Why I, in my 40s, am studying English with my family

I am in my 40s, but I am learning English together with my children.

I am not doing anything special; the honest truth is that we are just continuing a little bit at a time as a family.

However, those 'little bits' have added up over the years before I knew it.



6 years since meeting NativeCamp

I started NativeCamp, an online English conversation service, in April 2020.

It surprises me even now to think that 6 years have already passed.

Of course, it hasn't been smooth sailing the entire time.

There were times when I was too busy to take lessons, and many days when I thought, 'I don't want to do this today.'

Even so, I never quit completely.

Since last July, I have been continuing with the small goal of 'one lesson every day'.

I am not yet at a level where I can speak English freely.

Still, I have been able to feel encouraged by my conversations with the instructors, which makes me think, 'I'll try to keep going a little longer.'

I feel that English is something that accumulates slowly rather than improving dramatically.



TOEIC results and the next goal

I took the TOEIC in January of this year.

My score was 670.

It is not a result I am fully satisfied with yet, but it is a score that makes me feel that I am 'improving, even if only a little'.

My current goal is to break through 700 points.

It is a big goal, but I am continuing while keeping in mind to 'not push too hard, but not give up either'.



My son's English learning and growth

My son is now in his third year of junior high school and is preparing for entrance exams.

He passed the Eiken Pre-2nd grade test when he was in his second year of junior high.

As a result, his school teacher told him he met the recommendation criteria for high school, which seems to have boosted his confidence.

He doesn't plan to take the Eiken this year, but he seems to have a desire to challenge himself with the Eiken 2nd grade test.

Therefore, I hope he can try again once he becomes a high school student.

However, he is a bit weak at speaking.

I would like him to continue online English conversation, but he currently prefers to prioritize his cram school studies.

Because of that, I won't force him, and we plan to resume NativeCamp once he enters high school.



My daughter's English is centered on 'fun'

My daughter is in the second grade of elementary school.

She is happily learning English on NativeCamp with character instructors.

What she likes most is the free talk time.

She shows them her toys and talks about her favorite characters, enjoying it more as 'playtime with a teacher' than as English study.

Right now, I value 'liking English' more than 'speaking correctly'.

When an ALT teacher comes to school, my daughter talks to them using the English she has learned.

Since the teacher praises her, she is becoming even more motivated.

My goal is to continue at my own pace without rushing.



My husband's English experience and work style

My husband also attended a boarding-style English conversation school in the past.

It is a style where you concentrate on English for a short period; it costs money, but the feature is that you can fully immerse yourself in an English environment.

I feel that it is also a very efficient way to improve English skills.

His current workplace is not a foreign-affiliated company, but there are foreign colleagues, and he is in an environment where he uses English daily for work.

I feel that even within our home, English is gradually becoming 'not something special'.



The benefits of learning English as a parent and child

Since we started learning English as a family, I have felt several major changes.

First, 'learning does not become lonely'.

It is difficult for adults to continue learning, but by doing it with children, it naturally becomes a habit.

The feeling that 'only I am working hard' fades, and English comes to exist as part of family time.

Second, 'the hurdle for failure is lowered'.

Since it is natural for both parents and children to make mistakes, the pressure to 'have to speak perfectly' decreases.

As a result, the resistance to speaking English becomes smaller.

Third, 'you can naturally be involved in your child's learning'.

By having time to touch English at home rather than leaving it to cram schools or school, learning retention improves.

Also, by learning together, the sense that 'studying is not something you do alone' is fostered for the child.

Fourth, 'it is easy to continue for a long time'.

Because the way of learning changes as the child grows, parents can also adjust their learning style without strain.

I feel it is a major benefit that it is easier to continue English as a long-term habit rather than for short-term results.

Family goals

Someday, I want to go on a parent-child study abroad trip as a family.

I am thinking of the Philippines or Australia as the destination.

I would like to go for about one to two weeks after my son becomes a first-year high school student.

Actually, I had a study abroad agent give me a quote last year.

I discussed it with my husband, and we decided to prioritize my son's high school entrance exams first and postpone the parent-child study abroad.

We are aiming to improve our English skills by then as a family.

'Steady' is fine

Our family is not a special English elite.

Rather, we are an ordinary family that is slow, clumsy, and sometimes stops along the way.

Even so, we value 'not quitting' and 'continuing even a little bit'.

I feel that English is not something that improves all at once, but something that gradually soaks into life.

From now on, I want to continue steadily at each of our family's own pace, rather than aiming for perfection.

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