Review
I was very keen to learn to read the Hiragana and Katakana as we were living in Japan for several months and it was frustrating not to be able to read signs and labels etc. Izumi's lessons were very helpful and by the end of 2 months I was able to read many things. She emphasised practical, real life situations and some of our lessons took place in real life settings, such as the supermarket.
Because Izumi has excellent English, she was able to answer many questions I had about spoken language. For example, I was able to describe situations and ask what sort of language would be appropriate for that setting. Izumi was very patient and encouraged my attempts at spoken Japanese but she also had high expectations and made me feel that I should work hard.
I would highly recommend Izumi as a teacher as she is well prepared, encouraging, and creative in her approach to teaching. I only wish that I could be as good a student as she is a teacher!
Heather, Australian - Beginner class
Izumi san was my Japanese teacher for 3 months earlier this year and after visiting Japan regularly since 2002, i have finally made some progress. she is a very dedicated instructor and put in a great deal of effort to make the lessons instructive, practical and fun. she is very thorough and seeks reinforcement in follow up lessons which in my case is essential. the use of flash cards was also very helpful. i can strongly and unequivocally recommend her to anyone and at any level. and i will be seeking her services when i return to Japan next year.
Geoff, Australian - Beginner class
In short, Izumi is a great teacher. Depending on your skill level Izumi will completely cater your lesson so that you learn in a logical fashion. As well as this, Izumi makes the lessons very fun and uses props when ever possible to help make lessons more interactive, further increasing the learning process. I fully recommend Izumi as a Japanese teacher, as you're guaranteed to learn something new during each lesson and she is very careful to ensure that you progress at a constant rate.
Graeme, British - Beginner class
I have studied a few languages with different methods. I was a little concerned to start learning Japanese since it was something so different to any language I knew before. But learning Japanese with Sensei Izumi was a great experience, where I quickly created a strong Japanese language base. I learned what I needed in order to better communicate in Japan. I always felt that every minute in the class was well spent and as the weeks of class past I could tell I was improving and could use what I had learned in the real Japanese world. Being complemented on the street on the ability to speak a little Japanese is one thing but being able to buy a train ticket 100% in Japanese is a great feeling and I can only thank the Japanese lessons of Sensei Izumi. No question classes with Sensei Izumi are well worth it for anyone wanting to improve their Japanese.
Christopher Wesley, Costa Rica - Beginner class
Izumi quickly worked out my Japanese ability and was able to select and utilize appropriate materials as a means of preparing me for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). Izumi's lessons were fun, motivating and great value for money. Outside of lesson time, Izumi would respond quickly to my Japanese related queries and prepare many much needed review exercises, quizzes and tests. With her great knowledge of the JLPT I would highly recommend Izumi as someone who can fully prepare you for the exam.
Ali, British - JLPT N1 class