Testimonials (証言)

I have been studying Japanese Language for about three years, but just joined Can sensei’s conversation class this year. I enjoy going for lesson every week as sensei’s class is never boring.

Besides learning from notes, we get to learn through dramas, songs and games in class. Through sensei I get to know/ understand alot of things that I think I will never get to learn in Japanese school.

As class size is small, sensei is able to focus on each and every student, and will personally guide the weaker student to ensure that they are not leave behind. Not only that, sensei is very patient with student and is always there to help students to correct their mistakes made even after lesson. He will also give advices / suggestions on ways to improve the student’s Japanese. Learning under Can sensei is not as stressful as learning in Japanese School and I feel that I am able to absorb more and better.

Before making my mind to join sensei’s class, I actually did hesitated and doubted his ability in teaching Japanese as sensei is a Singaporean after all. When I attended his first lesson, I am shocked and impressed by his fluent Japanese and the knowledge he have related to Japan. I feel that it is hard for a foreigner to teach Japanese (as language is not by memorizing standard answers), but I am convinced that Can sensei is able to teach well as he never fail to answer all my questions asked during lesson. He is also a humble teacher as he will ask the student to review the lesson and will try his best to improve the lesson and make every lesson interesting.

By: Angela Ong
Student from Conversation class
Studied 1.5 years under Can
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I am a current undergraduate at the National University of Singapore, and have been taking classes from Can for about 2 years. In February 2012, I attained my Japanese language Proficiency N1 certification, and have received an offer to work in Japan upon my graduation in July 2012.

Can’s teaching style and guidance in the Japanese language have been instrumental in helping me attain a business level of Japanese proficiency. Beyond the usual curriculum, Can always strives to make his classes interesting by designing innovative course materials, and emphasizes on conversational skills through well-structured exercises. He has displayed a level of professionalism that is on par with some of the top Japanese Language schools that I have attended in Singapore, such as Ikoma.

I believe what differentiates Can most from the other Japanese teachers is the personal relationship that he builds up with his students, and the extra mile that he goes to ensure that none of his students are left behind. Outside of class, he also often organizes Japanese karaoke sessions and trips to Japanese festivals held in Singapore (ex. Natsu Matsuri) to further instil interest and provide exposure to the Japanese culture for his students.

By: Daryl Soh/ NUS Graduate
Former student from Advanced I class
Studied 2 years under Can
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I’m currently studying in Waseda University as an undergraduate. I’ve been taking Can-sensei`s classes for about a year and have to say by far, Can-sensei is the only teacher i’ve known who would do his best to help his students without a second thought no question ask.  When the need arises, the previous phrase ‘do his best’ does not give justice to him at all, as I would’ve to say Can-sensei would go beyond what is normally expected to help his student should an emergency were to occur just to help out as a teacher and as a friend as well.

Can-sensei`s teaching style is pretty flexible and allows me to learn various things not normally taught in normal Japanese classes and to be able to mix and match to fit my needs.

Thanks to Can-sensei, I’m now able to progress smoothly during my stay in Japan and in Waseda University.

By: Terence Kong
Former student from Private class
Studied 1 year under Can
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Can-sensei’s lessons are very engaging. It is not uncommon for sensei’s students to be ex-students of certain institute or language centers. I used to study Japanese in Singapore Polytechnic but gave up even before I completed the first year. The lessons in SP were informative but the way the lessons were carried out was quite dry and monotonous. It was easy for me to lose interest very quickly.

Another good point of sensei’s lessons is that, as a non-native speaker, he understands our learning handicaps and capabilities better than some of the native speakers. Some nuances are lost, in translation/teaching, during institutional lessons because the teacher, who is a native speaker of the language, fails to translate the meaning of the words or sentences to our native language. With sensei, this does not happen because the lesson is conducted in a mixture of Japanese, Mandarin (for classes with only Chinese students) and English.

His lessons are sincere and passionate. I look forward to sensei’s lessons every week and when there is no lesson, I feel bored. To me, it is a good thing that sensei’s lessons are not rigid and though he conforms to a certain regimen for teaching, I feel that he brings something unique every chapter/lesson. Of course, his lesson is not limited to only the language but also the culture of and various insights to Japan.

Last but not least, I really feel that his pronunciation and accent of standard Japanese is great. It might feel a little weird, at first, to be corrected when you read aloud but you will experience the benefits of this when you speak in Japanese to a Japanese (especially when you go to Japan).

By: Christina Ng
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Learning anything is not easy. Be it games, school subjects or things of interest or for work. To learn both effectively and efficiently you need one, motivation, two, stimuli to keep that motivation strong. What does this talk about motivation has got to do with anything you might ask. I will tell you motivation is extremely important. Both for the learner and the teacher.

Can is an extremely motivated individual, he is driven by both himself and his students. Teaching is a thankless job especially when you meet students like myself. We will test the limits of teachers and then some. We require mutual respect for a good learning experience. Can has successfully gained my respect.

