How to acquire English skills even if you don’t want to. 　Chapter 4 Work and English (2) 4.1 Past and present study methods of mine

　As I have described, I use English as a language other than Japanese in my work. My English is not something I acquired naturally from being born in an English-speaking country, but something I have added on top of my Japanese, so I consider it to be "a grafted English”. Although I feel some limitations on vocabulary or naturalness, I will briefly summarize my study method of this grafted English from the past to the present over time as follows. Please forgive me if some of the content overlaps with what I have already described.

4-1 Past and present study methods of mine

Study methods in the past

1-1 In my late teens, I listened to FEN (Far East Network, renamed AFN (American Forces Network) in October 1997) from Iwakuni, but could hardly understand it.

1-2 In my late teens, I used to listen to five-minute-English news on NHK's second broadcast channel, but could hardly understand it. However, I continued to listen to it.

1-3 I memorized most of the English grammar contents in a grammar book used in high school by the age of 20 after graduating from high school.

1-4 Based on the high school grammar I learned by heart, I studied practical English early in the morning on NHK radio English programs and TV English programs. (In the days when it was not possible to record or videotape them, I covered myself with a blanket in cold winters to listen to or watch them.

1-5 I enrolled in an English conversation school for only 6 months in my early twenties. I realized that it helped me learn how to study but did not improve my English skills, so I stopped paying expensive tuition and studied mainly on NHK by myself. It was a very good experience for me to realize that English is not something to be taught, but something to be acquired by oneself.

1-6 In my thirties, I communicated with people all over the world by amateur radio and experienced both the difficulty and the pleasure of communicating only through voice, and made many friends.

My current study methods are as follows.

2-1 I wake up with NHK radio English program "Basic English" at 6:00 am, which are mainly for junior and senior high school students. (I have new discoveries every day in the basics.)

2-2 Listen to US, British and Australian radio programs via internet at the office and while being out of the office.

2-3 Watch NHK General TV news from 9pm in English. (It is very effective as a sleep inducer as well (laugh).)

2-4 Enjoy communication with overseas friends from my amateur radio days via Skype.

But the sadness of grafted English? I am still in the middle of the way to reach a satisfactory level of English skills due to my lack of ability.

Serially posted in English every Tuesday.

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