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DSU’s Ryan teaches English at Tamagawa University in Japan

Dakota State University professor of English, International Studies Coordinator and Director of International Programs, Lynn Ryan, taught English and social studies courses at Tamagawa University in Tokyo, Japan over the summer.

Ryan taught four university courses in both two and four year programs as well as taught three hours a week at the junior high level.

“It was fantastic. I highly recommend trying it,” said Ryan. “I would like to do it again and stay longer. I didn’t learn enough of the language. I was pleased I was able to survive on my own for so long.”

“The students were surprised to have someone who didn’t speak Japanese,” Ryan added. “But at the end they said they were happy I didn’t because it forced them to learn and speak English.”

Ryan says Japan’s educational system is different from America’s. While America’s students are encouraged to discuss a professor’s lecture in class, Japanese students are discouraged from in class discussion.

Students in Japan are taught English early on from textbooks and there is a plan in place to require all Japanese schools to have a native English speaker on campus. “The Japanese government educational Ministry wants every school to have a native speaker on staff to work with the students,” Ryan said.

Because of the collaboration between the two universities, Ryan gives the Japanese university a native speaker, while she has a chance to recruit students to attend Dakota State University.

Ryan says the Japanese educational system is opposite from the American system. College is more laid back than in America. Several students know they will have a position with a major company because companies tend to hire from one University.

The Japanese student works hard from an early age to get into the University, sometimes going to school past 10pm. “Younger Japanese students go to school and after school, school,” said Ryan. “It’s fairly common that private school is a student’s entire education.”

While there, Ryan had to adjust to a culture that could be considered workaholics. “They put in long hours- thinking nothing of it,” Ryan noticed. “People go out after with co-workers. There’s not much of a home life.”

“The Japanese don’t entertain at home often,” added Ryan. “Houses are not big and there is no room to entertain so people meet up in public places. The home is a very private place.”

Something that most Americans take for granted, are street signs. In Tokyo only the main Boulevards have street signs so if you were a visitor it would be hard to know how to get to where you want to go.

The streets in Japan are also small compared to American standards. “All vehicles have mirrors that fold in to get through the streets,” Ryan said.

Ryan’s stay in Japan helps create strong ties between Dakota State University and Tamagawa University, especially through distance education.