At the very first, I did have a slight interest in the Japanese language, but alas, interest alone will not be sufficient to succeed in learning something as complex as a language. Any language, much less a language like Japanese (with all it’s deep meanings and levels of politeness; a misplaced particle here, mispronounced word there, and víola: the meaning changes drastically.) is hard to learn. People who received an education in Singapore can identify with this due to the strict bilingual policy here. Back to my interest in Japanese, it was like a light flickering in the darkness called indifference fuelled by interests like anime and the occasional drama.

I only took my first Japanese class in the classrooms of Singapore Polytechnic motivated by prospects of meeting new people (read meeting girls) and only because no one else wanted to take German with me. The teacher was a native Japanese lady. I must admit that she was a good teacher, above average. Still, being the kind of testy student that I am, the teacher fails to hold my attention for long and needless to say, I didn’t succeed in the course.

The timing was bad. I have finally found my push for studying the language. Found my rival to surpass and all I am looking at was a letter saying thank you for “donating” to the language programme in the polytechnic but you have failed and can no longer continue into year 3 Japanese.  By sheer luck, I met the person I needed to meet. I met Can one evening outside the clubroom of the Japanese Cultural Club of which I am a member of. He was always helping out with language studies in the club. Lost sheep that I was, I readily accepted a casual invitation to join him for book shopping at Kinokuniya Orchard. During the trip there, he offered to teach me after learning that I wanted to continue. I learnt he charged cheaply and his fees cover only the course materials, which means that he is basically doing this gratis. Also he is always donating books to the club, so he was a bit of a legend back then. Doubt, however, was present. Naturally, when learning a foreign language or any language for that matter, one would prefer to learn from a native speaker. Anyone else teaching wouldn’t be able to deliver as well as. Sort of explains the language ability of most Singaporeans but I digress. You will find yourself surprised here.

Already, you might already see that he is going the extra mile. He didn’t have to teach me or donate books on the language which aren’t cheap by the way. I decided to take up his offer. However, being me, my motivation quickly faded after a few lessons. I stopped attending. Usually what you would expect from any teacher who isn’t a teacher from school is indifference. I mean, would you really take the trouble to chase after someone for his own good at your own expense? Take note that he was not benefiting financially from teaching me at all. Quite the opposite in fact.
I shall not go in details but let’s just say his lessons became much more ADHD friendly. Also, there was the a really good carrot of a trip to the land of the rising sun to the top student in class. He has incorporated small rewards and jokes into the lessons making them quite interesting. Small tidbits of trivia and information to keep it going, your interest constantly piqued. Before I realised it, I was really into it. I found myself studying. My interest was quickly becoming stronger. I improved greatly and for once, I wasn’t the worst student in Japanese class. Which brings about another point. Can can take you 70% of the way. The rest is up to you. What I mean is that, if you study under him, you can expect the class to be tailored. He adjusts his style to suit the class and attention to weaker students in the class. The other bits are yourself and maybe a bit of luck no teacher can guarantee a pass if you don’t even invest some attention to his teachings or notes. Speaking of which, are of high quality. His notes are not merely ctrl+c, ctrl+v, print, photocopy and photocopy. Notes are concise and simple to understand. Yet like a good blended whisky, his notes provide content that makes you take the next sip, the next lesson. Made of experience and a personal library of language books and teaching aids and hints of trivia. Study Japanese under Can and you are not merely studying the language per sè. You are taking in culture. Things that schools will almost never really incorporate into their lessons. Classes are no longer just classes. Rather has a closer more intimate experience. Studying will no longer become a chore if you enjoy it. As the saying goes: “choose a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life.” Same thing applies here. Teacher and student.

Whether you acknowledge it or not, Can is in my opinion, no ordinary language teacher. He has lots of teaching experience, the drive and motivation that one might say is contagious. People like him are rare. Even more so in the profession of educating. He often goes beyond the call of his duty. The air ticket to Japan is a good example. Should you lose your motivation to study if you are under him, he will help you recover it

-Peter Wong
Studied 4 years under Can
Currently a student council member for a Japanese club in Australia
Native Japanese speakers was shocked that his teacher is a Singaporean.
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I had an lingering interest in Japan and its culture, the language included. That prompted me to start learning the language in early 2006 with one of the language schools in Singapore. The start was good as the atmosphere for full-time classes were more conducive and thus, making it easier to pick up the things that the teacher had went through in the class. However, after i made the switch to the part-time night classes, the change was so dramatic that I couldn’t catch up most of the time and that sometimes you will feel demoralized in your learning.

