I took Joe's private lesson once a week for 7 months, about 30 hours in total. Although I improved, my progress wasn't as fast as I wanted it to be because my lesson was only once a week. To speed up my progress, I decided to take the TES group lesson, 63 hours in 4 weeks. In the group lessons, I was able to learn from my classmates' mistakes and questions, and there was no time wasted, not even a second. There was plenty of content to learn, such as correct pronunciation, how to reduce grammatical mistakes, and how to talk smoothly like a native speaker. Also, there were a lot of chances to practice talking. I was in an advanced class at another ESL school, and, in retrospect, I realized that I had always misunderstood basic grammar, such as articles (a / an, the), the third person singular, and basic vocabulary, like different and beautiful. Joe will help you correct your mistakes, even after you return to Japan, so you don't have to worry about losing your English skills. As other students have said, if I had met Joe earlier, I would have saved myself a lot of wasted money and time at other schools. If you want to improve your English in a short time, I recommended the TES small group class.
Yurie
TES is like a boxing gym. It's not like a regular gym that focuses on weightlifting and building muscle just for appearances. In boxing gyms there is sparring and boxers are beaten every day. A boxer is afraid of being beaten, so he becomes motivated to do what is necessary to improve his skills, like severe road work and developing proper technique. TES focuses on speaking. My English was bad when I first arrived at TES, so I couldn’t communicate well. Teacher Joe would correct every mistake I made and challenge me, like a boxer in a sparring match. I didn’t want to make as many mistakes the next day, so I became motivated to practice also on my own. Of course, I studied at home, but I also started talking to strangers and going to stores pretending to be a customer so I could experience and practice as many conversations as possible. I didn't need courage to act, only fear. Like a boxer who doesn’t want to get beaten any more in a sparring match, I didn’t want to make any more mistakes in class. After enough training and practice, the body begins to move automatically. Please, come to TES and spar with Joe in English. At first, you will make many mistakes, but after enough practice you will speak automatically. My description is a bit scary and intimidating, but Joe is very kind. In fact, Joe kept in touch with me even after I went back to Japan. This would never happen at other schools.
Kouhei
I have attended four language schools so far because I kept searching for better classes. I thought the quality of a language school depended on its students and the atmosphere of the classroom. Now, I realize that my thinking was incorrect; I should have looked for a school that gave me better results. I remember the day I took my first trial lesson with Joe. Not only did he teach me pronunciation, but also how to speak in a more native way. Even though I knew that learning a language meant understanding the culture of the country, I still couldn't get rid of my Japanese expressions. In fact, I didn't even realize how Japanese I sounded until I was told. I was delighted by Joe's enthusiasm and earnestness to teach real English. I thought here was the English I wanted to learn. When I first started taking Joe’s lessons, I was confused because I learned new things that were completely different from the language schools I attended, so it took me a while to get used to it. However, if I didn’t understand something, I could immediately ask questions, especially about the differences between words used by Canadians and the ones I used that were translated from Japanese. Joe made learning English fun again. Japanese people love the moment when they know they can simply speak English instead of having to translate Japanese expressions. The content of the lessons is mainly conversation, but my favorite lesson is reading, which includes word linking and pronunciation practice, learning new vocabulary, and summarizing the story. I am glad I met Joe. I am very happy to have learned more practical English and more effective ways to study. I still need to practice pronunciation more, but now that learning English is fun again, I feel the difference in the speed at which I can absorb English. I recommend this school with confidence to anyone who comes to Canada to learn English seriously.
Keiko
I left my previous ESL school halfway through so I could go to TES for three months. At my old school, I was intermediate student with basic grammar knowledge, so I first took a General English class. After a while, I didn't feel like my language skills were growing, and because I wanted to practice speaking more, I took part in a so-called speaking strengthening class. Unfortunately, the class had many people, so we were divided into groups, so my conversation partners were other students and the teacher had to share his time accordingly. Although I was able to practice speaking with the other students, I was unlikely to notice any of my mistakes or have them corrected. To be honest, I thought my previous school was a waste of money, and I could have had the same experience in a free language exchange. The reason I decided to attend TES was that I could always talk directly with my teacher. Therefore, my pronunciation and grammar mistakes were always corrected: every lesson, every day and every week. In fact, he relentlessly pointed out every mistake (laugh). Eventually, the repeated corrections helped me to improve naturally, resulting in the correct use of articles and plurals. Also, I noticed a number of pronunciation mistakes that I made, like TH, R, F, etc., which also improved. I think that I developed good speaking habits at TES. Also, I often had to be reminded of the meaning of the same word because of my poor memory, but Joe always taught them to me patiently. I recommend TES, especially for those of you who feel stuck at the intermediate level or feel too shy to participate in class.
