I’ve been reading posts on here from present day to years back and it seems like there is a mixed bag on learning at The Japan Society in NYC. Some say it’s great, others pointless. Some say to check the notice board on the Sunrise Marts instead for tutors offering to teach.
I would love to take in person classes or at least a tutor because I know if I do online classes or learn on my own I won’t be as engaged. And frankly it would be nice to make friends if possible with others taking the class.
How was learning at The Japan Society for some of you? Worth the money? Or was it really something you could have done on your own? The next session opens next week so any feedback would be great.
3 comments
I’ve been taking the online classes for the last two years or so, and am signed up for in person this coming term. I’m honestly surprised at how effective it’s been. However, I’m someone learning Japanese very casually. If you are more in line with the general culture of this sub, you’d probably find it too slow.
I’ve only taken the grammar-oriented classes, not the conversation classes. It is 100% possible to march through Genki on your own, and the main curriculum is very much a march through Genki.
I’d be skeptical that you could find a private tutor in NYC for a comparable hourly rate, but you can on italki. I did use italki for a bit and ultimately stopped because I preferred the classes.
Classes offer (in-person, online, private tutoring) at least the chance to speak. Each school and each teacher within a school may do things differently.
The Japanese method of instruction is very much “teachers speak, students listen.” You might have a teacher who uses more of a communicative method or something else.
i’ve taken 1-2 classes a semester there for about 7 years and i love it
while every teacher is slightly different, i have found all the classes to be very interactive and enjoyable, and all the instructors are natives, good teachers, and kind