Konnichiwa! I’m Yoshiko, born and raised in Tokyo and a graduate of a U.S. college. With more than 3 years of teaching experience, I help learners go beyond just memorizing – you’ll learn Japanese how it’s really used, through stories,travel, pop culture, daily life, news and current trends.
What makes my lessons different
- Conversation-first approach: Most lessons center around talking – practicing real dialogues, making Japanese feel natural from Day 1.
- All tailored to your goals: If you want it, I’ll weave in grammar explanations, JLPT prep, reading, writing, business-oriented conversation, etc.
- Original 6-level assessment (optional): Comfortable starting point – I offer my original placement assessment to help you start at just the right level. This helps me understand your current strengths and needs, so I can make lessons efficient and motivating right from the start. (You can also skip this - it’s totally optional!) There are two versions - a quick check (about 5 questions) and a detailed version (about 8–10 questions). Both are simple conversation-style Q&A, not a test. They cover things like greetings, daily topics, and short speaking tasks.
- Flexible bilingual support: English OK whenever you need clarity.
Here’s a quick look at my 6 levels:
- Starter: Just beginning, learning sounds and greetings.
- Beginner: Can handle simple phrases and everyday topics.
- Pre-Intermediate: Can talk about personal experiences and opinions.
- Intermediate: Can hold natural conversations and use a range of grammar.
- Upper-Intermediate: Can discuss abstract ideas and culture in Japanese.
- Advanced: Near-fluent - can express opinions on any topic with nuance.