It’s a well-established fact that learning a new language brings several advantages, regardless of whether you’re a corporate worker, a student, or just an ordinary joe. However, Japanese is a particularly useful language, especially considering the growing influence of Japan in the global arena. Fortunately, there are several ways of learning the Japanese language.
You can learn by listening to podcasts, watching Japanese movies, or reading children’s books. If you have a bit of money, you can even learn by hiring an online Japanese language tutor. However, as you may have guessed, it takes a bit of time to get used to the language.
If you want to speed up the process, the best course of action would be to take a Japanese language course since they’re made explicitly for that purpose.
But of course, you must choose wisely, since not all courses are practical. With that said, here are six guidelines for selecting the best online Japanese language course.
Evaluate The Quantity And Quality Of Lessons
The quantity and quality of the lessons available in the course are two considerations you must take when choosing a language course. Naturally, the more lessons there are, the better, but each lesson must also be high quality. But what defines a high-quality lesson?
For one, the lessons must not be repetitive. After all, learning something that you already know may only end up spoiling your interest. Secondly, the lessons must be exciting so you can enjoy learning. Lastly, the lessons must be thorough and clear for beginners and experts alike.
Take A Look At Their Pricing
Apart from looking for high-quality courses, you must also make sure they are budget-friendly. Some Japanese language courses are free, while others can cost an arm and a leg. But if a free course doesn’t contain substantial information, it’s no better than any other course. Similarly, even if a course is costly, if the lessons are comprehensive, then it’s worth considering.
In short, the pricing is something you must consider, but you must also make sure you don’t rely on this factor too much. As long as the price is reasonable, a lesson might be worth looking into. It’s also ideal if the course has a full money-back guarantee in case you change your mind.
Consider The Course’s Level Of Difficulty
Some courses provide beginner-level lessons, while others have more advanced lessons for experts. It would be best to choose a course suitable for all levels and beneficial for both beginners and experts. For example, you’ll find a few courses with different levels, such as Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert. These are the courses you should look for.
Make Sure Lessons Come In Digestible Formats
As previously mentioned, everyone has a different way of understanding language. Some can understand a topic more quickly by reading, while others flourish by watching videos. With that said, make sure the lessons come in several formats so you can have your pick depending on what kind of learner you are. To clarify, lessons should come in audio, video, and text format.
Look For A Course With An Active Community
There’s no guarantee that an online course is enough to answer all your questions on the Japanese language. That’s precisely why many individuals look for language schools in the first place.
You can ask fellow learners for guidance if some parts of the lesson are still unclear to you. Fortunately, an online course can also bring this benefit, especially if it has an active community. You should be able to figure out whether the community is active by simply looking at how many users are in the course.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled For Courses With Additional Perks
When you pay for a course, you should ensure its value is worth the price tag. In that regard, it would be nice if the course had extra features such as online dictionaries.
You should also look for a course with active customer service in case you encounter some issues on the learning platform. You’ll also find certain courses that offer some sort of rewards in the form of digital items whenever you complete an achievement in the course. This perk can be pretty handy since it’ll help you retain your motivation throughout the course.
Closing Thoughts
Even with the best online Japanese language course, it’s not guaranteed that you can speak like a native quickly. However, if you’re patient and willing to learn, you can add knowing Japanese to your arsenal of skills. With that said, while this guide can indeed help you choose the best online Japanese language course, at the end of the day, your success still lies in how you’ll approach it.
