Udemy vs. YouTube vs. Tutors: The Japanese Learning Battle *Beginner to Intermediate Japanese Listening practice
The Truth About Courseware! Can Udemy Really Make You Fluent in Japanese?
Sally’s Gentle, Supportive English Version
Hello everyone. This is Sally, your Japanese teacher.
Thank you very much for spending a little time with me today.
I know many of you are busy, yet you continue learning Japanese.
Some of you have been studying for many years, and others may have recently returned to your studies again.
Wherever you are in your journey, that is perfectly okay.
Language learning has many seasons, and you can always come back gently, at your own pace.
For about twenty years, I taught Japanese in classrooms.
Usually I had around fifteen students, but sometimes as many as forty.
In Japan, I taught in Kyoto and Tokyo, and overseas I taught in North America, South America, the Middle East, and Thailand.
About ten years ago, I returned to my parents’ home in Japan and continued teaching online.
Actually, I started online lessons when I lived in Thailand, so it has already been well over ten years—maybe fifteen.
Recently, instead of live lessons, I have been creating video lessons and sharing them on platforms like this podcast.
But today, I want to talk about how you study Japanese.
The most common way is using textbooks.
Some of you may be reviewing books you once used at a Japanese language school, and bookstores have many helpful Japanese-learning books.
Most textbooks also include audio, so they are practical for self-study.
Another easy option is YouTube.
Many Japanese teachers post videos explaining expressions, grammar, and daily language use.
Younger teachers especially create beautifully edited and engaging videos.
I sometimes think about trying that style too, but I am still on my way there.
Online lessons are also very popular now.
Platforms like italki or Preply allow learners to choose a teacher and book one-on-one sessions.
I personally have not worked through those platforms, but I taught online for many years at a Japanese language school that matched students with teachers.
I taught students living around the world, including working adults in Japan and even young children.
In most online lessons, teachers use textbooks, so if your teacher uses the same book you have, the learning becomes smoother and more effective.
Recently, more people are trying AI for conversation practice.
To be honest, I haven’t used AI for learning languages myself yet.
So if you are studying Japanese with AI, I would truly love to hear about your experience—how you practice, and what you think the advantages and disadvantages are.
When I have a little more time, I’d like to try learning Spanish, Thai, Korean, or Arabic again using AI.
And finally, I’d like to introduce the platform where I now publish my lessons: Udemy.
Udemy offers a wide variety of courses—not only languages, but also apps, music, personal development, and many other topics.
It is like a bookstore filled with learning videos created by specialists from around the world.
My Japanese courses are also there.
Since speaking English perfectly is not my strength, I teach in Japanese and provide English subtitles.
Right now, I have three courses available:
• a course about “What is Japanese?”
• a course to master all 46 Katakana characters
• and a course to learn 100 basic kanji
I plan to create grammar and conversation courses in the future as well.
One of the biggest advantages of Udemy is that you can repeat lessons as many times as you need.
As you already know, repetition is essential for language learning.
But in live online lessons, time is limited.
With video lessons, you can watch again and again, at your own pace, whenever you need extra practice.
Also, video lessons combine visuals, text, and audio in one place, so they can be easier to understand compared to a textbook with separate audio.
Another benefit is the cost performance.
Udemy often holds large sales—sometimes 70% or 80% off.
Once you buy a course, you keep it forever.
And when instructors update or add new videos, you receive all improvements at no extra cost.
It’s like buying a book that continues to update itself automatically, without needing to buy a new edition.
So if you feel interested, please explore Udemy.
It may become a helpful companion in your Japanese learning journey.
◆Listener Questions
To those of you learning Japanese with AI:
What are the advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) of using AI for your studies?
Please share your answers in the comments section below.
◆You can comment here.
You can read the full English blog version of this episode on my Podpage
https://podpage.com/learn-japanese-with-sally-intermediate-japanese-podcast-nihongo-intermediate
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/16gZbg7jI2s589OJyXaC1I
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@japaneseclubsola
◆My Udemy
Listener-only offer!
Get your exclusive Udemy coupon
Reviews are also greatly appreciated!
⚠️The coupon expires on December 19th.
１ What is Japanese?
Japanese for Beginners: Just 2 Things - Simple Grammar
２ Master Katakana: Writing & Calligraphy the Classic Way
３ Japanese 100 Basic Kanji: Write, Feel, and Truly Understand
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube
Amazon Music