Your Global E-mail Needs To Include International Cultural Sense

Some common English mistakes in Japan

After teaching English here in Japan for nearly 20 years, I've noticed that there are some common mistakes that keep coming up. Fighting off the urge to roll your eyes, a teacher needs to understand this is a teachable moment. This is like finding a nugget of gold while swimming in the river. Because they are common errors, we can make a dent in this fault in the local language skills by explaining why they are wrong.

Here are a few that have come across my path in the last week or so;

"I choiced to go to school in Kansai." -> It is common to hear students mistakenly use 'choice' as a verb. I will challenge them; choice is a noun, what is the verb? If they can't come up with it, I'll introduce choose-chose-chosen. (Success/succeed has the same problem)

Safety Driver. In a similar vein, for years the Japanese police and other safety-concerned agencies have made stickers to put on cars saying 'safety driver'. Safety is a noun- safe is the correct adjective.

Do you drive MY CAR? Rather than saying 'your own' they often will staple 'my' in front of words like 'home' or 'car' for instance. I think a few clever advertising campaigns are to blame for this problem, but, hey, let's remember that 'my' means that is the speaker's own possession.

I overworked yesterday. While many may argue that it is overworking, the truth is, what the speaker wants to say is, "I worked overtime yesterday."

These are just a few examples, but there are a lot more. I will keep note as I encounter them and post again on this topic in the future.

サインボードは正確に

前に英語でブログしました。ここで。

海外のお客さんがあなたの店に来た時、英語のサインボードがあれば、とても親切です。英語の間違いがあれば、あなたの会社のイメージが下がる可能性があります。外国人にとって上記のような間違いはとても記憶に残る出来事です。

例えば、下の二つの写真を見てください；

このサインボードにふたつのスペルミスがあります。‘plese’ (please) と’quiently’ (quietly)は違います。お客さんたちは苦笑し、あなたの会社はレベルが低いと見なされます。

‘be’動詞のミスは子供の間違いっぽく見えます。海外のお客さんは意味は分かるけれどイメージは良くないです。

このような間違いは簡単に防げます。LGCのサインチェックサービスを使えば安く正確な英語を教えます。その上、ナチュラルな英語の他の提案をします。例えば最初のサインボードのオプションは"Please respect other guests and refrain from making loud noises."他のお客さんをリスペクトとし大きい声を出ないでください。‘　二つ目のサインは、It is safe to drink this water, please enjoy!"　「この水は安全だから、飲んでください。」

私たちのサービスにご興味がある方はご連絡ください。

Why people say they can't study English and why they are not legitimate

There are some people who have no interest in learning another language and they don't feel that they need it. While that might not always be true, there is no budging people from that hard stance. However, there are those that have thought about studying at the back of their mind for years but seem to always be met with obstacles. But are they real obstacles? Let's explore some of the reasons;

I have no time -> Time. It is so precious and it seems in our adult life a lot of us are battling with the clock constantly. I can't get my project done, I wanted to relax but I had to drive my kids to soccer, I just started writing the essay and it's already midnight! The truth is, when you make something important, you find the time. Just ask that couple that found themselves pregnant even though they said many times there just wasn't the time for a baby.

I hated studying English in school -> If you are in Japan, I don't blame you. Japanese schools often center their English curricula around test prep and most students rarely get a chance to practice speaking English. I talked about that situation here. Studying as an adult is different. Us teachers know that students want to experience language in a new way and need to get practice activating what they have studied.

English is too difficult -> Sure, a new language is difficult. So was riding a bicycle, did you give up? So was learning how to do your job or how to study for your university program, but that didn't stop you did it? There is so much to learn with a new language, it looks like a huge mountain to climb, and I am not going to lie, it is. But when you decide to hike up Mount Fuji, you focus on where your feet are touching the ground, not on the peak. That is because you still have to take the journey to get there. Start simple, learn words daily, start making simple sentences and build from there. The key is, don't be worried about making mistakes, that is how you learn!

