It also means a top-down approach to deconstructing, studying for, and tackling the JLPT for those students looking to take their Japanese to the next level and even get this important certification that can land them a job abroad. For Japanese, this includes literacy in kanji and the language's other character sets, as well as comprehension and production in both informal and business-level conversation.

My teaching experience in language instruction (where I also often implement the Natural Approach and TPR) continues to this day in private lessons for both children and adults in ESL, Japanese language learning, and JLPT test prep.

I attained certification in the 2nd highest level of the internationally recognized Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), and twice sat in for the 1st level. I returned to Japan after graduating to live for another three years in Kagawa prefecture, Shikoku, where I worked in language instruction and Japanese-English translation. I studied Japanese language, culture, history, and economics both at home (Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota) and a year abroad (Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan). *JLPT 5th level is the lowest and 1st is the highest (also now denoted 'N5' through 'N1) + Member of the 2007 International Scholar Laureate Program Delegation on Diplomacy & International Relations in the People's Republic of China + 2nd Level JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) certification-holder* + Magna cum laude graduate in philosophy with honors and concentrations in Japanese studies and religion

Natsume sōseki the heart