Hello, my name is Allison Minami and I'm an experienced native English language tutor currently living in Japan. I have been teaching English online since 2020. I am currently offering a free initial trial lesson for new students.
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Latest Reviews
17 Aug 2020
Selena SY L
I had a great lesson with Allison. She suggested me a variety of materials to guide my language learning. I'm sure I can improve my English a lot through the lessons with her. Thank you for your feedback and enthusiasm! :)
About me - English
Greetings! My name is Allison. I was born in America and lived there for 20+ years of my life. I spent my first two years at a university in Japan, and then completed my bachelor's degree in psychology and behavioral science from a university in the U.S. Currently, I live in Japan with my husband teaching English at an international school, and it gives me so much joy to be able to talk with people from different cultures.
Some of my hobbies include watching a tremendous amount of Japanese cartoons and Korean dramas, reading books from practically any genre, learning multiple languages (I am constantly in pursuit of Japanese fluency, while also dabbling with others like Korean, German, and Russian.), researching anything I can think of, and creative and academic writing.
Qualifications & Experience
In regard to my experience, I have been employed at a university here in Japan as their English Center teacher for the last 2 years, where I hold several roles. In the course of a day I come across requests for things such as editing and proofreading academic papers and college application essays, proofreading university memos and emails, PowerPoint presentations, and a variety of texts on their website for the faculty and staff, holding conversational English practice, crafting individual-based programs for students to help improve their TOEFL scores, and aiding both high school and university students with any English-related questions. I have also been entrusted to edit research papers written in English of the university's president. Recently, I have taken up the role of TOEFL teacher inside that same university and am currently teaching a TOEFL 550 class. I also have experience being a teacher’s assistant within an ESL class inside the U.S. and did an internship as an ALT in Japan for a summer. I've also held two separate jobs as a conversational English teacher. As for other English-related roles, I have acted as a translator for Japanese to English manuscripts for a year now, an English translator for an introductory biology class, and I have researched and written a biographical manuscripts.
Teaching Approach
I believe in partnering with students in their studies, meeting them where they are, as they are. Each language learner is unique. Their brains are unique, their personalities are unique, and their habits and interests are all unique! It is my job as a teacher to first and foremost get to know the student and to ask what goals they have for their language learning (whether that be a more native-sounding pronunciation or just improved skills in casual, friendly conversation). And likewise, if the student is unsure of where to even begin, I believe it is my job to help support them as we seek together to find that out, while also finding what kind of studying and practicing habits work best for that individual.
By asking each student what they want out of teaching sessions and conversations, and then basing our time together from this, I believe that not only will they be able to meet their goals sooner and more effectively, but we will be able to have more fun while we do it! Creating a space where the hard and intentional work of language learning can become enjoyable is my main hope and goal as a teacher.
While I am a teacher, and take the responsibility of that role seriously, I have also come to know for a fact that there is so much that I can learn from my students and my fellow language learners. That exchange is beautiful, and I am always amazed and excited by it.