We value the desire to learn from each other,
Through learning Japanese,
Make your life in Japan more enjoyable,
I aim to make it more fulfilling.
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Japanese
Learning Support Group TetoTe
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About Us
We are active for foreigners living in Japan.
We will study Japanese together, which is necessary for daily life.
In groups of 2-3 people, once a week for 1 hour,
We provide online Japanese language learning support.
Participants come from Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Myanmar and other countries.
We offer flexible activities to suit your Japanese level and learning aspirations.
Our group is registered with the volunteer recruitment website activo.
Participant comments
I was accepted into this volunteer group in February 2023 and have been working there for over a year .
Just as I expected... No, it was even more fun than I expected, and it has become a precious experience for me. Although it was supposed to be to support my Japanese language studies, it has actually expanded my world tremendously!
Even though I don't have a qualification as a Japanese language teacher, I am always looking for ways to help.
My classes are conversation-based, so we talk about a variety of topics, such as what happened in our daily lives, how we felt, and the differences between our students' countries and Japan, while sharing commonly used expressions and slightly interesting phrases (such as onomatopoeia). In addition to conversation, I also use slides to introduce new words from different angles, incorporating things like photo descriptions, crosswords, and kanji quizzes.
The students are from Vietnam, China, and Myanmar, but thanks to their charming personalities, I have developed an interest in and attachment to all of their countries! This has been a wonderful and rewarding activity for me as well!
I hope to continue to take on board the requests of my learners, keep my own antennae up, and share Japan and the Japanese language from various angles.
N さん
I have been working as a volunteer here for about two years.
Once a week, I would meet with the learners and talk about a variety of topics, sometimes complaining about work, or talking about everyday worries not limited to learning Japanese. Through these conversations, I was constantly made aware of cultural differences and the fascinating and difficult aspects of the Japanese language, and it was a very meaningful experience.
I have been teaching Japanese in various formats for several years, and through these activities, I have come to realize how important it is to understand the learners' backgrounds, the environments they live in Japan, the people they are surrounded by, and the situations in which they need to use Japanese in order to "teach Japanese" as a "classroom." Learning grammar structures from a textbook and using Japanese in real life often do not match due to the nature of Japanese, which requires interaction based on relationships and situations. There are many Japanese words that are only used when actually speaking with someone. There are countless words and phrases that are rarely introduced in textbooks or grammar books, and words and phrases that cannot be explained even with a translation function. While this level cannot be easily measured through written tests, it is the most important element in communicating and building relationships with others.
In fact, what the learners found most difficult and what they wanted to know was, "When and how should I express these real Japanese phrases?" It was great to be able to talk frankly with the learners and hear about their real questions and worries.
The biggest benefit was that I got to meet some really hardworking and ambitious learners, which gave me a lot of motivation and courage to grow as a person, and made me want to try more things and do my best.
The activities here are not limited to learning Japanese, but I think they are a great opportunity for anyone who wants to connect with, talk to, and make friends with people from overseas living in Japan.
T さん
I have been studying with this group for about two and a half years. I feel that it has been very helpful for my life and work in Japan. When I first joined the class, I was very bad at listening and speaking, and I couldn't even introduce myself well. However, thanks to the guidance of the volunteers, I was able to find work in Japan. Now, I have become quite accustomed to life and work in Japan, but I feel that my Japanese language skills are still lacking. In the future, I would like to be able to speak in a more Japanese-like manner. I look forward to your continued support.
S さん
D さん
I started learning Japanese in this group in December 2022, so it's been a year and a half now. Here, I've met very kind volunteers and classmates who have had similar experiences to mine.
In class, we'll think together about the difficulties you face while learning Japanese and topics you'd like to discuss, and then we'll have a discussion about those topics. If you come across any unfamiliar or incorrect words, volunteers will introduce the words and teach you other ways to use them. They will also carefully explain grammar that is difficult for foreigners.
What touched me the most was that when the volunteers found out I was pregnant, they told me about the necessary procedures after pregnancy and provided me with relevant websites in Chinese. They also taught me many terms used in prenatal examinations. They cared for me like a friend, and it was a great support to me as I had just arrived in Japan. I am truly grateful from the bottom of my heart.
After class, the volunteers summarize and share the words and sentences we discussed, which is incredibly helpful for review. Over the past year and a half, I've learned about polite language used in the workplace, everyday expressions, and even the differences between Kanto and Kansai dialects of Japanese. It's truly fascinating, and I'm very grateful for these learning opportunities.
We started supporting Japanese language students in December 2022, and have now completed a year and a half. Where I am, I am a very kind hearted person, and I am a similar student. In the classroom, we have a difficult time learning Japanese language. If you don't want to know about this, please use the following instructions. When foreigners come to Japan, we learn how to speak the language, and other people's comfort level is solved.
When I become pregnant, the person who wishes to give me the instructions that I need after I become pregnant, the explanation is the same as the Chinese mailbox, and the language used for the pregnancy is more than one. Other images of my friend, my heart, and the fact that I came from Japan, and this is a huge support. My deepest gratitude to you all.
After the lesson, the old teachers' association will be organized and the reading section will be used to read the Japanese haiku. I've been here for a year and a half now, and I've been working on this language for a while now, and I've used it in everyday life, so I understand that it's different from the Japanese language in the East and the West. It's really interesting, and I'm very grateful for this opportunity to learn.
W さん
It's been over a year since I started volunteering to support Japanese language learning. The reason I started this activity was when a woman of Myanmar nationality visited the vocational school where I work, hoping to study to become a certified care worker.
Japanese is often described as a "high-context culture," meaning that it relies not only on the words themselves, but also on many implicit elements such as context, atmosphere, and the relationship with the other person. I wanted to support her as much as possible as she was learning about caregiving in such a language—and that's why I started studying to become a Japanese language teacher. It was just then that I learned about the activities of "Tetote," which marked the first step in my volunteer work.
Initially, I started my involvement as a "teacher," but gradually I found myself increasingly realizing that I was the one learning. Every time I became aware of the depth of the Japanese language, the difficulty of conveying it, and the cultures different from Japan, I truly felt that we were "learning together."
Furthermore, the daily interactions with the children who are learning have become a great source of enjoyment for me. The glimpses of their growth that I see in casual conversations deepen the joy of the activities even more.
Now, this volunteer work has become an integral part of my life and a precious part of my time. I am always encouraged by the way relationships of mutual learning and support naturally develop, transcending national boundaries.
Participant comments
We are active for foreigners living in Japan.
We will study Japanese together, which is necessary for daily life.
In groups of 2-3 people, once a week for 1 hour,
We provide online Japanese language learning support.
Participants come from Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Myanmar and other countries.
We offer flexible activities to suit your Japanese level and learning aspirations.
Our group is registered with the volunteer recruitment website activo.