Why Your Japanese Teacher Insists on Speaking Japanese: AI, Immersion, and the Power of the Human Voice

📅 公開日: 2025年11月14日

Meta Description:
Discover how AI aids translation, but why real Japanese teachers like Sally still prioritize immersive Japanese Listening Practice. Hear about a powerful student story and the importance of genuine human experience in Japanese Language Learning.

Hello there! I'm Sally, your dedicated Japanese teacher.

Have you ever wondered about the role of technology in Japanese Language Learning? In today’s world, AI is transforming how we study. For me, creating content like my recent Kanji videos, the emergence of AI tools like ChatGPT has been a genuine lifesaver for tackling tasks like translation.
But even with incredible AI at our fingertips, I still make a deliberate choice to speak only in Japanese in my lessons.
Today, I want to share why I rely on AI for certain tasks, yet firmly believe that human interaction and full Japanese Listening Practice are essential for true fluency.

■ The Unexpected Lifeline of AI Translation

It might surprise you to hear that I am not very proficient in English.
Since I speak exclusively in Japanese in my video content, I need high-quality English subtitles and descriptive texts for the content introductions.

This is where AI excels.

• I can draft my message in Japanese
• AI provides multiple expressions (formal, friendly, teacher-like, senior-friendly, casual, etc.)
• I select the best fit and paste it into my content

If AI didn’t exist, I probably would have abandoned this project entirely. AI saves enormous time and energy.

■ The "Audio Shower": Why Immersion Is Non-Negotiable

Although apps can convert Japanese speech to English audio, I intentionally choose Japanese-only speech.
Listening to Japanese is valuable time for learners. It would be wasteful for me, a native Japanese speaker, to spend that time speaking English.

My goal is to give you:

“An audio shower of Japanese.”

You may rely on subtitles at first, but gradually, you will understand more and more. This is the essence of immersion-based learning.

◇ Lessons from Syria: Jumping into the Deep End (Safely)

When I taught Japanese in Syria (around 2005), a diligent student almost quit because she understood nothing at first when I spoke only in Japanese.
But she persisted—and by the end of two years, she could “swim” confidently in Japanese.

I carefully controlled my Japanese:

• Only using vocabulary up to the textbook level
• Matching grammar to their stage
• No unnecessary complexity

Immersion = being in a “pool” where you can still touch the bottom.

If I had constantly provided “life rings” (translation), she never would have learned to swim independently.

■ The Irreplaceable Value of the Human Voice

AI voices are improving rapidly—but they still lack:

• personal history
• emotional nuance
• a sense of connection
• human warmth

When content is personal—stories, advice, experiences—an AI voice cannot replace a human voice.
For this reason, I will continue speaking Japanese myself in my lessons.

★ Key Takeaways ★

• AI is invaluable for tasks like translation and subtitle creation.
• Immersion is essential, especially full Japanese Listening Practice.
• Controlled immersion helps you develop true independence.
• Human voice = irreplaceable, especially for personal or experience-based content.
• Authentic teaching requires real human presence, even in the age of AI.