Konnichiwa! My name is Mariko Inamoto.

I love to travel and have been to lots of different countries. I really enjoy getting to know and communicating with people from various countries.

In the lessons I don't just want to teach the Japanese language but would love to talk about the culture and people of Japan. I think this is the best way to master a language. Please come and enjoy my online Japanese classes, and talk about your country and your lifestyle. I'm really looking forward to meeting you in the classroom.

What kinds of activities do you include in your online Japanese classes?

Beginner 2

The aim of the Beginner 2 level is to use basic Japanese grammatical structures to easily express what you want to say. After taking these online lessons, you'll surprise yourself and find yourself saying, "Wow! I can use this Japanese expression!”

Each lesson deals with a single grammatical structure in Japanese. We first take the structure in context (where and when it is used), and then we learn by practicing Japanese conversations. Next, we use the structure in basic drills and applied practice. The practice level starts easy and gets gradually harder, so you do not need to prepare for the lesson. You'll find that you can get through the lesson without any trouble at all.

At the end of the lesson we use the lesson in a variety of topics, as students use the grammar structure in more free-flowing Japanese. It is really fun to hear from other students from different countries and towns.

Intermediate Grammar (incl. JLPT N2 and N3)

The Intermediate leve includes casual Japanese language that we use everyday, as well as more formal expressions that are used in business and in the news in Japan. The more Japanese you learn, the more you come to realize how interesting the language is.

At the start or end of each lesson, we often have quizzes on popular Japanese idioms and words that have multiple meanings?an activity sure to help you with vocabulary learning. Next, we take on two separate grammatical points in Japanese. We look at the meanings of the structures, the situations in which they are used, and connect each structure to various types of test problems.

We also do some Japanese sentence restructuring exercises in line with the newly revised Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). Then I ask students to create their own sentences using the grammar. It may seem a little difficult at first, but there are a lot of hints in the lesson materials, so you'll do just fine. Other students' sentences are a great help in creating your own Japanese sentences, plus some sentences are really funny. Humorous phrases are always bound to generate a lot of laughs! If we have some time left over at the end, we often try two or more JLPT test questions.

Please share your thoughts on teaching and learning Japanese.

 I am always thinking about how to make online Japanese lessons that students can take without any stress. I'm sure that some students worry that the lessons will be too difficult or that they do not know enough vocabulary in Japanese to participate, but I assure you that you will find my online class a stress-free learning environment. There are English translations for the most difficult Japanese words, and I provide hints throughout the lesson using the text chat area. You are also free to ask me questions during the lessons. Give JOI a try, and I'm confident you'll enjoy learning Japanese online.