Voices from readers

Here are some of the reviews of the students who have done tadoku reading for more than 6 months.

No longer afraid of Japanese texts!!

I was afraid of Japanese writings and I try not looking at them. But now I can even read books as difficult as level 4. At first, I was listening to the recorded audio while reading but now I can do without the help of the audio CDs. I have picked up many complicated words and kanjis from simply reading books. I used to buy wrong food in supermarkets because I couldn’t read but that doesn’t happen any more.

Female, Philippino

I’m proud of myself!

I had only taken introductory Japanese course for a brief period just after coming to Japan 10 years ago. I tried to learn some kanji but couldn’t. Eventually I gave up and I thought I must be just too stupid. I suppose many foreigners in Japan feel the same way. I’ve been pretending that all street signs and adverts were not there. I couldn’t even send texts on my mobile. It was only after I met tadoku that I started reading Japanese letters. I’m so proud of myself now!

Female, Ukrainian

Bigger vocabulary! Faster reading!!

In Taiwan, my reading was very slow and careful. I made a vocabulary list and tried to remember every new word I’d seen.So, tadoku rules, like ‘No dictionaries. Skip over difficult parts’, made me very skeptical. I remained a slow reader after two months into the tadoku course. Then the teacher suggested to me to stick to rules more strictly. The difference was remarkable. I used to try desperately to memorise new words totally in vain, but tadoku made reading easier and learning new words entirely hassle-free.

Male, Taiwanese

Reading became a big fun

I was quite shocked when I heard about tadoku in my first class session. I’d just finished an elementary Japanese course in Korea, so reading a lot sounded like hell. But, we weren’t asked to read difficult books but a variety of easy ones, including fairy tales, novels, manga, and picture books for children. You chose your own book at the level you like and read them at your pace. Slowly, reading books in Japanese became easier. At first, it took me a long time to finish a book but it got shorter and shorter so that in the end I could finish an entire book in an hour or two. In addition, unknown words didn’t bother me any longer, and I could guess at their meaning through the context, and as a result, I can now enjoy reading books. Without tadoku, I wouldn’t have known that reading Japanese could be fun.

Female, Korean

I love reading now and I even have a favourite author!

Thanks to tadoku, I can now read books that I couldn’t before. Books opened up another window to look at Japan. I was happy to talk about books with the class teacher, which doesn’t normally happen in a language class. I am also happy that I got to know Akasegawa Genpei, a Japanese author.

Male, Taiwanese

I used to read only non-fictions but now I’m surprised I enjoy novels!

It’s been a year since I started the tadoku course last April. I started with books with the pink label (graded readers: level 1) and went on to read non-fictions and novels. I didn’t use to read books back home, but I like them so much now that books are almost my friends. I got hooked on Sakura Momoko’s columns and read 9 of them in September. They were fun to read and have illustrations by the author herself. In October, I decided to have a go at novels and tried those authors like Ekuni Kaori and Yoshimoto Banana who were also well-known in Korea. I had struggled to read Yoshimoto 6 months earlier but I was surprised to find myself reading it effortlessly this time. I like going to bookshops these days and enjoy picking the next read. There are piles to-be-read books at home. I will read them all back in Korea.

Female, Korean

I really feel confident in Japanese because of tadoku.

It’s been a year already since I started the tadoku course. At first, I was shocked to be told to read quietly whatever books I liked for two hours. Why should I read for myself? Didn’t I pay the fee to be taught something! But I did as I was told and now I feel my Japanese has improved a lot. I read not only folk tales but other genres like manga and contemporary romance stories. I learned a lot of words that you don’t usually see in a class. Reading for myself during the class was a first for me but I wouldn’t have read at all outside the class. This course got me over the fear of reading Japanese novels, and now I actually love them. I bought a lot of novels before leaving for my home country. I love reading books now.

Female student from Hong Kong

Tadoku class is absolutely a must!

I’d never experienced a tadoku class since I had begun learning Japanese. I have always liked reading but normally I don’t get much time to read. Through this 2-hour-long class, my reading speed has gone up. I think it’s good that you get to choose whatever books you like, because different people have different preferences. The class teacher suggests reading manga to those who don’t read at all. She says it’s an entrance to reading, and gradually guides them to books. I think tadoku class is a great idea.

Male student from Taiwan

Thanks, tadoku teachers!

The teacher gave me a variety of books. She knows what is best for me, and most of the books are enjoyable to read. She made some books especially for me, by writing more kanji into children’s books, and that was a good training. I think the lessons are not as good without the teacher. The teacher knows the content and level of a book, so the teacher can judge what the student can read and what the student cannot read. Therefore, the teacher is an essential part of the success of a tadoku course.

Male, in Netherland

I’m filled with Japanese.

At the beginning I was following word by word but gradually, through tadoku, I began to understand the text as a whole. I feel I’ve taken in a lot of Japanese without even realising it. If you are studying Japanese, it’s such a waste not to read books in Japanese. You must try tadoku reading.

Male student from Korea

the Japanese Book-Reading ClubFREE

Want to read Japanese books? Join us if you know a little Hiragana. Booktalks after reading can be fun as well!

Saturdays 15:30~17:00 @Shinjuku

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Japanese Language Classes

You read a lot, talk a lot, and write a lot to begin and improve your Japanese.

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