Consultations for Foreign People
☆☆☆☆☆ Currently Recruiting Volunteers ☆☆☆☆☆
We support foreign people for things such as city hall procedures, health consultations for children, and communication between parents and teachers.
We don’t necessarily have speakers of languages other than English in the office. We have volunteers for cases which require other languages, so pre-arrangement is necessary. If you can speak a foreign language other than English, and you would like to help support foreign people in Yasu through translating and/or interpreting, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
We also offer English translations of the Yasu City Guidebook, and certain portions of the monthly Koho Yasu newsletter to assist foreign residents of the city.
Please contact us if you require any assistance and we will do everything we can to help you.
Japanese Lessons
We have lessons available for any foreign residents who wish to study Japanese.
Our Japanese lessons are taught by volunteer teachers on a one-to-one basis. The lessons are once per week and from 60-90 minutes in length. The lessons are principally conducted in Japanese.
From writing, to daily conversation and polite language, the content of the lessons varies depending on the needs of the student. In order to help the students get used to Japanese daily life, the teachers often use realia such as leaflets, newsletters and school letters.
As the lessons are one-to-one, our teachers will discuss differences in custom and culture, and can also give support with things that may be causing the students difficulty in their daily life.
If you are interested in taking these Japanese lessons, please contact us in the YIFA office and we will start to find you a teacher. Please be aware that this may take a while, especially if you are hoping to have your lesson on the weekend. The lessons are for our members, so in order to study Japanese with us you will need to pay the 2,000-yen membership fee. In order to cover some basic costs, there is also an additional annual fee of 1,000 yen that we ask students to pay.
Japanese Volunteer Teachers
Our lessons are given to foreign residents who wish to study Japanese, and are taught by our Japanese teachers. The Japanese teachers register what days and times they are available, then get requested if a student wants to have a lesson during that time-frame.
Students
Residents who are members of YIFA and wish to study Japanese. Non-members will have to join the association if they wish to take the Japanese lessons.
Instructors
The teaching of these lessons is a form of volunteer work for our members. Those who wish to take part will need to join our association.
Most of the teachers don’t have any teaching qualifications. Our volunteer teachers improve their teaching skills through taking part in our regular teaching seminars, and through observing others’ lessons.
Instruction Methods
One-to-one lessons, though if suitable for all concerned, two students may be permitted to join the same lesson. In principle, the lessons are conducted in Japanese.
Content of Lessons
Based on the needs of the student, we generally leave the content of the lesson up to the teacher. The student should be speaking for 60-70% of the lesson time, and, apart from lessons with complete beginners, the lessons are conducted in Japanese. As they are one-to-one, and vary greatly in content, in order for us to grasp a general sense of how the lessons are progressing, we ask the teachers to complete simple report forms on a monthly basis.
Lesson Times
In general once or twice per week for between 60-90 minutes.
Fees for Lessons and Study Materials
Fees for the lessons and study materials.
Lesson fee: Free (However, in order to cover basic costs, students must pay an annual fee of 1,000 yen)
Teaching Seminars: YIFA will cover the cost of your attendance in such seminars.
Study materials: All the materials can be borrowed from the YIFA office. If the student wants to use their own materials, they must incur the costs for those materials themselves.
So that many people can use the materials, please make sure that the textbooks are all returned after each lesson. The materials are only for use during the lessons, so students aren’t permitted to take them home. If there is anything that you need for your lesson that we don’t have in the office, please don’t hesitate to ask our staff.
Location of Lessons
Location of Lessons
1. YIFA office
2. Corridor outside the YIFA office
3. East Annex of the City Hall (During opening hours only)
4. Citywide schools (in the case that the student is at school)
5. Other ※ To be decided between the teacher and student together.
Rules
If lessons are discontinued, if the student is absent for a long period, or if lesson times are changed, please inform the YIFA office. Please be aware that if a student is absent on three occasions without contacting their Japanese teacher, their lessons will be automatically cancelled and offered to someone else.