Takuho Interview
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When did you graduate from YES?
About two and a half years ago, in March 2022.
How long did you study at YES?
I was here for basically 3 years. I came here in 2019 as a JHS Grade 1 students, and graduated in JHS Grade 3. I went straight to high school at the International College of Technology in Kanazawa (ICT).
What was the most difficult thing when you first came to YES?
The most difficult thing was that everyone was speaking in English, but since I came from public school, I had no English vocabulary or grammar. I couldn’t understand what everyone said. I felt like I was left out a lot because of this.
I also didn’t have a chance to rech an advanced level of English because I didn’t have a chance to use English outside the school. Foe example, I could use the word ‘get’ in everyday situations, but I didn’t have a chance to use more advanced vocabulary like ‘manage’ or ‘administrate’.
But you didn’t give up?
In the beginning, I thought that English was boring because I couldn’t understand anything but my parents supported me, and my teacher taught me really basic communication skills in ESL class so I could get a foundation in English skills.
Why did your parents want to send you here from public school?
My mother thought that since Japan is becoming globalized, there will be more foreign people coming to Japan and that we also need to acquire more English skills for our future career. The range of jobs or careers would be much wider if I could speak English.
My dad disagreed with this because he thought it would be difficult to take entrance exam for high school and college.
Was there something you didn’t enjoy about YES?
When I first came to YES, I didn’t know why I had to take care of, or interact and play with younger kids. I didn’t like doing it and I wanted to play just with kids my own age. But now I realize it was important to interact with people of all ages.
What do you think changed about you after you came to YES?
I think I became more understanding of different kinds of people. I realized that even if I could do something, it didn’t mean other people could do it. I should try to think from the position of other people and not only my position. I also learned how to think of things not only from a Japanese perspective but from an international way of thinking.
So did your English improve over time?
While I was coming to YES I was also using an English application that my parents introduced, so I was using the app in my own time. I was also reading English newspapers and watching media in English.
Coming to YES helped me build up my basic ability and other sources supported me to improve my English quickly.
My IELTS score increased a lot as well and I got a 6.0. This was really important because I needed to get at least a 5.5 IELTS score to study abroad in New Zealand where all the lectures will be done in English.
How do you think your personality changed after coming to YES?
I think some things naturally change as you get older but I think some things changed because I came here. When I first came here, I was a bit rude and my language wasn’t nice to other people. I think my attitude to other people became kinder and I could understand the suffering of other people more. I could sympathize with other students.
I also think I became more confident because some teachers.
What did you enjoy most about YES?
The best thing was the freedom we had, like, the teachers respected the individual thoughts of students. Of course, we had to take the class seriously but the teachers listened to our opinions and ideas, and we were not forced to do assignments.
We had some options in class and we could choose our direction of study. The teachers accepted the differences between students and our individual personalities.
Also, we had many opportunities to go outside compared to other schools. We went to the park everyday to exercise our body. Since I liked exercising, and going outside, it was a good thing for me.
Do you think coming to YES is helping you now in your high school life?
Of course! Since I am on the international school, the English skills I picked up at YES are very valuable. Also, because I communicated with teachers from many different countries at YES, I don’t feel anxious speaking to my teachers now who are from different countries like Thailand, Tunisia, USA and Philippines.
What advice do you have for students who want to come to YES?
You should think that English is not something to study; English is a way to communicate and have fun. English is a language, not a subject. Use it to communicate with your friends and teachers and don’t worry about studying too hard!