Steven_R

Steven_R Tutor Interview

Q. Hi Steven, please tell us a little bit about yourself. I heard you lived in Japan for 8 years teaching English. Which part of Japan did you live in?

A. Hello.

Yes, I first lived in Japan in 1999 as an exchange student, studying Japanese at Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata City, Osaka for 6 months. I also stayed with a Japanese host family during that time. After that, I was an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) for 2 years at two senior high schools in Hirakata City and Suita City, both in Osaka Prefecture. However, my most recent time in Japan was spent as an English instructor for Shane English Schools in the Saitama and Tokyo areas. I lived in Saitama for about 5 years.

Q. Do you have any interesting experiences you can share with us from your time there?

A. Well, I had a great time. I visited many places in Japan over the years I was there. Fukui Prefecture during the crab season, Kagoshima at the height of summer – where I had a “volcanic sand bath” (sunaboro-onsen), and tried sashimi with ice-cold soumen for the first time. Saitama, Tokyo, Sendai, Ibaraki, Kyoto, Kobe ,Wakayama, Fukushima, Yamagata, Nagano, Nagoya, Yokohama, Kagawa, Nara, Shizuoka …I think that’s everywhere! From football games to baseball, cherry blossom season barbecues to winter-time mochi and soba-making workshops…. I was amazed at all the diversions available to people in Japan. The list is endless. While working in Saitama and Tokyo as an English instructor I met Japanese people from all walks of life, and so I learned a lot from the students too. I hope they learned a lot of English from me. I left Japan in 2009 but I still keep in touch with some of the people I met in Japan.

Q. Oh, you taught English in France, too. How was life there?

A. That was a long time ago, and I was much younger than I am now. I was a language assistant in a “Lycee” (high school) in the south-east of France. I did a lot of skiing during the holidays and at the weekend!

Q. I’m interested in your lesson, “30分間でスコットランド・ゲール語・入門レッスン“. Could you please tell us what is Gaelic?

A. Scottish Gaelic is a native language of Scotland, and is closely related to Irish, which is also sometimes called Gaelic in English. Although very similar, Irish and Scottish Gaelic are not exactly the same and a Scottish Gaelic speaker would need to study Irish to be able to understand or speak it, and vice-versa. This is because of the many differences in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. Today, Scottish Gaelic (pronounced “ガーリック”) is a minority language in Scotland, but much of present-day Scottish culture has its roots in the Gaelic language. If you would like to learn more about it, book a lesson with me, or explore the site: www.learngaelic.net

Q. Do you have any suggestion or ideas for improving English skills?

A. It depends on the level of the student but I think that the key is getting as much exposure to the language as possible, but also learning it in manageable chunks and then giving yourself opportunities to use the language in a variety of situations. This involves hours of study and practice. Learning a language is a lifestyle choice, not just an activity.

Q. Finally, would you like to leave a message for our students.

A. Yes, sure.

Whoever you are, wherever you may be, all the best in achieving your goals and I hope I can be of some help to you if your goal is to learn or continue learning English.

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Steven_R

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