Name: Ayano Miura

Year: 1997

 

 

     I started to learn English when I was in the middle grades of elementary school, but it was not based on my will. Though my elder brother and I did not have a special interest in English, my mother thought English would become indispensable in the future and bought us a set of NHK English materials. We learned mostly basic and easy vocabulary like dog or orange seeing pretty pictures. Sometimes we practiced pronouncing according to a cassette tape instruction. Now I think they were fairly good materials, but in those days I did not make use of them because I lacked eagerness.

     So I came to study English harder after I became a JHS student. I went to public JHS so English classes were ordinary ones often seen in the Japanese education system. I rarely studied daily conversation in class and also rarely listened to English spoken by foreigners. But I loved these JHS classes. I enjoyed remembering new

vocabulary and reading the textbook. Sometimes I tried to learn the whole story in one chapter by heart. Learning grammar seemed to be a puzzle, and I studied it with pleasure.

     Another opportunity to make me enjoy learning English was going to a private school. I could meet reliable teachers and good friends who were also good rivals. There I could hear much deeper explanations of grammar, and read more difficult English stories. Certainly it was for my HS entrance examination, but it made me have an interest in English. It was also a good experience for me.

     In the first two years of HS, I did not study English at all. It was because I was not attracted by HS classes. They were dull and sleepy classes, so I could not enjoy them. Though I went to the HS that targeted university entrance, I had to start my English learning again. I was lucky to pass the English department exam. I did not ponder what I would study there. I might have chosen this English department only because it was known to many people. Naturally, I could not catch up with the students in such classes as LL and OC. I had hardly studied listening and speaking so I had big trouble in these two classes. In LL class, I could not catch what the stories were about nor what the teacher was saying. In OC, I was annoyed because I could not express what I wanted to say. I had been so nervous for a while in Nanzan. I felt inferior to the other students.

     It was maybe in October that I came to relax and enjoy these English classes. I think I could accept the fact my English was poor not in negative attitude. Now I can think how I want to do my best to improve my English ability. I realized I could make class useful by changing my attitude. Also I found if I could enjoy things and find many good strategies suitable to me. At first I disliked videoing our conversations in class because it made me nervous. But now, I can think it is useful. First, during conversation I always concentrate on continuing to talk. I do not notice mistakes I make. Video transcribing shows me hidden mistakes. Second, I can check my pronunciation. Third, I can learn my partners' good expressions from

transcribing. I think I have been able to understand LL stories after I decided to do LL homework with more effort. While listening stories, sometimes I shadow. Shadowing is helpful for remembering and understanding something. I have come to be good at finding many good learning methods.

      So, I think if you are going to learn English, the first thing you should do is to try to enjoy it. Enjoying things will let you make goals. Goals will give you the power to continue learning English.