After I left my diplomatic career, I started the journey of teaching. First, I was teaching only subjects related to my profession - international relations and diplomacy. Most of the lectures I delivered were in English. Then about 3 years ago I also began teaching English as a foreign language. Initially I mostly taught in language courses in in-person settings. Gradually I moved some of my classes to online platform. I must emphasize that I find online teaching no less effective compared to traditional language courses if organized correctly. It may be even more efficient and productive. Furthermore, nothing can beat online format in terms of flexibility and mobility of courses.

 

I mostly focus on improving conversational skills of students in my online classes. In classes we will discuss various topics ranging from routine daily activities to business, culture, literature etc. We will cover important news events that occur globally too. Given my professional background in international relations, I can also expose students to more in-depth discussions of international events and cultural diversities depending on wishes of students.

 

Students will receive a list corresponding vocabulary and sentence structures about themes we discuss. Boosting vocabulary will be one of the goals of our classes too. Although there may be some place for grammar, my focus is always getting students to talk in no-pressure atmosphere and enhance their confidence.

 

My first priority is always getting to know a student. Because each student is unique and their learning styles are diverse. It is important to develop a tailored approach for each student.

 

I love traveling. Since I travel a lot, some of our classes may be from different locations. I promise - my trips won’t hurt our schedules ) On the contrary, new places always provide new interesting topics for discussions. I am also looking forward to hearing more about Japan, its culture, history and traditions. I have read a lot about these. But listening to students talk about their country will be fun. Don’t forget - you will do most of the talking!

 

In short, classes will be fun, informative and thought-provoking. Practice makes perfect. So we will practice a lot.