Shoko Ishida

I had my first lesson with Shoko in September 2022. And guess what? I'm still here. That should say it all, shouldn't it? Shoko is by far the best Japanese teacher I've ever had. Especially for me, who is a very anxious person, doesn't like approaching strangers and hates talking on the phone (not good conditions for online lessons, by the way), lessons with Shoko are always the highlight of my week. She challenges without overwhelming, gives tips and hints without anticipating the answer. Her warm and courteous manner makes you feel like you're at a good friend's house right from the start instead of in a " awkward" teacher-student online situation. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced student, if you want to have fun learning Japanese, you should definitely give Shoko a try!

The lessons with Shoko-san always make me so happy, I always have so much fun studying Japanese with her, even difficult grammar turns into a fun learning experience and I truly appreciate how much joy Shoko-san brings to her lesson. I am really looking forward to more lessons with her!

I've been taking lessons with Shoko sensei for almost a year now and I can definitely say my Japanese has improved a lot. She is always willing to answer any and all of my questions, she's super encouraging and always a joy to speak with online. I always get nervous before calls as I am highly introverted but after I join the call I always feel so much calmer and happier. I feel beyond accomplished after my lessons! Shoko-san is the best!

Shoko sensei has been a very patient teacher and does her best to answer all of my questions without exception. She is a joy to work with.

I just love my lessons with Shoko-san so much, I feel like it's always the perfect balance of learning a lot of things and improving my Japanese but also having so much fun and really enjoying the time spent in the lesson. I am really looking forward to more lessons with her!

Shoko sensei has been incredibly patient as I struggle to understand some of the harder concepts in the GENKI textbook. I should be able to do verb conjugations more easily but I struggle a lot with it and her patience and calmness gives me time to think. She gives hints when I ask for it or am incredibly stuck and she knows just what to say to trigger the memory for me. I can't recommend her enough!