Now that is music to my ears. I have heard this sentence twice this week and I am sure many others have as well. It tells me two things. One, that I am certainly doing something right on the motivational side. To like something is to continue doing it. Secondly, it tells me that learning English in school is not very fun. We all know that the purpose in school seems to be to pass a test. That requires hard study of grammar and vocabulary, not to mention the hours spent in a classroom listening (or sleeping) to a “lecturer.” Yet when they come to Smith’s they find out that it can be fun, useful, stimulating, and helpful in other walks of life…It is ashame that the English education system is the way it is in Japan, has been for so long. They say change is coming, but I will believe it when I see it. Until then, no big hurry because the Japanese education system is a big part of what keeps us in business. Try this one-point and see what comes out: “I didn’t like ( ) before, but now I do because ( ).” I bet they plug-in the word “English,” and have positive things to say about you and Smith’s.
jim
Jim,
Your comment on the Japanese English education system is so so true. But I do hope that before students develop the hatred or fear of English, they will try 英会話 and particular at a Smith’s School of English スミス英会話 because I think there are too many Japanese students who could really succeed with English if they began earlier to learn English Conversation instead of just doing what they are required to do in school. The current method and goals in Japanese schools force them to translate almost everything first to Japanese before they can ever understand the meaning. Too much emphasis on grammar rules and translation really kills a lot of students’ motivation. The real goal for learning a language must be to communicate with people and not to take and pass tests. So before they are carried away with what should be the secondary purpose, they need to recognize and work to achieve the first one: to gain the ability to really communicate with people. This is where we come into the picture. Hopefully more students will start to learn conversation sooner, and at least before it is too late!
Al, SSE Okamoto