Testimonials
Immersion Testimonials
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I think the emphasis on class discussion really helped my improve both my listening and speaking, and helped me push past my comfort zone in a compassionate environment to get over my fear of speaking.
—Jameson
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Of course, when you’re coming into this program, it’s really important to keep in mind that it will be an intensive program, so be prepared to put in the time that you want. Otherwise, try your best to befriend as many people as possible and to use your Japanese as much as you can! I also think it’s important to see as much as you can of the city, too — it helps to get out outside of your studies and to see new things. It really helped me stay engaged/motivated! If you try your best to make the most of it, you WILL get the most out of it.
—Andrea
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The most productive aspect of the program is that everything is taught in Japanese but you still have an extra class that you can go to if you need some extra help in English.
—Aidan
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There were a lot of real life things learned, we went to the Disaster Prevention center and got to learn about things that I don’t think exist in the US for safety measures, and what to do in case of an earthquake which is something that simply doesn’t happen in Ohio. There were also a lot of historical locations we went to, and I love Japanese history, so I enjoyed that a lot.
—Joseph
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I liked learning the history and culture of Japan from a native and going to places and seeing things I would have otherwise missed on my own.
—Christopher
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KCP is NOT for people who want to come here to hang out in Tokyo and study a bit on the side. It’s very intensive and requires a lot of work. But if you put in an effort you can get great results. Coming here has taught me so much about Japanese and about who I am, and it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.
—Mallory Icenhower
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It’s definitely an intensive program, and you have to be willing to work hard to keep up with the class. It is a program for students who seriously want to put a lot of effort into learning Japanese, but also remember to have fun while you are here as time flies by really fast.
—Jessica Dales
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The best parts really are class — sitting there and hearing explanations and having the chance to get nuances explained to you verbally and through written feedback is great, and it being purely in Japanese does wonders for helping your brain think in Japanese. The rotation of teachers is also great since it forces you to learn multiple styles and speeds of spoken Japanese. Some of my teachers were a bit more difficult to understand at first but the process of learning to understand rapid-fire talking styles was invaluable.
—Steffan Achtmann
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Being forced to use the language every day expanded my knowledge exponentially. The most interesting aspect was getting to interact with all these international students who were learning Japanese at the same rate I was.
—Sarah Peters
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Studying alongside other international students was definitely the best part because there is no option but to use Japanese. That caused for not only more Japanese speaking practice but also many funny situations. Going to class every day and trying to explain your ideas in Japanese to friends was trying but well worth the effort. Of course since the homework load was heavy, it took a while to learn how to balance studying and having fun.
—Sophia Warren
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The most interesting aspect of study was the Direct Method of teaching employed at KCP. I have never been taught a language using the direct method of teaching but I found that the complete immersion that it offered in Japanese Language boosted by learning by a large amount.
—Zachary Fauquher
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The most productive aspect of the program was the constant reinforcement of the Japanese that is learned in class. Because the teachers spoke entirely in Japanese during class, it required me to pay attention and process Japanese that I was not aware that I already knew. The new Japanese vocabulary and grammar learned in class were also constantly reinforced so that students could better process and remember them.
—May Leung
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The Direct Method teaching style and only using Japanese as a common language really forces students to grow and learn. There honestly was no least interesting part of the program for me.
—Elizabeth Brown
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The complete immersion along with a good, regular amount of homework and frequent tests allowed me to improve quickly and efficiently. The teachers are very good and I was lucky to be in a class full of enthusiastic and hard-working students, making me want to participate and do my best too.
—Suhaib Sarmad
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The most productive part of the program was that the classes were held entirely in Japanese, and that my classmates mostly spoke little to no English, which forced me to really try to understand everyone around me.
—Jillian Woo
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I barely knew any Japanese before coming to Japan. I had only taken one semester of Japanese three years ago, so I was really nervous. Luckily, the classes are taught in a way that makes you feel very comfortable as long as you give it your all. When you don’t understand the material, teachers are always willing to help you understand it. Because the classes are taught all in Japanese, it really takes 100 percent of your focus to keep up, so it’s really important to develop good study habits while you’re here. Even with all that considered, I still had enough free time to do things that I wanted in Japan and relax.
—Malisa Nash
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If it wasn’t for studying in that kind of intensive setting that forces you to think in the language, I probably wouldn’t have advanced as far as I did in Japanese.
—Valerie Taylor
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Having the classes taught all in Japanese was a real confidence booster to be able to understand everything, even though I hadn’t had a class using the full immersion technique before. I think that it was more effective to learn that way, especially at the intermediate level.
—Amanda Haley
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I loved that in class, everyone was required to try and speak Japanese. It can be nerveracking speaking a new language in front of people you hardly know. So it enables you to find courage so that you may be able to speak it in any situation.