I probably won't be able to travel for a while, so I will do it later -> I have taught students many times that have just been informed that they are being transferred overseas. Their company gives them 10-20 lessons to build up their language skills which is just not enough. Of course, something is better than nothing, but it just isn't. You can feel their tension and stress about the upcoming transfer and an anxiety to cram as much as possible into their brains. Learn the language before it becomes an emergency situation. Take the time and go through the ins and outs and build up your confidence on top of your skills.

These were just a few examples, but you can see there is always a counterpoint. Do you have any other ideas about excuses people make? Leave a comment and I can talk about them in the future.

The bridge

Why did Lowrey Global Consultants settle on a title as a consulting company as opposed to just a language training one? Because there is so much more that my 19 years in Japan have taught me, so much more that I can help foreign companies with. Conversely, my deep understanding of foreign culture and my connections make our business a convenience conduit to foreign businesses in Canada or North America.

One of the keys that can see a lot of companies tend to fall face first is in a lack of understanding of local conditions. A famous example is the French supermarket giant Carrefour when they tried to expand into Japan and gave up in only 4 years. They started in 2001 and had exited by 2005. They didn't understand that Japanese consumers prefer to buy small quantities of food to make sure that they are always eating fresh food. So they shop more often but buy smaller amounts which did not fall into the plans of the European company used to high volume sales. Walmart saw similar disappointment though they gave their majority share in Seiyu 20 years before giving up.

Understanding the local mindset, not just business conditions is a key to success. On top of this giving things time is essential here. A company can't try to enter into a highly competitive industry and expect to have success in a half year. Relationships need to be built, successful smaller connections can lead to more openness to business from other companies and move up the ladder from there. These insights plus an ability to communicate and research in the local market gives us a chance to arm you with the right expectations and strategies in coming into a market such as Japan.

Finding that a bridge is needed in the first place

He made it happen himself. He built the business from the ground up and put in the hard hours to get the income coming in like blood from stone. He relied on his business sense and his understanding of the culture that he lived in. He knew that being direct with the people he brought on board was a key because that was what people in his country expected. He knew how to establish good relationships and market his products and he did it his way. He was a cowboy, a maverick and nothing could stop him.

Now his business was running like a well oiled machine and there were more zeros at the end of his profit numbers. He had a healthy number of employees and he even managed to branch the business out across America. This time his sense paid off but he also had a number two that he could trust for valuable input.

The elephant entered the room and stood in the corner solemnly, waiting to be noticed and staring blankly at the men. Finally it was brought up, international expansion. It turns out that Japan was a great potential market for their product and they decide to seek out an area to do business there.

The men thought that the first meeting went well, the business owner spoke frankly and aggressively pitched their dream and what they wanted from the partner. The potential Japanese partners were very polite and left the meeting briskly. Nothing came from it. What went wrong?

American culture is an independent culture and free thinkers are considered important. Similarly having a bit of initiative and strong mentality can translate to good business acumen, but Japanese culture is structured differently. Different country. Different rules. Japan is a collectivist culture and typically follow the trend. That also means that the first people you meet are likely not the decision makers. When they reported to their boss that the company was very aggressive and seemingly demanding, this did not fly in the face of the level of respect needed to conduct business with Japanese companies.

This is one example but there are other areas where either side may underestimate and end up failing to strike a good business connection. The truth is that when you are stepping away from your comfort zone, be prepared to work hard to have a deeper understanding of what you are getting yourself into. Understand that it might take longer than you expect to get something done or that more attention needs to be paid to some loose talk before business. This goes on top of the necessary market research that can help you understand market trends better.