Yoshiko
I went to another language school for three months, which I applied to from Japan before coming to Toronto. When I was at my previous school, I was satisfied and was glad to go, but, after going to TES, it all turned into regret because I realized that for the last three months my English hadn't grown at all. I booked a trial at TES, where my friend was attending, and I felt that I could improve there, so I decided to enroll. In the class, as other students have written, I felt messed up at first, but after a month or two, I felt my English had changed. I had a lot of things to do every day, but it wasn't hard as long as I thought I could continue improving and speaking English. The classes were also in a homey fun atmosphere with a small number of people, so it was easy to ask questions. If you go to TES, you will definitely improve your English, especially your speaking!!! I recommended it (* ^ o ^ *)
Yui
Can you explain all the pronunciation mistakes that Japanese usually make? If you attend TES, you will be able to learn proper pronunciation and practical English. I started going there and noticed how I couldn't pronounce English properly. If you're stuck or are struggling to learn English, it's definitely worth attending. I think it is a perfect school for motivated international students.
Ryuji
I arrived in Toronto and went to a language school for about two months. Afterwards, I took a TES trial lesson, and I was shocked at how much I needed to be corrected each and every time I spoke. I don't think there are many teachers, like Joe, who can make such corrections so carefully. Unlike other ordinary language schools, TES knows what Japanese people stumble on and what they are not good at, so lessons are specialized accordingly, especially in pronunciation. Thanks to TES, I can understand native speakers more than before. If you are going to a language school like I did and have a hard time improving up or want to learn English well, I recommend taking Joe's lessons. I will continue to study English without forgetting the content I learned at TES.
Saaya
I learned about TES from a friend. At the time, I was very worried about going to other schools because my English was not good. At TES, the class was a small group, so it was clear that my English would improve if I went. However, I was very worried about whether or not I could keep up because, at TES, there weren't any levels. However, I decided to enroll. At first, I didn't understand English at all, and many times I thought it was painful. But teacher Joe always listened to my poor English, corrected my pronunciation, and slowly explained the English that I didn't understand. With that careful guidance, I was able to grow very much at TES! Friends around me started to praise me for my good pronunciation and good conversation. I'm scared to imagine if I had never attended TES. I'm very grateful to Joe, the most interesting teacher in Toronto. Thank you Joe!
Nami
*Please listen to his recording at the bottom of the page.
Joe's lesson is definitely the best one-on-one lesson in Toronto. I took Joe's lesson for about a year and a half. The lessons are balanced and improve all areas, like: pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, fluency, etc. They introduce new expressions and words according to your level, so your vocabulary will definitely increase. Before meeting Joe, I was really impressed with my English ability. At first, I struggled a lot with English pronunciation, especially R, L, F, V and vowel sounds. Thanks to Joe, who patiently corrected me each time I made a mistake, I am always surprised at my improved pronunciation when speaking with foreigners. At first I had the opportunity to talk to other tutors, but the only person who could fix my mistakes was Joe. In fact, I was able to stretch my IELTS speaking score from a 6 to an 8. Without any doubt, I was only able to get this far with Joe's teaching. If you really want to improve your English, I definitely recommend Joe's lessons to everyone. Please take a trial.
Joe's lesson is definitely the best one-on-one lesson in Toronto. I took Joe's lesson for about a year and a half. The lessons are balanced and improve all areas, like: pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, fluency, etc. They introduce new expressions and words according to your level, so your vocabulary will definitely increase. Before meeting Joe, I was really impressed with my English ability. At first, I struggled a lot with English pronunciation, especially R, L, F, V and vowel sounds. Thanks to Joe, who patiently corrected me each time I made a mistake, I am always surprised at my improved pronunciation when speaking with foreigners. At first I had the opportunity to talk to other tutors, but the only person who could fix my mistakes was Joe. In fact, I was able to stretch my IELTS speaking score from a 6 to an 8. Without any doubt, I was only able to get this far with Joe's teaching. If you really want to improve your English, I definitely recommend Joe's lessons to everyone. Please take a trial.
