Having started my Japanese classes at the Kyoto International Academy (KIA) only three days after my arrival, I am into my third week of language classes, where I oscillate between feeling completely overwhelmed, just right, or just plain annoyed.
One reason for confusion is that I joined the class for the last 3 weeks of a 3-month semester. So, there is a lot I have missed. However, as far as the primary text-book and grammar are concerned, I am in the right place. Even our listening text book is just about at the right place for me. There are just a few things that I am no as firm on as I should be (I learned them in my once-a-week night class this year, so I recognize them but can't functionally use them well yet).
The classes, held for four periods five mornings a week, very much are structured to teach to the books, which in turn very much teach to the government proficiency exams. This means that there is a lot of reading and memorization, but not as much conversation practice as I would like. I guess I will just be getting that in my every-day life instead.
The second bit of frustration comes from the fact that my class, and the whole school, is catered to the Chinese majority there. In my class, there is myself, a Russian girl, and 15 Chinese students (one is Chinese-Vietnamese, I think). Because of this, while most of the grammar and topical text books are catered to the N2 exam level (working towards business-level Japanese and right where I should be), our kanji (Chinese character) texts are all aimed at the N1 exam level, which is full fluency, because the kanji come easily to the Chinese students. Still a bit rusty from 4 years away from regular Japanese classes, my kanji is a bit behind where I should be, but there is no way I can keep up with a room full of Chinese students. However, my speaking, grammar, and fluency is already near the top of the class. Given the amount of reading we do in class, though, I spend a lot of time floundering. While frustrating, I am learning to come to terms with the fact that I can only work as hard as I am able to at my level.
There are, of course, final exams next Tuesday and Wednesday for the quarter that I only participated in three weeks of. Thankfully, I have been reassured by the office staff and my teachers that they all know where I'm coming from and I can go on to the next level of Advanced 2 no matter how poorly I do. Thank goodness they are understanding and that my visa is tied to Ritsumeikan and not KIA.
My classmates are all younger, aiming to pass the government exams and get into college in Japan. They study for the tests and seem to do well on them, but have little interest in participating in fun topical discussions that our teachers occasionally bring up, as it is not material that will be on a test. What makes me really cringe, as a former language teacher myself, is all of the rampant cheating on homework that goes on, but even more than that, how much they are all constantly talking to each other in Chinese--to an extent that sometimes I have a hard time hearing the teacher--during class. I can't stand how disrespectful they are all being. I also was not prepared for daily Chinese immersion every time I go to school. Needless to say, I have not made any friends from language school yet, as they are not very interested in chatting with anyone in a language other than Chinese.
Despite all of my complaints, I am learning a lot as I struggle to keep up, and I know I will get a lot out of a year of this. I just wish the classes were better run with more respectful students.
I am now in the midst of orientation for graduate school, so I am very much looking forward to digging into the classes I am really here for starting next week.
One reason for confusion is that I joined the class for the last 3 weeks of a 3-month semester. So, there is a lot I have missed. However, as far as the primary text-book and grammar are concerned, I am in the right place. Even our listening text book is just about at the right place for me. There are just a few things that I am no as firm on as I should be (I learned them in my once-a-week night class this year, so I recognize them but can't functionally use them well yet).
The classes, held for four periods five mornings a week, very much are structured to teach to the books, which in turn very much teach to the government proficiency exams. This means that there is a lot of reading and memorization, but not as much conversation practice as I would like. I guess I will just be getting that in my every-day life instead.
The second bit of frustration comes from the fact that my class, and the whole school, is catered to the Chinese majority there. In my class, there is myself, a Russian girl, and 15 Chinese students (one is Chinese-Vietnamese, I think). Because of this, while most of the grammar and topical text books are catered to the N2 exam level (working towards business-level Japanese and right where I should be), our kanji (Chinese character) texts are all aimed at the N1 exam level, which is full fluency, because the kanji come easily to the Chinese students. Still a bit rusty from 4 years away from regular Japanese classes, my kanji is a bit behind where I should be, but there is no way I can keep up with a room full of Chinese students. However, my speaking, grammar, and fluency is already near the top of the class. Given the amount of reading we do in class, though, I spend a lot of time floundering. While frustrating, I am learning to come to terms with the fact that I can only work as hard as I am able to at my level.
There are, of course, final exams next Tuesday and Wednesday for the quarter that I only participated in three weeks of. Thankfully, I have been reassured by the office staff and my teachers that they all know where I'm coming from and I can go on to the next level of Advanced 2 no matter how poorly I do. Thank goodness they are understanding and that my visa is tied to Ritsumeikan and not KIA.
My classmates are all younger, aiming to pass the government exams and get into college in Japan. They study for the tests and seem to do well on them, but have little interest in participating in fun topical discussions that our teachers occasionally bring up, as it is not material that will be on a test. What makes me really cringe, as a former language teacher myself, is all of the rampant cheating on homework that goes on, but even more than that, how much they are all constantly talking to each other in Chinese--to an extent that sometimes I have a hard time hearing the teacher--during class. I can't stand how disrespectful they are all being. I also was not prepared for daily Chinese immersion every time I go to school. Needless to say, I have not made any friends from language school yet, as they are not very interested in chatting with anyone in a language other than Chinese.
Despite all of my complaints, I am learning a lot as I struggle to keep up, and I know I will get a lot out of a year of this. I just wish the classes were better run with more respectful students.
I am now in the midst of orientation for graduate school, so I am very much looking forward to digging into the classes I am really here for starting next week.
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