Koyata, one of our students from Japan, enrolled at MLC around four months ago. He originally moved to the United States because his father relocated for his job at Toyota, and he came along with him. In Japan, he majored in science, specifically ecology and biology, and received a license of science.
When Koyata first came here, he barely knew any English. He only knew simple phrases, like “Hello,” and “How are you?” He listened to English shows and videos back in Japan, but it was very hard to progress there. Now, he attributes his fluency to his work ethic. “Recently, I’ve been studying English for 10 hours per day,” he said. Outside of his MLC classes, he studies English by cooking for his family. “I listen to cooking videos in English,” Koyata said. This has helped him becomemore familiar with the language in a casual setting.
His first few times at MLC, Koyata was very shy. “I didn’t say any words to the teacher and didn’t express my feelings,” he remarked. After working with the teachers here, he has become much more extroverted in the classroom. Koyata also enjoys his friends at MLC. “I have a very good friend here who is interested in Japanese comics,” he said. “I get along with them well and I love talking about comics.” He emphasized that the teachers and friends he has met have been crucial in his English journey.
In his free time, Koyata is dedicated to studying English and he often goes to the UM Museum of Natural History with a native English speaker to practice the language. He especially enjoys this because of his background in science. He also loves to cook homemade, healthy dishes for his family as a break from the “rich” American food he is surrounded by.
After he graduates MLC in a few weeks, he wants to use his English skills to help any company that is in need. He is open to working back in his home country of Japan, as they could use people with both English and Japanese communication skills in their companies.
His ultimate goal, however, he says is to “use my English and my knowledge of science to teach people.” Koyata hopes to one day be able to teach science to students, and his persistent dedication to his studies will certainly get him there.
