Online English lessons attractive to one in four Japanese
With the Nova bunny finally succumbing to myxomatosis last year, there has been a good number of people with nowhere to learn English. So, this recent survey from JR Tokai Express Research Inc and reported on by japan.internet.com regarding studying English conversation looks at if people might be interested in virtually learning the language.
Demographics
On the 29th of March 2008 330 members of the JR Tokai Express Research monitor panel employed in either public or private industry completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 77.9% of the sample was male, 12.4% in their twenties, 41.2% in their thirties, 34.5% in their forties, 10.3% in their fifties, and 1.5% in their sixties.
English conversation differs from actual English language study, as it is based on the theory that if you sit a Japanese person beside an English speaker, there will be a miraculous transfer of the contents of the victim’s wallet language abilities. There are of course a few good schools and teachers, but the mass market companies are not much more than social clubs for both the students and teachers.
Research results
Q1: Have you ever studied English conversation? (Sample size=330)
Have studied 45.5% Currently studying 5.2% Never studied 49.4% Q2: Are you interested in using Skype or a web camera, etc to study English conversation? (Sample size=330)
Yes 27.3% No 55.2% Don’t know 17.6% Q3: Are you interested in using the Second Life virtual world to study English conversation? (Sample size=330)
Yes 13.9% No 62.4% Don’t know 23.6%
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Nick Ramsay said,
April 3, 2008 @ 12:08
I think Second Life is an excellent environment for learning a language, but the software’s learning curve puts off a lot of newcomers.
I wonder how different these results would have been if there were more women in the sample. I’d say 80% of students in English conversation schools are women, but this sample is predominantly men, who may be more inclined to use Skype or Second Life.
Language Hub said,
April 4, 2008 @ 15:32
Hey!
Thanks for sharing this information!
Thomas Wasserman said,
April 5, 2008 @ 14:14
This is interesting stuff. I am surprised that so few people are interested in using Skype or SecondLife. Of course, only 50% were in their 20s and 30s. Above that, I would imagine tech is part of a phobia. Anybody know where I can get more information about the English language market here in Japan?
Second Life’s name familiar to many, gameplay a stranger to most Japanese » 世論 What Japan Thinks said,
April 5, 2008 @ 22:38
[…] looked in passing at English lessons in Second Life just a few days ago, this time it’s Second Life in general, with a survey reported on by […]
GC said,
April 12, 2008 @ 00:49
Look, second life English learning is the home of geeks and people who frequent maid cafes… Skype or webcam based learning is OK… But if a decent eikaiwa instructor teaches someone, they can actually learn something… Painting us all with the same brush is a bit unfair, is it not?