Declan Prout

I prefer to take a student-led approach, allowing students to take the initiative and immerse themselves in the lesson, with my support and guidance as and when it is necessary. In my experience and in my training, this free-flowing structure allows for students to gain more confidence in languages, as they are able to form associations for themselves. Learning a language is full of mistakes, and in many ways this is to be encouraged: as paradoxical as it may seem, the more mistakes you make, the more you are learning!

I also have a variety of teaching tools which I have built up over the years, many of which I borrowed from those who taught me in the past. These are primarily activities which will allow students to interact with the language and the culture of the langauge they are studying in a semi-organic way. For example, utilising real-world examples or events which one would be likely to come into contact with when in Japan. For example, studying phrases for objects you are likely to come across in a konbini (convenience store) as a basis for learning hiragana and katana script, and their different uses, is a tried-and-true method that allows for a trilateral approach to learning.

My PhD research also means that I am well-attuned with contemporary Japanese culture, and a good cultural knowledge is key to learning more about any language. My academic background has also allowed me to immerse myself in various aspects of Japanese culture, through conversations with experts in other fields, which otherwise may have been inaccessible.