Kohei
I really recommend TES! It teaches English pronunciation that Japanese are not good at. I was in a different school for half a year, but I didn't feel as good about my improvement as I should have. However, I started to understand English after going to TES. I regretted going to my previous school and wish I could have gone to TES from the beginning. At first, the lessons were challenging, but I got used to it. Since the class size is very small, there are many opportunities to speak. If you or your friends are looking for a language school, you should definitely send them to this school!
Isao
*Please listen to her recording at the bottom of the page.
Joe was the best teacher. I'm really lucky to have come to Toronto, so I could study English with Joe. I didn't feel my English improving at first language school, so I started studying with Joe, hoping to learn more. Joe is kind, but he is really strict about pronunciation. But thanks to Joe's enthusiastic teaching, my English has really improved. Now I can speak English with confidence. My listening has grown dramatically too. If you want to learn real English, I recommend taking Joe's class!!
Joe was the best teacher. I'm really lucky to have come to Toronto, so I could study English with Joe. I didn't feel my English improving at first language school, so I started studying with Joe, hoping to learn more. Joe is kind, but he is really strict about pronunciation. But thanks to Joe's enthusiastic teaching, my English has really improved. Now I can speak English with confidence. My listening has grown dramatically too. If you want to learn real English, I recommend taking Joe's class!!
Kokoro
Joe was a wonderful teacher. The core of his lesson is pronunciation correction. He said that if you could pronounce correctly, then you would be able to hear it correctly. At first, I was skeptical, but it was true. At first, I couldn't understand native speakers. In Japan, everyday words such as "lemon", "milk" and "level", sounded quite different when spoken by a native person, and I often couldn't understand them. But, as I started going to TES and practicing, I gradually improved my pronunciation and was able to understand native speakers. I think there has been a more dramatic change at TES than at my previous ESL school. It's really difficult to pronounce correctly, especially all the vowels (a, i, u, e, o). However, Joe thoroughly and clearly explained how to pronounce English sounds, so all I had to do to improve was follow his instructions. He also recommended restaurants and sights in Toronto, so I had a lot of information unique to the locals. Getting one piece of information from each lesson helped me enjoy my life in Toronto a lot more. Joe was a really wonderful teacher. I was very lucky to have him teach me English.aching, my English has really improved. Now I can speak English with confidence. My listening has grown dramatically too. If you want to learn real English, I recommend taking Joe's class!!
Masako
At first I went to a very ordinary language school. However, I didn't feel like it fun or interesting, so I stopped immediately and looked for a new school. I found TES where teacher Joe corrects pronunciation, grammar and collocation instantly. In particular, his pronunciation teaching was clear. This class is also highly recommended for those who want to improve their listening. He said that if I can't hear sounds correctly then I can't pronounce them correctly. After taking Joe's lesson, my TOEIC listening score increased from 220 to 420. Trial lessons are free, so I recommend that you take a trial at once. Good luck!!!!
Kazumasa
When I came to Canada on a working holiday visa, I had trouble with English. Of course, I didn't have any vocabulary or grammar, but my pronunciation was the worst. I was so impatient that I couldn't convey simple words and went to various English school trials without any results. TES was really helpful because my pronunciation was thoroughly corrected. I went for about 1.5 hours, 2 days a week for about 8 months, and my pronunciation improved. I would never have learned how to pronounce English like a native without taking this class. TES focuses on pronunciation and speaking, and Teacher Joe will explain any grammar that you do not understand. I was really happy to take this class. Thank you very much!
