06-15-2025

When learning English, especially in a business setting, many students focus on listening and understanding. This is important, but speaking is just as critical — maybe even more. To truly improve your fluency and confidence, it's helpful to aim to speak about 70% to 80% of each lesson. Why so much? Because using the language is the best way to learn it. The more you speak, the more you remember. You don’t need to be perfect. In fact, making mistakes while speaking is one of the most...

06-04-2025

Learning English can feel like a big challenge, especially when you're busy or tired. You might think, "I don't have time today," or "One day off won’t hurt." But guess what? Practicing English every day, even just a little, can lead to big improvements over time. Let’s talk about why daily practice is so important, and how you can make it simple and fun. Think of English like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. If you stop using it, it gets weak. But even 10–15 minutes a...

05-18-2025

How to Stop Using Katakana When Speaking English Break Free from カタカナ英語 and Sound More Natural! If you're a Japanese speaker learning English, chances are you've used katakana to help with pronunciation. While katakana can be a helpful starting point, it often leads to habits that make your English sound unnatural. So how can you move beyond it? Listen to Real English—A Lot Katakana English is based on Japanese sounds, which are very different from English ones. To get used to how...

05-16-2025

How to Approach Speaking in a One-on-One Online Lesson Speaking in a one-on-one online lesson can feel a little awkward at first, but with the right mindset, it becomes a great opportunity to build fluency and confidence. Whether you're learning English or teaching it, the key is to create natural, relaxed conversation. Here's how to make the most of it: 1. Tell Stories from Your Life Sharing personal stories is a great way to practice natural sentence flow, past tense, and emotional...

05-12-2025

How to Learn Vocabulary More Effectively (Without Just Memorizing) Many English learners try to memorize long vocabulary lists—but then forget the words quickly. A better way? Learn words in context. Here’s how: Learn words in sentences. Instead of memorizing: “run = 走る”, try: “I run every morning before work.” This helps your brain remember how the word is used, not just what it means. Group words by topic. Learning words by theme (like “at the airport” or “ordering...

05-11-2025

Listening Tip for Japanese ESL Learners: Train Your Ears for “Connected Speech” Many Japanese learners say: “I can read English, but I can’t understand it when people speak fast!” One big reason is connected speech—the way native speakers link words together in real conversations. For example: “I’m going to eat it.” sounds like → “I’m gonna eat it.” “Did you eat yet?” sounds like → “Didja eat yet?” These changes happen naturally and quickly in spoken English,...

05-11-2025

Common Grammar Mistake for Japanese Learners: Forgetting the Subject In Japanese, sentences often begin without a subject—because it’s understood from context. But in English, every sentence must have a subject, even if it seems unnecessary. Common mistake: ❌ “Is cold today.” ✅ “It is cold today.” In English, “it” is needed—even though it doesn’t refer to anything specific. This “it” is called a dummy subject, and it’s used for things like weather, time, and...

05-10-2025

How to Practice Pronunciation: Simple Steps to Sound More Natural Improving your pronunciation doesn’t mean aiming for perfection—it means being clearly understood. Whether you're learning English or any other language, the key is consistency and awareness. Here are a few simple but powerful ways to practice pronunciation: Listen actively. Before speaking, train your ear. Watch videos, movies, or podcasts with native speakers and pay close attention to how they pronounce words, their...

04-08-2025

When you learn a new language, it’s normal to worry about grammar. You might want to speak perfectly, with no mistakes. But speaking is actually more important than perfect grammar. The reason we learn a language is to talk to people. You don’t need perfect grammar to do that. If someone understands what you mean, that’s more important than saying everything 100% correctly. Speaking also helps you become more fluent. When you speak often, you learn to think in the language. You get faster...

03-21-2025

Doing Business in Japan: What You Need to Know Japan is a great place for business. It has a strong economy, advanced technology, and a rich culture. However, doing business in Japan is different from Western countries. Understanding Japanese business culture will help you succeed. Respect and Politeness: Respect is very important in Japan. People bow when they greet each other. A firm handshake is not common. Always use polite language and show good manners in meetings. Business Cards:...