Japan Society: Language Director

I am running for the role of Language Director because I believe language is one of the most significant ways to connect with individuals from diverse cultures. During the time I studied Japanese, I realised that learning a language is not just about studying grammar and vocabulary, but also about building friendships and gaining a deeper understanding of different cultures. Having experienced the challenges of learning Japanese myself, I understand how difficult the process can sometimes feel, so I would like to help make learning Japanese more approachable and enjoyable for other international students who may be interested in the language. 

When I began teaching level 1 students, I was inspired by their enthusiasm for learning Japanese and their interest in exploring Japanese culture. These interactions with the students made teaching Japanese more motivating and meaningful. As Language Director, I hope to create more relaxed and welcoming opportunities for members to practice Japanese, meet new people, and learn about Japanese culture, so that more people can experience the joy of learning a new language. I would also like to encourage more international students to feel comfortable joining language events and to feel included within the Japan Society community, making Japanese language learning more accessible to everyone interested in it. 

Hi, I’m Koto Nakajima, first year BA History student from Tokyo. I am running for Language Director/Officer to improve the language lessons even further.

Why am I running?

I currently teach Level 5 Japanese, the highest level. Doing so, I see immense potential in the lessons to become more accessible, practical, and most importantly, enjoyable. With 5 years of experience in teaching, I believe I can bring the changes necessary to elevate the language lessons of JSoc.

What will I do?

I’m running for Language Director & Officer next year to reform the JSoc language lessons. I will modify the language classes by making them more practical. Currently, the language lessons across all levels are purely focused on grammar. However, the application of language is never fully possible unless the teachers fully explain the context and the cultural views behind the selection of certain words/phrases. Therefore, my three following pillars will support the transformation of the Language Lessons:

1. Heightened awareness of Japan through weekly briefings of Japanese news.
2. Creating a systematic repository of resources specifically for non-native speakers, such as textbooks.
3. Inter-level workshops focusing on specific skills, such as letter writing using Keigo, and/ different types of language used in different texts (songs, adverts, etc.). 

I appreciate you reading until the end, and I sincerely hope you vote for me!

皆さんの協力をぜひともよろしくお願いします。

Hi everyone, はじめまして！

I’m a second-year Pharmacy student from Japan 🇯🇵I’m running for Language Director to spread the joy of learning Japanese!

I’ve been teaching the Level 2 Japanese class since last September, and I’ve loved it so far! I really enjoy seeing the progress and deeper understanding students gain in each lesson🤩

Through my experience this year, I’ve noticed a few things we can improve to make lessons more enjoyable and engaging. Therefore, by becoming Language Director, I hope to further contribute to the Japan Society and the growth and success of the language team.

Here are my goals:

Make lessons joyful and not like an ordinary lecture :) I plan to achieve this by following 6 plans:

• Including more partner and group work
• Doing quiz activities at the end of lessons so you don’t just input grammar and vocabulary, but also output them.
• Adding more speaking exercises, especially for beginner-level classes. Shadowing etc…
• Most importantly, creating a supportive environment where students are not afraid of making mistakes, because they are an essential part of learning!😉

To ensure it’s also a positive experience for teachers, I will:

• Plan teachers’ schedules in a timely and organized manner
• Provide enough resources, support, and feedback to teachers, so we can always improve 🫶

I’m eager to create a welcoming community with you and all the members of the language team! I’ll do my best to make your Japanese learning journey more exciting and meaningful ✨

Please vote for me!! 🗳️