AYA SENSEI
Story
I started as a freelance English teacher when I was an university student in Nagoya, Japan.
First, it was a way to gain some experience not only teaching, but organizing everything by myself. Combing my own experience learning English as a second language and learning theories that I was studying at university, I started to see the potential of one-on-one conversation based language classes.
Then I started teaching Japanese at an International School (IB World School). There, I learned so much more about the learning theory and practices around the world, not only on language, but for interdisciplinary learning for all age group.
Experimenting in the classroom and learning more through the IB workshops and exchanges with other teachers in and out of the school, I came up with the framework of learning language, focusing on the skills rather than knowledge.
With a simple website to make a booking, I started implementing the method to not only in the group setting at school, but also one-on-one teaching.
Now, I have moved to France to learn more on the technology side of education to expand my capacity.
After some years of teaching, I came to realize that the live-sessions don't fully support the students' learning, and currently in the process of developing self-paced online courses for different purposes of learning Japanese.
Having been able to study with much less cost comparing to Japan, I also realize the importance of accessibility of learning.
To be the teacher I needed when I was younger, I am committed to doing my best to make the learning content free for everyone.
Tech Stack
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Workflows
To develop the self-paced programme, I implement ADDIE model of instructional design.
Achievement
Contribution to the learners' success
Marketing
Reaching out to the potential learners on my platform was probably the most difficult part as a freelance teacher and learning content creator. I started posting short videos on Instagram when I built the simple booking website in 2020, and since then I gained 80k followers on Instagram.
By making videos for different levels of Japanese, different purpose of learning, and testing the audience's ability to comprehend, I successfully managed to engage the audience to my content.
All of my students that I teach through live-sessions are from there, and there are more than 300 learners learning Japanese on my platform coming from my videos.
Future plans
As Aya Sensei continues to grow, I'm focusing on expanding both the depth and interactivity of the learning experience.
Complete and Launch the Conversation (Kaiwa) Course
I'm currently developing a structured speaking-focused course designed to help learners gain confidence in real-life communication. This course will emphasize natural expressions, listening cues, and cultural nuance often missed in textbook Japanese.
Organize Tomodachi Card Game Nights
To bring language learning into a more relaxed, social setting, I plan to host live or online game nights using my original Tomodachi conversation card game. These sessions will offer a low-pressure space for learners to practice speaking while having fun and connecting with others.
Continue Blending Learning and Community
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My goal is to make Japanese learning not only effective, but warm and human. Future projects will continue to combine structured content with social interaction, creativity, and learner support.