With Can, things are different. I met him through an online forum in 2008 and has been under him since then. His teaching methods are always modified regularly with the consistent feedback that he receives while adapting to the ever-changing culture and systems of Japan to help us stay at the peak of understanding and knowledge to give us that extra advantage over the others. His teaching methods are unique, yet effective. Even though his lessons may be a week apart but you will never distinctly feel the lack of practice as he will constantly provide online help if needed. His connections has also enabled us to receive feedback and advice from native Japanese speakers on areas of improvement or where extra attention has to be given. All these has given rise to a effective system of holistic learning that empowers us to be able to upkeep proper conversations with native Japanese speakers that we may come across in our daily lives.

Through the 4+ years that I’ve been with Can, I’ve came to improve my knowledge and understanding by a far stretch which is not limited to merely the language and JLPT examination systems and standards. Having been through the beginner and intermediate classes with him before and now taking the pre-advanced classes, I can say that his active engagement of every student as well as the effort that he puts into preparing for every lesson and student is the key to his success in teaching Japanese so far. For people who wishes to learn and understand more about Japan, regardless in any aspect, I feel that talking to Can will be an enriching and purposeful experience, much less to learn from him.

-Matthew Pan
Student in Pre-Advanced Class: JLPT Track
Scored 143/180 for his N3 exam after studying N3 grammar for half a yr only
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I have always had an interest in Japanese language since young. However lessons from popular language schools can be very expensive. Hence, I tried learning the language on my own by buying some textbooks and reading them on my own.  This task, however, proved difficult. Firstly, it is difficult to apply what you have learnt without another person to speak to, making it hard to remember what you have just read on the book. Secondly, there is no one to point out that you have made a mistake.

Finding my Japanese learning very hard to kickstart, I tried looking for affordable and effective teachers. I chanced upon Can in a HardwareZone forum thread on learning Japanese, and have been taking lessons from him since.

Can’s lessons starts with conversing in Japanese, which ensures that you have applied what you have learned and that any mistakes will be corrected. Besides correcting your grammar and particle usage, pronunciation and intonation is also corrected, allowing you to speak like native Japanese, which can definitely impress both Japanese language learners and native Japanese themselves.

Can’s lessons are well paced and very easy to understand. Each grammar points are explained in detail. He actively engages with every student in the class to ensure that every one of us understands what is taught. This is something almost impossible to be achieved by the language schools, which usually accommodate larger class sizes.

Besides learning from the textbook, Can also makes his lessons interesting by engaging us in song translation and Japanese drama watching activities, enriching our vocabulary and understanding of Japanese culture.

Having gone through his N5 class and currently in his N4 class, I personally feel that Can places great emphasis on building a good foundation in the language, making further learning less taxing. He has also gone the extra mile to keep his students motivated and interested not just in the language, but also the Japanese culture.

By: Cheng Ri Sheng
Student in Intermediate class
Studied 3 years under Can
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Can is a very dedicated teacher who will strive to make students learn as much from him as possible. He tailors his classes according to every student’s pace and will spend more time with the student to ensure that they are catching up with the rest of the class. Hence, no one is left behind and everyone will be able to learn as required. His teaching methods are fresh and creative, wanting us to learn via different means such as song lyrics, dramas and Japanese culture sharing. Though it may be daunting for the beginners who first started learning, I believe this exposure to the Japanese culture should be introduced in conjunction with the learning of the language. As a student learning under him for a couple of months, I believe that I have improved my command of the language under him and dare say that new students will too.

By: Jonathan Lee
Student in Intermediate class
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As his student studying Japanese with him for a period of time, I find Can an excellent teacher, with his unique way of teaching. His warm friendly and easily approachable personality makes him very popular among his students.

Instill Passion instead of just transferring knowledge
Can believes in instilling passion for the language instead of purely teaching the technical aspects of the language. He introduces interesting areas and cultures of Japan which he saw and experienced on his trips there. He also introduces the Japanese songs and trends to instill the passion in the language.

Teaching Materials not limited to Textbooks
His class is enjoyable because besides the grammatical aspects of Japanese, which many schools focuses on, he also introduces Song of the Day, Drama Excerpts of the Day, as well as Topic of the Day. Can polishes his students’ ability to listen and understand the language via Song and Drama Excerpts. He also brushes up their ability to speak Japanese by introducing a Topic of the Day for the students to speak freely in Japanese, using the sentence structure and vocabulary which they have learnt from the previous lessons.

Observant and Attentive to Individual Student’s Progression in Subject Matter
Can is observant during class to each student’s ability. He can correctly identify student’s difficulty in listening, speaking or other technical aspects in learning the language. He makes the extra effort to stay behind with the student after class to share pointers on how to improve the areas which they are weak in, and spends time to further explain and clarify any queries which may arise.

By: Valerie Wong
Student from Intermediate class
Studied 2 years under Can
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Can has been a very focused and dedicated teacher. His devoutness to the betterment of his students are clear to all. He is extremely passionate about his work and helps his student by enhancing their studies through better translation. He uses unique ways of teaching so that we as students are able to better understand and remember.

By: Nellie Tan