The biggest challenge I faced during my stay in Belgium was my English proficiency. I had a desire to work as a Japanese teacher and decided to study abroad because I wanted to see the educational system in other countries, but I was very depressed by the difference in English proficiency from the other students. On my first day in Hasselt, I had the opportunity to ask for directions (again, my friend asked a Hasselt resident), but every person I asked exceeded my English ability, and I felt very inadequate. As a result, even when I had good opportunities to make new friends, I could not talk to them myself. I also had negative thoughts that even if my friends invited me out, they might not like me because I could not speak English well enough. However, I was able to change my attitude by attending classes and the kindness of the friends I made there. First of all, I decided that since I had come to study abroad with the support of my parents, I would at least attend every class properly. I was not very good at group work, which I had to express my own opinions, and many times I thought I did not want to go to class, even so think I gradually became accustomed to listening and speaking English by participating in each class. I also met kind friends who taught me what I didn't understand in class and took care of me during group work. Even now, I sometimes have negative feelings, but I feel that I have grown to be able to control those feelings.
I had the opportunity to observe an English class at a secondary school, and both the teacher and the students spoke English constantly during the class. It was a big surprise to me that the teacher told the students who were speaking Dutch “Not to speak Dutch.” Also, when solving problems, students went outside the classroom to think about the problem with some students or by themselves. In Japan, listening to the teacher’s explanation is basically the norm, and group work is rare, and even if it is, it is almost unheard of for students to get up from their assigned seats. I wondered if it was really worth learning for students to have this kind of time reserved for almost an hour. However, I thought that teachers could clarify what they do not understand by giving feedback to students individually many times. I was surprised to find that the educational methods I had taken for granted differed from country to country.
Through my study abroad experience, I decided to stop using the word “normal.” For example, I used to think that it was normal for everyone to listen quietly to the teacher’s explanation at school. However, when I left Japan, I realized that this was not the norm and that European-style classes are superior in many educational aspects because they are student-centered. I think that once I go back to Japan, I will have very few opportunities to speak English. Moreover, given the Japanese system, I don't think I will have many opportunities to visit actual educational sites in the classroom. However, I would like to think of a unique educational method that combines the educational methods I have learned in Europe and the good points of Japan, without making excuses for such a system or environment, and I would like to act on my own to actively increase opportunities to interact with children, speak English, and learn foreign languages.
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