If you want to learn Japanese, we'd recommend doing it with a private tutor. This is a tutoring platform, after all, but tutoring isn't the only way to learn a language.
In this article, we'll look at the ways you can learn Japanese without a tutor, why you should consider working with a tutor, and how you can find the best private Japanese tutors.
Can You Learn Japanese without a Tutor?
Before we look at Japanese tutoring, let's look at the alternatives. The Japanese language is one of the more difficult languages for English speakers to learn so even if you do decide that tutoring is right for you, you should be aware of the other resources and approaches out there before you'll likely need to use them in conjunction with your tutoring.
Language Learning Apps
One of the most common ways to learn a foreign language nowadays is through online tools and apps.
There are plenty of popular language-learning apps such as Duolingo, Busuu, Memrise, FluentU, HelloTalk, LingoDeer, Obenkyo, and many others.
It's unlikely that any of these used in isolation will teach you a language, but they can be very useful for learning the basics of Japanese, brushing up on certain aspects of grammar, and studying a bit of your target language anywhere you'd like.
Don't expect to speak Japanese fluently by just using these, but you should think about using these to complement other resources, Japanese courses, or private tutoring.
Textbooks
Textbooks are a classic resource when it comes to studying languages. For students who like having the rules laid out in front of them, textbooks are a nice methodical way to study Japanese.
If you did well in foreign language classes at school and were quick to master conjugations and grammatical rules, it might be worthwhile investing in a good Japanese textbook.
Even if you choose to work with a private tutor, they can always recommend a good textbook or exercise book to work through to get better at Japanese.
Online Resources, Websites, Etc.
Just in the same way you find this article, you can search for Japanese language resources online and there are plenty of websites, games, and multimedia resources out there.
Whether you need some grammar explained or would like to practice Japanese, you can study the language using your phone, tablet, or computer.
Online Language Communities
Japanese is a tricky language to learn and you're far more likely to succeed if you have support. By being part of an online community, you'll be able to get support, share advice, and even meet other people to practise speaking your new language with.
You can find online language communities through social media, on forums, and on their own dedicated websites.
A private Japanese tutor can point you in the direction of these groups, but they're also quite easily found with a quick search on your search engine or social media platform of choice.
Language Exchanges
A language exchange is when two people help each other to learn a language. You can meet up in person or virtually with a Japanese speaker and practise speaking with them.
In return for their help, you'll also be expected to help them practise English or any other language that you may speak.
It's quite common for these to take place over an hour or two with half of the time dedicated to Japanese and the other half dedicated to English.
Language exchanges are particularly useful for students on a budget as they're free and the only cost for you is the time you spend helping your language exchange partner to speak English.
While language exchanges are free, you may sometimes have to pay for the platforms that offer them. Of course, if you just organise these directly with your language exchange partner, you won't need to pay anything.
Language Meetups
Language meetups work similarly to language exchanges but instead of them being one-on-one, they may have several people.
Depending on how these events are run, attendees will let the organisers know which languages they want to learn as well as which languages they speak.
Other language meetups may be dedicated to speaking a particular language so you can look for Japanese language meetups where either Japanese learners or Japanese native speakers will be in attendance.
Videos and Podcasts
You can also learn a lot about a language by regularly listening to it being spoken and videos and podcasts are a great way to train your ear to Japanese.
You can also find Japanese lessons as videos and podcasts where you can follow the class either while you're doing something else or even sit down and do exercises.
There's a plethora of useful language learning videos and podcasts out there and you'll find plenty just by searching for them.
Find out about private Japanese tutoring in Wellington.
Is It Worth Getting a Japanese Tutor in Christchurch?
So while there are plenty of different ways to learn a language, we believe private tutoring is one of your best options.
Private tutors can tailor each lesson to their students and with a good private Japanese tutor, you'll know that every minute in every session will be spent helping you to learn.
Private tutoring also gives you more control over what you learn and how you learn it. A student learning Japanese for tourism shouldn't study the same as somebody learning it for work.
Every student's different, too, and what works for one student mightn't work for another. Students who struggled with language classes in school won't want to just do more of the same ineffective activities they've always done.
A tutor can work closely with their students to decide which approaches would be best for them and what topics they should cover.
This isn't to say that tutoring doesn't come with its downsides. Tutoring tends to cost more than group classes, free language learning apps, and many of the other resources we've already mentioned, but in terms of how much you can learn for how much you pay, tutoring is often the most cost-effective way to learn a foreign language.
There's also too much of a good thing and while having a dedicated Japanese tutor there to help you might also result in you becoming overreliant on their help. Remember that in addition to private tutoring, it can help a lot to vary your approaches and complement your Japanese tutoring with other resources.
Find out about private Japanese tutoring in Auckland.
How Much Should a Japanese Tutor in Christchurch Cost?
On the Superprof site, the average Japanese tutor charges $29 an hour, but you'll see that tutors can really charge anywhere between $20 and $50 an hour.
With tutors, you tend to get what you pay for and inexperienced tutors are often more affordable than their experienced or qualified counterparts.
Think about how much you can afford to spend on tutoring before you even start your search. You don't want to have to stop your lessons because you can no longer afford them.
Online Japanese tutors are usually more affordable than face-to-face tutors since they don't have to travel and can schedule more sessions with more students each week.
You can also save a lot of money by sharing the cost of the tutor with other students in group sessions, but these won't come with many of the advantages of being the only student in a session.
Supply and demand also affect tutors' rates so don't be surprised if the cost of tutoring in Christchurch isn't the same as elsewhere. Places with more tutors will likely have lower rates whereas places with a high demand for Japanese tutors will ultimately push the average rates up.
How Can You Find a Good Japanese Tutor in Christchurch?
Just like any good student, you need to do your homework. Carefully research potential tutors while also doing some soul-searching to work out exactly what you want from private Japanese tutoring.
Think about your budget, your language learning goals, and how you like to learn. A good tutor can't help if they're a bad fit so choosing the right tutor is as important as choosing to learn Japanese with a tutor in the first place.
Before you start getting in touch with tutors, work out exactly what you need from a tutor and start shortlisting candidates that look like they'd be suitable.
Peruse their profiles, see what their other students had to say about them, and make sure their rates are compatible with your budget.
Once you have a few potential tutors in mind, you can start contacting them and discussing how they can help you master the Japanese language.
Don't forget that a lot of private tutors on Superprof offer the first lesson for free so you can try them out before picking the one that's right for you.
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