Info for Former Students

We hope you had a fun and rewarding experience at Genki Japanese School. We hope that, not only did you learn about the Japanese language, but had the chance to enjoy Japanese culture and living in Japan to its fullest. Whichever destination you will go back to, and whatever job or study you are returning to, it is important not to forget what you have learned at GenkiJACS! We therefore recommend the following in order to keep studying and improving your Japanese:

1. Self-Study

   1. You can learn Kanji and vocabulary very effectively by self-study. Use flashcards and online tools to help you remember them. We recommend the following:
      The JLPT Kanji Project
      Flashcard software Anki
   2. Watch movies, dramas, anime, and read manga in Japanese. Listen to Japanese music to retain comprehension skills. Some specialty bookstores both in Japan and overseas offer bilingual manga, with both the Japanese and English on each page. We recommend:
      NHK World Service
   3. Get new information in Japanese! Read books & magazines, and Japanese websites and blogs. We recommend the following:
      - Yahoo! Kids News: Today’s news written in simple language for Japanese elementary school children. “Yomigana tools” add readings for difficult words, adjustable by your ability level
      - Rikai.com: Adds mouseover readings and English translations to Japanese text on other websites, allowing you to read online Japanese texts easily. Or more easily, at least.
   4. If you would like to continue to use the GenkiJACS curriculum, you can check out the following textbooks:
      • Beginner II: Genki II
      • Pre-Intermediate: Chukyu e Ikou (中級へ行こう), J.Bridge
      • Intermediate I: Chukyu wo Manabou (中級を学ぼう), J.Bridge
      • Intermediate II: Nihongo Chukyu J501 (日本語中級J501), Roleplay de Manabu Chukyu kara Joku e no Nihongo (ロールプレイで学ぶ中級から上級への日本語)
      • Advanced: Chukyu kara Jokyu e no Nihongo (中級から上級への日本語), Nihongo Namachukei (日本語生中継)
        If you are still in Japan, you can find them in any major Japanese bookstore. Alternatively, you can order them online through bookstores such as Amazon.com.

2. Online Lessons

   1. Two free video chat lessons with GenkiJACS! Schedule two 50-minute lessons using Skype, MSN, or other popular chat software.More info here.
   2. Japan Online School (J-OS) offers private Japanese classes through webcam with native Japanese teachers on a flexible schedule. If you apply through their website and indicate you were referred by GenkiJACS, you can receive the following special pricing:
      - Free trial lesson (normally 980-1280 yen)
      - 1 extra lesson free when you buy lessons (for example, 5 lessons for the price of 4)
   3. Japan Online Institute offers private and group Japanese classes through webcam with native Japanese teachers, at low cost. Indicate that GenkiJACS referred you, and receive 4 trial lessons for just 900 yen!
   4. JapanesePod101.com offers GenkiJACS graduates 25% off all purchases with them. Contact us for the coupon code!

3. University Courses

It’s never too early or too late to join a university course! Remember, GenkiJACS can provide any documents required by your school if you would like to get credit for your stay here. Many students in the past have been able to receive credits for their study. More info is here.

4. Local Japanese Community

Your city may have a Japanese community that offers classes for non-Japanese people, or can put you in touch with speaking partners.

5. Getting Involved

   1. Keep your Japanese friends! Try not to lose contact with the people you have met and had fun with in Japan. Send your Japanese friends or classmates Japanese e-mails or letters, or practice conversation on Skype.
   2. Meet new friends! Look online for penpals, or join a Japanese social network (Japanese mobile phone number required), or join an interest group in your local area. Japanese study website thejapanesepage.com offers a large community of people discussing their Japanese study.
   3. Volunteer! If there are any Japanese exhibitions or events in your area, it may be worthwhile to volunteer for them. That way you can meet new people and also learn more about Japanese culture.

6. Returning to GenkiJACS

Returning students are always welcome back! GenkiJACS provides a 10% returnee discount on tuition, and of course a warm GenkiJACS welcome! Request an estimate today, and don't forget to put a check in the "returning student" box!

7. Referral Reward Program

   
   Introduce a friend to GenkiJACS, and when they study with us, you receive cash, or a discount off future study! More info here.