to be bridged. At heart we are all people who want to be loved, respected and heard.”

Q.“How do Aussies celebrate Christmas?”

A.“Most people still celebrate Xmas in the European way, with a Xmas tree, a big roast turkey lunch and Xmas pudding.

However some people are also realizing that the Australian climate is not really suited to this style of celebration, so nowadays many people are celebrating Xmas at the beach with a picnic lunch.”

Q.“What is the most common mistake that Japanese speakers make? How can this be overcome?”

A.“Almost every student forgets to use articles and prepositions (which is understandable as they probably don’t seem very important ). It often helps to slow down and consider what you are saying. The other common mistake is verb tense. Almost every student makes mistakes with verb tense – which is also understandable as it’s quite a complex subject.

If the student is continually making the same mistakes then it’s probably a good idea to have some grammar lessons on verb tense. My grammar lessons are quite unique in that I point out the error to the student and then ask them for the correct tense.

Many students find this more useful than exercises which don’t relate to them. The key to fluency is regular practice with a native speaker who will point out any mistakes, check pronunciation and give suggestions for more natural expressions.”

Q.“Tell us about your most popular lessons.”

A.“My most popular lessons are General English, where we read and discuss a newspaper article; IELTS speaking preparation; Spontaneous Speech where the student is asked an unpredictable question and has to answer spontaneously; and Everyday English Phrases which are useful for students who are fairly new to English.”

Q.“Any words of advice for students?”

A.“Practice speaking (and listening) at every opportunity. Expose yourself to English on a daily basis. Speak with a native speaker who will correct your errors (this is really the key).

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! It’s how we learn. I would also like to congratulate you all for having the courage and persistence to learn another language. Learning is a two-way process and I learn something from every student I speak to. It’s always a pleasure to speak with each and every one of you.”