I have been coming to class at JSNC in San Francisco since 2016. I studied abroad in Japan in 2013, and was planning a trip back. Because I was worried that I would have trouble communicating with my friends and host family, I decided to start taking Japanese classes again.  I enjoyed the class at JSNC so much that I decided to continue taking it even after my trip was over.

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I started in an intermediate level and advanced two levels to the Pre-Advanced class. The time, location, and workload of the classes is really convenient for a working professional in the city. The amount of homework is just right – enough to be challenging, but not overwhelming. And, the textbooks that are used are modern and have a good reputation.  The format of the classes is also fairly consistent, so you know what to expect when you come to class.

Even though the content of the class is structured, the instructor, Maeda-sensei, makes it interesting every time. She always makes sure to set aside time for discussion, which is really useful for more advanced students to practice their speaking.  She is great at going with the flow of the class and we will sometimes have impromptu discussions if something interesting comes up in the content of the textbook or someone’s homework. She also makes sure to note words or phrases that we may find useful that aren’t in the text.

Overall I’ve been very happy with my experience taking the class. It’s helped me improve my reading, brush up on my speaking and listening, and allowed me to feel confident in my abilities while traveling in Japan.  – Eva