My Ikoma Journey

 Ikoma Language School is a school that specializes in teaching Japanese (and recently, Chinese in both English and Japanese). I've been with Ikoma from 2015 to early 2020, and have been to their full-time, part-time and prep courses, having graduated from Ikoma, and completed JLPT N3 to N1 with them. I decided to do a little post and hopefully give people a little insight on how Ikoma is like, for those who are considering joining Ikoma.

After graduating from Ngee Ann Poly, having completed the full EP Japanese course (and having taken N4), I was trying to find a place where I can continue my Japanese journey; and after doing a bit of research on my own, I was undecided between Bunka and Ikoma. So I went to Bunka to take the placement test, and see how things are like. By then, I had already gotten back my JLPT results, and had passed N4.

Placement test

Regardless, Bunka still requires you to take their placement test. Their test comprises of open ended questions that tests you on your grammar and Kanji.  I later then received a call that I failed the test (I was honestly not proficient in Kanji back then). Regardless, I was still considering if I wanted to go to Bunka. So I turned to my Ngee Ann Japanese teacher (whom I'm still close with), and asked for her opinion. She immediately told me to go Ikoma - the main reason being that she found that her students who went to Bunka couldn't really converse in Japanese despite being proficient in writing, while Ikoma students do not have that problem. (Disclaimer: This is only her opinion, and does not mean that all students from Bunka are not able to converse in good Japanese, or that all Ikoma students are 100% fluent in Japanese.)

So I went to Ikoma to take a placement test. Having experience the Bunka's placement test, I thought that they would give me a written test too. But Ikoma just have a teacher (usually one of the more senior teachers) to come and talk to you to figure out which level and which on-going classes suits your needs. They mainly asks me questions to try and see if I'm able to get the grammar right, and then check to see the classes that I'm eligible for. So right after the placement 'test' I immediately signed up for their full-time class (I was still waiting for my poly results and university emission, so I had time).

Ikoma Intermediate Full-time Classes

The full-time classes were conducted 5 days a week (from Monday to Friday) and in the morning-afternoon. The pacing is a lot quicker compared to the part-time classes, mainly because they spend lesser time revising the previous lesson's contents. So we learn a lot more for the same number of hours spent in a part-time class.

But because full-time classes takes up a lot of time, we had 2-3 teachers at any one point (so there wasn't a fixed teacher that taught us all the way).  Each teacher have a very different way of teaching - one of my teacher would always have conversations with us, and she would spend time at the beginning of the class talking to us one by one; another one of my teacher would be more focus on the contents, and focus more on the textbook progress.

All in all, I can say that there is a lot more conversation going on during class than actual writing. When learning new forms, they would use cards and ask us to say the correct forms (they will do this for a few lessons to get us familiar with the form.) When learning new grammars, they would always ask us to present our example sentences.

The only problem with the full-time classes is that most of the time, they don't last very long because of the lack of people. Ikoma has a policy where they need a minimum number of people before a class can start, so if there isn't enough people that sign up for the next term, the class will shut down (this applies to part-time classes too). But fortunately, my full-time class didn't close until university started.

JLPT Preparation Courses

In sight of the full-time class closing (and having completed all of the intermediate lessons), I decided to go for the N3 preparation course. The preparation courses starts during specific timings, aligned with the JLPT test dates. The JLPT tests are held semi-annually, and usually falls on the first Sunday of the month (June & December). They have a option for once a week and twice a week courses. I took the once a week course. For N3 and N2, once a week lessons lasts for half a year, while N1 lasts around 9 months.

In the preparation course, you will be given a vocabulary list, a kanji list, and a grammar list. You will be required to memorize a number of vocab and kanji each week, and you will be tested on those at the start of the lesson the following week, together with grammar. For grammar, the teacher will go through the example sentences with you near the end of each lesson (they don't usually go through with you the vocab and knaji because there is not enough time, so you will just have to memorize them on your own).

During lesson time, they mostly focus on going through with you the reading comprehension section. You will be required to complete a few questions of reading compre after the kanji/vocab/grammar test, after which they will go through with you.

Weekly homework will always include: Vocab, Kanji, Grammar, Reading compre sheet, and listening.

There will be a total of 4 mock exams taken throughout the course, to give you a better understanding of your current level, and the areas you need to improve on. (and also a mock test of the previous level. So for N3, you will be taking a N4 mock test and so on, to get you into the test mode).

They don't really focus on listening, and other than the listening homework they give you, they will usually cramp the listening portion in the last part of the preparation course. (I'm thinking this is because majority of the students do not have problems with listening).

If you follow their schedule, and have been diligently keeping up with the work they give you, you would have remembered all the necessary vocab, kanji, and grammar; and your reading compre skills should have improve up to your JLPT level.

Difficulty level of JLPT

I find that the difficulty level of JLPT grows exponentially - so N2 will be twice more difficult than N3, and N1 will be twice more difficult than N2. And you would have to be very familiar with the Kanji and vocab from the previous level, because you will be expected to already have know them.