That is why you seek out a bridge, a foreigner who understands both sides and can be an effective middle man to communicate with both sides. On top of this, remember that it is not necessarily automatic that you will succeed in the same way you did back home, adapt and think on your feet. With your partner or consultant, you can land firmly on your feet and gain an advantage over the others. Giddyap!

blood from stone is an idiom meaning that you are trying to get results out of a very hard situation. Almost impossible.

a well oiled machine is a process that runs smoothly

the elephant entering the room means that there is a topic that everyone is thinking about but no one wants to talk about

テスト中心の考え方を捨てよう

*前にこのポストは英語でアップロードしました。こちらです

私自身の子供たちが生まれ前から気にしていました。色んな日本の生徒さんたちは学び始めからつまずきます。今でもまだ日本企業において英語力を計る一番の手段はテストです。それは正しいか正しくないかわかりません。

日本の教育システムはテストに焦点おいています。すべての英語のレスんやテキストブックは生徒が試験を受けるそして取る目的のためにあります。塾の目的は次のステージの学校に受かるためです。生徒は自裁に英語を話す能力をはぐくむことができませんあぜなら学校のカリキュラム使用する言語を自裁に活用することをもっとにしていないからです。

大人でも同じパターンがあります。、現在、残念ながら様々な会社はＴＯＥＩＣ　を中心にしてスキルを計っています。何で大人になっても変わらないのでしょうか？全てのレベルで本当の英語でのコミュニケーションをかんがえられていません。私の経験の中で、ある生徒さんはTOEIC スコアが700点だが、あまり話せませんでした。一方、400点ある生徒は英語でコミュニケーションを取れました。TOEICのシステムは英語力を計る完璧システムではありません。

英語を含め全ての言語においてトレーニングの一番大事な目的はコミュニケーションです。クラスルームで生徒さんたちは賑やかにターゲットの言葉や文法を使う方がいい。それの方が生産的です。先生より、生徒たちの声を聞いた方がいいです。今、日本の英語力ランキングは全世界で８７番です（リンク先）。もし学生の頃から、テスト中心の学習を辞めたら、チェンジできます。先生は、大人を教える時、一生懸命スピーキングする機会をつくらなければなりません。でも会話だけでは生産的ではありません。いつもレッスンでは役に立つの情報を教える事が大切です。

もちろんテスト全てが悪いわけではありません。勉強のモチベーションを作れるためは単語すごく学ぶ人もいます。その上、会社は絶対英語のレベルを計る事は必要で。英語のレッスンを受ける事はもちろんコストが掛かるためマネージャーは生徒の英語力を知る必要があります。でも今のテストシステムは十分ではありません、もっと正確なテストがどの方法がベストなのかまだわかりません。いつも考えています。自分の力でクラスではたくさんのコミュニケーションチャンスを作っています。

Enjoy every moment

I heard some sad news today. The kind of news that will dramatically alter the course of a long time friend's life. But without getting into specifics, a lot of soul searching comes from it. The takeaway is that we should make every effort to make the best of every moment of our life.

Say thank you to anyone who makes an effort. Tell your family you love them. Hug your kids. Pet your cat on the head when you pass her. Stop and smell a beautiful flower. Take a picture of that interesting scene you pass that leaves an impression on you. Most importantly, go after what you want.

If you want to learn a language. Do it. Do it properly. Do the boring memorization and then activate it. Make opportunities to speak in that language. Don't be shy. Help a stranger or join a social group. Stop worrying about being perfect and focus on improving your communication abilities.

Life is short. The little things we worry about, are they that big? Was it a big deal that you made a grammatical error when speaking? What does matter is the connections that we have made, the appreciation of life and satisfying our curiosity and desires.

Life is short and unpredictable. Be prepared to make the most of everything you experience.

Time to bring humanity back to the classroom

COVID 19 has had a profound effect. It really goes without saying. But I am not talking about the heart-shattering loss of life or the cabin fever inducing 3 years we spent locked in our homes. I am talking about the way business is conducted and how foreign language training has evolved here in Japan. With an increased acceptance of video meeting software such as Zoom, Teams or Meet, the classroom shifted into the virtual world as well.