—Sadao Oka
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I find the opportunity to speak with students from around the world to be the most productive and interesting part of the program, particularly since the only language that all parties understand is Japanese. This provides an excellent opportunity to practice language skills while being interesting and fun.
—Adam Clay
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I enjoyed interacting with the other students from the Asian programs and meeting people, since we are all trying to learn Japanese we all try to use what we learn on each other as well as teach others about ourselves.
—Meriam Rachidi Alaoui
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Having the class conducted in Japanese everyday was very good for my listening. Also, the hatsuon practice was very beneficial to me to hear my own voice and have it judged for accent and intonation. That is not something I have practiced at my university.
—Kelsie Stewart
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Speaking only in Japanese is far more effective than partially speaking in both English and Japanese as in America.
—Brittni Hedstrom
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I think that having classes with people who couldn’t speak English all the way from Level 1 is really good, it means that you HAVE to use Japanese in order to communicate, which in turn makes you more confident using it outside the classroom. I’ve made some very close friends who I hope to keep in touch with in our constantly improving Japanese language skills.
—Aleya Thompson
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The intensive study environment is a very effective way to progress your Japanese ability in a short amount of time.
—Andrew Holmes
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The full Japanese immersion taught me more than I could have thought possible. Though sometimes a little guidance was needed, it was easy to pick things up and continue living in Japan without any trouble.
—Ronnie Joseph
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The opportunity to talk with other students from all around the world is always the best part of studying at KCP for me. Of course, it’s an opportunity to practice Japanese, but it’s also fascinating to hear what they have to say about all kinds of things.
—Adam Clay
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I was really drawn to KCP because of the fact that the classes are completely taught in Japanese. Although it can be difficult at times, the teachers have been so good about getting their point across and trying their best to explain something. I absolutely love the direct approach!
—Laura Hicks
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When I arrived at KCP I was one of five or so American students in a classroom filled with Korean and Chinese students with whom I could not communicate at all. Getting to know those people through a shared language while I learned it along side them was an incredibly satisfying experience.
—Joseph Comer
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The fact that we had classes with international students. That in itself motivated me to speak and more because there are a lot of partner conversations in class.
—Vinh Nguyen
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KCP is great at helping you to greatly improve your Japanese language skills, if you are willing to put time and effort into it.
—Brian Bergquist
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After being introduced to the program from a friend, I believed that a school that is only focused on learning the Japanese language would be the best way to learn compared to attending a college.
—Jennifer Campbell
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I thought being in a class full almost entirely of students that could not speak English was very helpful, as it forced me to communicate in Japanese in order to make friends. It also forces you to think about all of the things you are learning in Japanese, rather than translating them in your head from Japanese to English. I thought the culture classes were wonderful. I also like how there seemed to be a ton of cool events that people could sign up for (tea ceremony, tickets for baseball games, etc). They provided a good opportunity for additional experiences in Japan.
—Erin Longstreet
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The most productive and challenging aspects of the program was interacting with different people in the classroom using only Japanese.
—Christopher Clayton
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Being in a class full of students from around the world, learning about their various cultures, and being forced to use Japanese as means of communication were the most productive and interesting aspects. The in-class essays were the least interesting and productive for me as the short time allocated did not allow me to fully incorporate my Japanese knowledge and writing abilities.
—Dhairya Jarsania
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The most interesting and productive aspects for me have been with the Japanese-direct method of teaching. Being immersed in the Japanese-only atmosphere of the classroom has helped advance my skills (especially in speaking) faster than at my home university.
—Faiyad Mannan
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The most productive part of the program is being involved in class with students who don’t speak English! That way, I’m forced to speak Japanese all the time, and therefore my speaking and listening have improved a lot. The group sessions and actual classes are a bit repetitive though. While it was nice to have a head start, it felt a little bit redundant to cover the same material again once the actual class started.
—Sabrina Greene
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Being able to study entirely in Japanese was initially worrisome to me, but I quickly learned that it probably helped me the most, and I’m very grateful for it. I’m also thankful for the variety of resources offered by KCP!
—Kelly Couto
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Participating in the KCP program was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I met wonderful people, studied hard, and got to go to Japan, which I had been wanting to do since I was in middle school. KCP is a great way to experience daily life in Japan, while advancing your Japanese learning. If you’re considering doing KCP, I absolutely recommend it. If you’re about to head off to Japan, be prepared to study lots, but also to have the time of your life!
—Shannon Lynch
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I thought the heavy course load kept me on my feet. I learned so much in my little time there that I can easily see becoming fluent in Japanese through KCP attainable.
—Marissa Ford