So I do think that it's a lot better to progressively take JLPT from N3 onward than to skip levels (unless you are aiming for a just pass or if you are confident with your vocab and grammar repertoire.) In my opinion, it's okay to skip N5 and N4 since they are more like 'foundation' papers, which you should be able to cultivate them better with constant interaction with the language, and properly learning the different forms from their normal classes than from a prep course.

Part-time Classes

Nearing the end of the prep course, Ikoma will give you a list of on-going classes which you will be eligible for. Ikoma recommends that you still attend the conversational classes of that JLPT equivalent level, because it gives you a better idea on how the grammars are being used in a more natural setting. However, if you really really want to skip levels, then it's better to talk to your prep teacher about it, and they will advise you on it after taking into consideration your performance during prep course. Otherwise, it's not really recommended that you skip levels.

There are two types of part-time classes - once a week and twice a week classes. Twice a week classes are more prone to closing because there are lesser people taking twice a week. Usually for part-time classes, they will combine classes with other twice a week class (if there is) or once a week class (if there is no other twice a week classes).

For part-time classes, your teacher won't change, and will follow the class all the way form basic to the end (unless something unexpected happens).

I first took the twice a week class, but the class then got combined with a once a week class, so it changed to a once a week class. Fast forward a little bit, I stopped the normal classes to take N2, got back to normal classes after N2, and took N1 prep course together with the normal classes (so every week I will have one prep course and one normal class).

After having passed N1, I followed the further advance class all the away till graduation.

After graduating from Ikoma

At the end of N1 and/or further advance, they will ask us if we want to receive notification of any post Ikoma activities. From time to time one of the Ikoma teacher will send email just to talk about current affairs in Ikoma, and they will have some activities for Ikoma graduates from time-to-time. (but because of the covid situation they haven't organize any such activities yet, I may update this post again when that happens.) 

Overview / Summary: Sasaki to Miyano Volume 1

I came across this manga when I was scrolling the web, looking for something light and good to read. Although BL, this manga has a really light touch, and seem to focus more on the slice of life aspect. A good recommendation for anyone who is starting out on BL.

The story has two distinct layout style: the 4-koma (or 4 column) where by a page is divided into four rectangle rows, and within those four koma is a 'topic'; the other style would be the traditional style where the author is free to divide the page. This manga style switches between the two styles, and the author makes really good use of the two styles to tell her story.

The story follows the daily life of a high school fudanshi* Miyano (*fudanshi meaning boys who like to read BL), and his developing relationship with his senior, Sasaki.

In the first volume, the story focuses more on introducing the characters and how the two came to meet, and also heavily on the developing feelings of Sasaki towards Miyano. There were many flashbacks throughout the story that links back to the incident where they first met (which is also when Sasaki first fell for Miyano).

From Miyano's point of view, this volume focuses mainly on the two's friendship and getting to know more about each other, whereby Miyano introduces to Sasaki BL manga and the unintentionally showing this ways as a fudanshi. The author also seemed to place a lot of emphasis on Miyano's food preference which makes him seem 'manly' despite his feminine appearance. Miyano tend to prefer bitter food like wasabi and alcohol, and do not like to take sweet stuff. His hatred for sweets is then further emphasis by his strong rejection towards his people who try to feed him sweets. 

On the other hand, although having a rough appearance that makes him seem like a rebel, Sasaki is weak at fighting, and does do frequent baking as his parents own a bakery. He baked during home economics class, and gives his cookies to Miyano saying that it's not too sweet, in which Miyano accepts it.

Their way of speaking reflects and their personality very clearly, whereby Miyano speaks in very proper sentences mostly in 丁寧語 or 'polite speech'; while Sasaki speaks in a very typical high school boy way (you can see that a lot in many other high school stories). Miyano wakes up early, revise his school materials constantly; is part of the school committee and is seemed to be very put together (except for cooking); while Sasaki tend to oversleep and be late for lessons - he would usually come in after lessons has started or there was a scene where he is seen just reaching school during 2nd period - he is also seen copying his friend's (Hirano, who is also Miyano's senior in the committee he is in) notes.

Throughout the whole volume, Sasaki drops a few confessions here and there, saying that he 'likes Myaano' but Miyano takes it as a joke, always announcing that he doesn't swing that way even though he likes to read BL. Although the development was slow, towards the end, we can see Miyano paying more attention to Sasaki as a 'potential boyfriend' and not just a 'senpai'.

Parts that appealed to me a lot was how relatable Miyano was to me as a fujoushi* (the female counter part of a 'fudanshi'). How he turns every single opportunity into a BL scenario; going to the book store to by BL's ensuring to go alone and not with a male friend; listening to drama CDs; etc, etc.

The volume ends off with a valentine's day event where in food is being emphasized again. Miyano seems to be leaning towards Sasaki, giving in and being seemingly bias toward him as compared to his other friends, while Sasaki's feelings continue to grow.