Reflections from a Summer 2023 JLPT Course Instructor (Part 1)

The July 2023 JLPT N3 course wrapped up beautifully. Below are a few thoughts from one of our instructors.

“This was the first time I’d taught a Japanese-Language Proficiency course for the Association. At first, I was a little anxious — I had no formal teaching background, and I wasn’t sure how to run an online class effectively.

I was fortunate that the support team did a wonderful job preparing study materials, setting up the online meeting rooms, and creating chat groups so I could stay closely connected with the students. All I had to do was focus on teaching. I also had the chance to sit in on classes taught by other instructors, which gave me ideas for a more student-centered approach and for creating a livelier, more relaxed atmosphere with my own learners.

Even though every student was finishing work late and clearly tired, they prepared diligently for each lesson and attended class consistently. Their effort gave me the motivation to keep supporting them across all six weeks. And what made it truly special was the heartfelt thank-you letters I received from each student at the end.

Now that the course is over, I feel that I gained far more than the time I put in. I was inspired by the dedication of the Vietnamese students and technical interns studying in Japan, and I formed new friendships with the colleagues who taught and supported the class alongside me. Thank you so much, Hiệp Hội.”