Name: Yuuko Ogawa                                                                                                                               

Year: 1996

 

    When I was in junior high school, I learned the alphabet. I was taught by Japanese teachers. I had a chance to take a lecture which was given by native speaker teachers only five times a year. There were 5 English classes in a week (each was 45 minutes).

    When I was ian high school, I was also taught by Japanese teachers. There were 10 English classes in a week (each was  50 minutes) We had to prepare for the class of the next day the day before. In the class, if we had even one word that we did not know, our teachers were so angry, and we had to stay in the corridor until the class was over. We had words and grammar tests in each English class. If we did not write correct answers more than 80 percent, we had to copy three pages of the textbook ten times in our notebooks, and hand in it the next day. It was so hard for me. But thanks to these teachers, I learned a lot of English grammar, and I made great progress in writing and reading English.

    I had kept the top grade of my high school from second year to third year. But our teachers spoke Japanese the whole time except for reading textbooks. So I could hardly speak English.

    I have been exchanging letters with American, Canadian and Korean friends since I was 12 years old. At first, I couldn't express what I wanted to write, and I copied expressions from books. But now I can write what I want to write to some extent. Writing letters in English was very very useful for me. I could learn a lot of things about America, Canada and Korea. I enjoyed exchanging letters very much, and I want to continue it forever. Now, I am happy because I can exchange E-mail with foreign friends. E-mail is easier to send than letters.

    I was expecting that I would be able to speak English fluently after I studied English for four years in the university, and I was thinking that everyone would not be able to speak English when we would enter the university. I was also expecting that I would be able to enjoy studying English. I was thinking that I would have to do a lot of homework because senior students told me that they had a lot of homework. But a lot of homework would help me to learn English, I thought.

    Above all, I was surprised that a lot of students could speak English very fluently! But they were stimulus for me, and I thought I had to make every effort to catch up with them. At first, I had an inferiority complex in class. But it has been decreasing little by little. I want to continue to make every effort to learn English.

    I had put emphasis on writing and reading when I was in junior high school and high school. But I am putting emphasis on speaking and listening since I entered the university, and I have many more opportunities to speak and listen to English than I had in junior high school and high school.

    Speaking English the whole the time in English class is the most helpful thing. And I am happy because whenever I saw the video, I could see my progress.

    I want to improve my pronunciation and intonation of English, so I have to make more and more efforts in LL class.

    I will stay in England for two months this summer vacation. I think it will be very useful for me in language learning. And I also want to learn about their culture. I will learn English more and more for the next three years in the university. After I graduate from the university, I want to have a job in which I will be able to use English. I want next year students to attend class every time, speak English 100% of the time in English class, do their homework and enjoy learning English.