Tomoaki Kato

Four years in the US

I have been studying English for a long time and I really like speaking in English. I do not know why but I kept studying English. Perhaps, I was feeling that I did not want to lose it unconsciously.

I was 6 years old when I started to speak English. Then, I did not have any choice. I had to study English. I went to the United States with my family because of my father’s job. Under the circumstances, I had to be able to use English for communication or I would be in trouble. I was driven by necessity. In the US, I was taught how to use English mainly in ESL class. Teachers taught me a lot about English, from alphabet to grammars, and that was absolutely helpful. I participated in both ESL and normal classes with other American students so I had much opportunity to use English every day. That was very precious and valuable time for me for sure.

I came back to Japan when I was a 5th grader. After I entered JHS, I had English class but it was very boring for me. Teachers taught us only grammar and we had few conversations or practical classes. I was disappointed with that very much as I believed studying only grammar would not enable us to use English practically. Afterwards, I searched for some original methods to maintain and improve my English. I came up with an idea of watching movies. I liked watching movies so it wasn’t tough for me. By watching movies, I could learn a variety of phrases or new words that I would not see in textbooks. In addition I could practice listening as well. It sounds like I improved my English ability by just having fun watching movies or TV programs in English but there are some points you should notice if you want to enhance your skill efficiently.

First, it is better if subtitles are available. You have to understand exactly what actors are saying in the film. You have to listen carefully to their lines, not just grasping the outline of the film. Secondly, you need to be able to distinguish formal words or phrases from casual ones. Some English you hear from movies would not be suitable talking to a teacher. For example, you cannot use slang words or four letter words to people whom you met the first time or to your boss. Third, you have to be careful with the time when the film was made. Some phrases in the movies can be very old fashion. You cannot quote exactly from movies all the time.

In addition to watching movies, I read English newspapers or magazines to increase my vocabulary. By reading articles I could get to know English and current events at the same time.

Watching movies, TV programs in English or reading the latest journals are good methods to learn how to use English, but still, it is not enough. We need an opportunity to speak in English as well. Without speaking in and making mistakes, we cannot make much progress. Since I came back to Japan, I did not have much time to speak English. There were some English conversation schools but they were not good for me. It was very expensive and more than anything else, I did not have time to go to those schools except on weekends. So I spent a long time with no English conversation, I felt like I lost many words and forgot how to speak. In order not to lose them again, I have to keep looking for a place where I can use English.

From now I would like to study how to use polite English and more technical words. Later, I am looking forward to getting a job in which English can play an important role. Although I have not decided which field I am going to work in, I want to study English used in several different fields so that I can cope and be flexible. Now I would like to have an exposure to which is commonly called “Business English”. I consider it will be advantageous for me as there is the possibility of working for a manufacturer. Moreover, there is a need for polite English as well to communicate harmoniously.