Companies were forced to move the office to people's homes while the pandemic raged and after companies grew to accept that style, many have stuck to Work From Home. Nikkei Asia estimates that nearly 40% of workers are still doing a hybrid style of work (link), saving transportation and even electricity costs for businesses. This shift to video meetings also impacts on the number of business trips as communication can be achieved for a fraction of the cost. This research positively talks about how 64% of companies still find business travel important, but that means that 36% don't.

Of course, what I am leading up to here is that this has impacted the general attitude towards studying foreign languages, particularly English. More private students or companies are turning to more reasonably costing online English training meaning there has been a step back from the beneficial environment of face-to-face English lessons. Aside from the obvious lack of technical issues that sometimes crop up, there are many benefits to a more intimate training environment. A teacher can have quicker reaction times to questions or problems and has a better capability of reading learners' body language. There is a better sense of connection between all members when you are in a live environment, with more live tools at the teacher's disposal. Last, but not least, there are less chances of succumbing to distractions such as pets, children or that temptation to turn the TV on. This website also talks about motivation and focus as a couple of benefits of being in a classroom as some other potential benefits.

Companies offering English training need to embrace a commitment to quality lessons with practical contents set up in a way that is enjoyable for the students. And most importantly, we need to bring the humanity back to the English study environment and get back in the same room. The teacher needs to work closely with the students to help them realize their goals and use all the tools and signs at their disposal. This is at the heart of what Lowrey Global Consultants strives to do.

Don't overdo it!

It's important to commit to our work or our studies and exert a maximum effort. But it's also important to take a step back, breathe and assess what we are doing. Make sure you have ME time, whether it is to sit down for a coffee, go to a hot spring, go for a walk, hit a punching bag or just sleep in on Sunday.

Here are some simple expressions talking about relaxation and stress;

Don't overdo it - Make sure you don't work too hard. Take care of yourself.

Hang in there! - The Japanese have an expression 'ganbare' which they always say. If you are going through a tough or busy time, do your best!

Take Five - Take a break

To ride out a storm- remember the movie Forrest Gump when Lt. Dan sat on the mast of their boat while the storm pelted them? He fought through the potentially damaging situation and came out ahead. That is what this means.

Put the test mentality behind you

I was aware of the big problem in Japan before seeing my own children battling through it. It hinders language students from the beginning. It remains, wrongly, the criteria that companies use to gauge success.

Japan's education system is anchored around a focus on tests. Every course, every textbook is centered around the students taking and passing exams. It is very common that the children will go to cram schools called juku, where they essentially are trained the ins and outs of how to pass the tests to get to the next tier of education. And this stands in the way of their ability to actually speak the language that they speak, because schools don't set a curriculum based on activating the language they use.

This continues on to the adult level. TOEIC, the Test of English for International Communication is the standard that companies and some institutions measure people's ability to communicate. Which means that company workers are bound by a similar constraint of a system focused on the wrong thing, the ability to actually speak. I have taught students with strong TOEIC scores in the 700's (990 is best) but are unable to string together a few sentences. Similarly I have taught students in the 400's who manage to communicate consistently. It is just not the right focus.

English training, or any language for that matter, needs to be centered around a focus on actually speaking and relaying information. Classrooms need to be loud with students using the target language in structured, productive, activities. And it needs to be the students' voice you hear the most, not the teachers'. Activating and getting practical experience can help push Japan towards a stronger average level of proficiency. Japan is ranked at #87 in the world in the global English proficiency rating (LINK), which is labeled as 'Low Proficiency'. It would help to see this over-reliance on tests change from the Elementary level, but as trainers of Adult Speakers we can make a difference by giving our students every chance to speak, but ensuring that the lessons are productive and there is always a takeaway.

I should qualify that tests are not all bad. They do provide a motivation to study and some people really grow their vocabulary trying to do well in their tests. Also companies do need some way to measure people's progress, especially if they are spending money on English training programs. But the current test systems are insufficient and there needs to be a way to measure people based on their ability to communicate. I don't have the easy answer to this, but my eyes are open to how we can achieve this. Either way, for now, I am focused on improving the opportunity to speak while ensuring the students have multiple takeaways from each class.