Japan-America Society of Houston

JASH JLP Testimonials

2020 has been difficult for everyone, but especially those of us working in education, which has become an uphill battle. One reliable source of joy in this dark time, for me, has been my weekly online JASH class. I have always wanted to learn to speak and read Japanese, and now, every week, I am happily surrounded by fellow learners who share my passion, guided patiently by a sensei who is a native speaker. If you’re interested in Japanese, this is a priceless opportunity. The pace of our study is brisk, but never overwhelming; our goals aspirational, but still realistic; and the tenor of class is always friendly and productive. More, as an educator myself, I admire how Nomi-sensei has constructed an online learning environment that feels consistently engaging. Whenever you leave class feeling inspired, you know it’s the real deal.

In short, it is a pleasure to learn with JASH. It made my year!

-Cade Varnado
Beginner, Online Student

The Japan-America Society of Houston's weekly classes are exactly what I was looking for. Actually, they're better than expected. I was hoping to learn to read in Japanese but I'm enjoying learning our conversational skill lessons as well. Nomi-sensei always brings up topics that keep classes fun and interesting and our group dynamics over several classes have become friendships as well. She also sends us online references for us to review on our own time that allow us to practice and learn more from other perspectives. Learning via our zoom based classes also allow us to manage our daily lives better since we live in Pearland and driving to JASH classes in person, after work, would have been a real challenge. Thank you JASH!

-Patrick Boyce
Beginner, Online Student

I found JASH online after deciding I wanted to learn Japanese with hopes that one day I could live in Japan and be functional. It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had low expectations of my ability to be able to learn a new language as I felt I had little room left in my brain for something that large of an undertaking. Ukita-sensei has been amazing. She is patient, obviously well trained as a teacher, but she is also very humorous and joins in when our class gets a little silly. She answers all of our questions no matter how weird (most times with quite a bit of laughter). I have been lucky enough to have the same class group (more or less) for over a year and have made great friends through JASH. I am so grateful for everything I have gained from this experience, both expected and unexpected. Thanks Ukita-sensei and class buds!

-B. Felix
Beginner/Intermediate, In Class/Online Student

I was very impressed with the online structure.

I am certified as a QM qualified online course designer and curriculum designer and I designed undergraduate and graduate courses for universities when I was the head of the economics department.

Ukita-san’s organisation was superb. The curriculum was appropriate to the goals of the class. Her teaching style was personal and excellent. It is very hard to have online classes especially in language but this class exceeded my expectations. Thank you for offering this online course. I truly felt I learned so much more than in the face to face because of the structure of the course.

-L. Karkoviata
Beginner/Intermediate, In Class/Online Student

Every week I look forward to my Japanese class. Nomi is such a great instructor. Even though the classes are online Nomi does such an amazing job at organizing the lessons and ensuring we all practice, participate, and stay engaged. I was previously self studying Japanese and my Japanese skills increased exponentially during the course that I plan on continuing to the highest level possible. I would sign up now if I could. Another reason I enjoy the Japanese classes is that the classmates are also supportive and have a study session on the weekend outside of class. During self isolation it is great every week to have a space to hang out with friends and learn Japanese. Japanese can seem intimidating or impossible to learn but Nomi makes learning Japanese fun and easy! I would encourage anyone who is interested in Japanese to register to take a Japanese course with JLP.

-L. Natkin
Beginner, Online Student

I found JASH's program through Google. I was looking for Japanese classes in Houston and I came across JASH. The beginner-level classes often filled up so quickly I actually missed out on the opportunity of registering twice.

When I started back in 2019, I had zero knowledge with the Japanese language. I had attempted to self-learn Japanese previously but I did not make much progress before giving up. I had really enjoyed taking classes at JASH as the classes were not too fast-paced, but also challenging enough you did not feel bored/ discouraged. Ukita-sensei was extremely patient and helpful during/outside of class. While additional studying outside of class is necessary to your success, JASH has truly kept me on track and I highly recommend it if you are serious about learning Japanese.

I plan to continue studying with JASH to achieve my goal of being able to read, write, and communicate in Japanese professionally. 

-Sin-Kiu
Beginner/Intermediate, In Class/Online Student

I found the JASH website through Google while looking for Japanese classes for adults. I had originally looked for classes through a school or university, but the price was too much.

My goals were to both gain a basic grasp of the Japanese language, as well as make connections with others who could assist me through advice and recommendations for my future trip to Japan. Since I intend to travel to the Japanese countryside, at least some knowledge of Japanese would be helpful. I plan to continue learning Japanese and hope to reach the advanced level before my trip.

The JASH JLP has already taught me more Japanese than I would have thought. In just 8 months, I have learned both Hiragana and Katakana, basic sentence structure and grammar. The listening portions of the course and exams have helped me to greatly improve my understanding of spoken Japanese. The practice with other students has also helped me in both my ability to speak, as well as help me to overcome my shyness when speaking Japanese. Putting focus on using our new vocabulary to speak with others, as opposed to only memorizing the words, helps immensely with learning. Continuing my classes, I think I will be able to be successful in learning Japanese.

-M. Gavriliuc
Beginner, In Class/Online Student

I learned about the JASH JLP through online information.

My goal when I started with the JASH JLP program was to survive in Japan when I travel around the country in the future. Additionally, having Japanese language abilities would be helpful for me working in Japan as a journalist if there is a chance for me to be posted in the Tokyo office of my company.

The JASH JLP has been very helpful in helping me reach my Japanese language goals these passed eight months. The textbook is especially designed for the busy people, and Midori-san is a professional instructor. She has also mastered the way of online teaching, so I’m feeling more confident learning online.

-L. Liwei
Beginner, In Class/Online Student