Hello! My name is Bettie Ido, and I am a Canadian living in Japan. I have been teaching English for 43 years now, first as a volunteer in Malaysia for 3 years, and then in Japan since 1976.
In my lessons in Japan, I usually focus on listening and speaking, since these are the things most students want to practice. In conversation classes, listening skills usually improve first, and students gain more confidence to join in as they understand more. Speaking takes a bit longer, as we must search for the right word. Everyone does--I grope for the right word sometimes as well. But with practice, we can learn new words, improve our pronunciation and speak more smoothly and naturally.
I find that people in Japan are very eager to learn English, but are often shy to use the English that they already know, and they worry about making mistakes. I try to boost their confidence and give them an enjoyable experience so that they feel relaxed and more able to express themselves. I know from my own experience that when learning anything new, it is very important to enjoy the process. I hope to give lessons that will be helpful and fun for both of us.
I first taught English Literature and Composition in a high school in Sabah, East Malaysia (Borneo), for three years.
I then went to Japan, and this was my first experience with Japanese culture. I taught English conversation in company classes, and also English conversation schools.
I met my Japanese husband in Kyoto, and we later opened a small school of our own in Gifu, Japan. For the next 30 years (!) we taught all kinds of students, from 3 years to 83 years of age.
We have two daughters, one living in Calgary, Canada, and another living here in Fukuoka, where I am now, and I have five grandchildren.
Now I have joined Cafetalk offering online lessons, and enjoy the opportunity to talk to many different people from all over. I love teaching English because I can meet very positive, motivated people who are interested in the world around them, and I learn from them too!
***afossil5330