Satoko
I didn't go to a language school, and I attended Joe's lessons once a week for about three months. When I decided to move to another province, I increased my lessons to three times a week. If I could have stayed in Toronto, I would have kept studying with Joe because I improved in such a short time. Joe patiently corrected me every time I made a mistake, especially in pronunciation and grammar, and helped me feel confident speaking in English. Thanks to Joe, I realized that even though I understood the grammar in my head, it was another matter whether I could automatically use it correctly in a conversation. I felt Joe was different from other tutors and online English conversation classes because he targets the weaknesses of Japanese, and helps us learn the basics thoroughly so we build good English speaking habits. Also, as the lesson progressed, we spoke English on a variety of interesting topics, including how to enjoy Toronto (in particular, I learned a wealth of information about delicious restaurants!), and life questions. I enjoyed our conversations, so I cared more about learning. If you listen to what you care about rather than take a lesson passively, you will find the lesson more fun! I felt that my weakness in English gradually diminished. Even though, you take a limited number of lessons, you will improve enough to notice the difference. Recently, I have realized small things that have become easier, such as going to the border for visa switching, carrying out procedures at the hospital by myself, and other indispensable situations. Now I can communicate well. My only regret is that I didn't take more lessons while I had the chance. By doing so, I think would have improved more and enjoyed Toronto more. I think many people have a limited time in Toronto, so why not take Joe's lesson! Don't regret it?
Minami
I took teacher Joe's class twice a week for about 7 months. Thanks to Joe I improved, especially my pronunciation. I was not good at pronunciation. In fact, I had a speech problem about the S sound since I was young and Joe corrected it in the first lesson. Teacher Joe is well aware of the shortcomings of Japanese when speaking English, and always points them out during conversations. Teacher Joe was very serious about teaching me, and always started classes on time. I would recommend teacher Joe's classes for:
・ People who want to improve hearing and speaking
・ People who want to communicate better even though they speak simple English
・ Those who want to correct pronunciation in a short time I am really glad I took the class.
・ People who want to improve hearing and speaking
・ People who want to communicate better even though they speak simple English
・ Those who want to correct pronunciation in a short time I am really glad I took the class.
Yuzo
I took Joe's lessons for about 2 months while I went to a regular language school for 6 months. His one-on-one lessons consist of pronunciation correction, grammar and conversation. I regret that I didn't take Joe's lesson from the beginning, instead of going to a language school. His lessons are wonderful, especially for Japanese. Every time I made a mistake, I was corrected immediately. As I took lessons, I became more conscious of what I wasn't able to do and practiced repeatedly with Joe. It is a lesson where you can thoroughly practice where Japanese stumble, so you can feel that your English is improving. I highly recommend Joe's lesson. Please take a trial lesson at once.
Takahiro
Every time I took Teacher Joe's class, it was like scales falling from my eyes. First of all, at a regular language school, the basics of pronunciation are not taught well or at all. Japanese tend to focus on the pronunciation of R and L, but we don't realize that even the pronunciation of A and other vowels are a big challenge. However, by taking teacher Joe's class, I was able to learn how to pronounce every problem sound. Also, if I made a mistake in pronunciation or grammar while speaking, he immediately corrected it. No matter how much you study grammar, nothing will be communicated clearly if your pronunciation is wrong. However, if your pronunciation is correct, you can still say what you want to say, even if you have some grammatical mistakes. If you want to speak English, make sure to learn the basics of pronunciation, so why not take a trial lesson! In addition to improving pronunciation, Joe also teaches "real English", useful grammar and natural speaking ability.
Tomo
I learned how to speak from Joe. He helped me stop applying Japanese pronunciation techniques to English and taught me proper English mouth movements required for accurate English pronunciation. Although there is limited pronunciation correction in language schools, lessons with Joe helped me correct my pronunciation even in casual conversations. At first, I couldn't pronounce R and L, TH, V and F, but I was able to pronounce them more clearly while being aware of the necessary mouth movements. I think it is difficult to correct pronunciation by myself. Joe gave me more accurate pronunciation and speech. If you're not satisfied with a language school and want to speak more like a native, take Joe's lesson. I'm really glad I took Joe's lesson.
