Unlike many other eikaiwa schools in Japan, we do not promise that a student can "learn to speak real English" in just eight weeks. We also point out to our students that by means of conversation practice alone, you cannot improve your language skills much. It is correct that practice helps you to become more fluent, remember new words more easily and verbally react faster in a conversation, but if you really want to improve your language skills, it is also necessary to study grammar rules. Grammar is the foundation of language. If this foundation is faulty, it is impossible to build up sound language skills. In many cases people make the same mistakes for years and years because their grammar is wrong at some point. That means if you do not understand your grammar, no matter how much you practice, there is a chance you continue to make the same mistakes again and again. Practice does not eliminate mistakes automatically. Understanding and practice are two separate parts of good language education. One cannot be without the other.
At our school, we combine both parts as closely as possible. When teaching a new grammar rule, it is also important to practice this rule in conversation exercises.