Sanae
After taking Kit's lessons, my English life has changed a lot. The vague dream of "I want to be able to speak English" has become a reality, and I understand the process of how to speak English better. Kit's lessons begin by learning how to pronounce the problem letters of the Roman alphabet. Just like a child who first speaks English! Why wasn't this taught to us from elementary school in Japan? I was impressed with her method. In the first lesson, I found out why staff members didn't understand when I asked, “Could I get a bag?” I was mispronouncing the “a” sound in "bag". On the way home, I tried hard to pronounce "bag" correctly and I got a bag easily! Then we read a book aloud, so I could focus on correct pronunciation, summarization, and vocabulary, and discuss the story. During this time, Kit's sound sensor was always strictly operating, so even if one note sounded different, she corrected it immediately. Even if you make the same mistake many times, she will correct it as many times as necessary. Thanks to that, I noticed not only my own speaking habits, but also my pronunciation and the phrases I use often. I was only able to take lessons for three weeks on my return trip, so I took intensive 1.5h lessons three times a week. Of course, I haven't been able to speak English fluently in a short time. However, when I spoke to other natives, I was told, "I really like your pronunciation! Did you attend a special English school in Japan?" At first, I felt embarrassed to speak with poor pronunciation, which further prevented me from speaking English. Finally, I realized the importance of polishing my pronunciation. Having confidence in my pronunciation and learning how to study pronunciation makes me feel like I've finally begun to realize my dream of becoming able to speak English. Kit always says, "If you can talk correctly, you can listen easily." To speak, you have to have correct pronunciation. I don't think there is a class that teaches pronunciation as strictly and sincerely as Kit's lesson. I left my language school after one month due to poor quality. I decided to learn with Kit instead, and my short-term study abroad was a great success! I still need to improve my pronunciation, but now that it's fun, I will continue to learn a lot in Japan. I am very grateful for Kit's sincerity as a teacher, her hard work to teach me, the big improvements I've made in a short period of time, and for the warmth of her personality, especially her warm words in conversation and Christmas cookies! I'm really thankful to Kit. Practice, practice, and practice!
Hikari
Classes at my language school ended with making good friends, but I wasn't satisfied with my English. I was studying how to improve my English and came to practice pronunciation. I thought it was difficult to practice pronunciation alone, so I started taking lessons with Kit specialized in pronunciation. The reason for "pronunciation" is that you cannot hear sounds that you do not know how to pronounce. The differences between the "R" and "L" sounds are now clear to me, as well as all the English sounds that are not found in Japanese, like A, I, TH, F, etc. Kit's lessons made me realize how I must learn English to be successful. I am currently working, and I was struggling with the phrase "Would you like that warmed up?" Now I am able to say it all at once, smoothly. In addition to pronunciation, Kit also teaches various other subjects in every lesson, such as useful grammar and conversation. She really thinks about her students. The 1 hour lesson passes in the blink of an eye and I always look forward to the next one. It was really nice to be able to take Kit's class!!
Arisa
If you learn English from Kit and also practice on your own, you will definitely improve your English. If you want to speak proper English, Kit will teach you the correct way. Just like learning to ride a bicycle, play a guitar or draw kanji, practice is necessary and important. It is the same with English, so if you keep moving your mouth muscles in the right position, you will get the correct pronunciation. If you practice pronunciation long enough, then you will speak English correctly without thinking about. Kit can help you with that. She will tell you the correct pronunciation when you make a mistake, and help you develop word linking skills. Before Kit, I have never studied pronunciation or linking at all. I really regret it. Pronunciation and linking are paramount, otherwise you won't be able to speak or hear real English. At first, I could not distinguish between English vowels and consonants, at all. But in a month, I clearly saw my progress, and I was able to hear Kit's pronunciation almost perfectly. This was really surprising. It is very encouraging for English learners to feel progress. And what happens when I can pronounce properly? I want to speak more English. It becomes fun, and I become motivated. I attended a general English school at the same time as I took Kit's lesson. I pronounced the word "three" in my language class; I just said the TH sound, with my tongue sticking out, as Kit taught me. My language school teacher told me that I was the first Japanese in her class to pronounce the word properly. Instead of feeling happy, I felt sad. What had I been studying by myself? What had all Japanese been studying in Japan that no one could pronounce such a simple word? If you want to speak English, stop studying the traditional Japanese way because it is only good for tests. If you want to speak English and communicate like a native, you should adopt Kit's techniques. Learning pronunciation and linking can be very useful for improving other English skills too. Kit listens to small talk and corrects every pronunciation and grammar mistake. Ordinary English schools don't do that. Do you think you can improve without making mistakes? Studying with Kit will definitely improve your pronunciation, linking, speaking, and listening. You will want to use English and it will be fun. I will continue learning with Kit for about 2 more months, so I am looking forward to seeing how much more I can grow!
Daiwa