Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Japanese Learning

2025/02/08

In recent years, the number of foreigners learning Japanese online has been increasing.

This trend has been further accelerated by the rapid spread of online communication using Zoom and Skype since the COVID-19 pandemic. It is expected that in the future, choosing between online and face-to-face Japanese learning will become the standard.

In this article, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of “online Japanese learning.” If you are considering whether to study Japanese online or in person, please compare the pros and cons of each and use it as a reference when deciding on the learning format.

3 Advantages of Online Japanese Learning

Tuition fees are lower than face-to-face

Online learning services do not have physical school buildings, so operating costs are lower, and students can be offered learning opportunities at affordable tuition fees. Japanese language schools cost hundreds of thousands of yen per year in tuition, so this is recommended for those who wish to learn on a low budget.

One-on-one private lessons are also possible

“Speaking” is very important when learning a language. In group lessons, speaking opportunities may be limited depending on the lesson time and the number of people in the group, but in private lessons, you can have the instructor all to yourself and speak a lot, so you can effectively improve your level in a short period of time. This is the advantage of private lessons.

You can learn without time and location constraints

There are many reasons why people cannot attend language schools, such as “I want to learn Japanese, but I am too busy to secure time to go to a language school,” or “I cannot go to a language school because I have a job.” However, by learning Japanese online, you can reserve lessons even in the early morning or late at night. In other words, you can take Japanese lessons at your convenience, such as before going to work or after returning home.

Disadvantages of Online Japanese Learning

Difficulty in maintaining motivation

Online learning has the positive aspect of being able to make reservations at any time, but this can also cause students to lose their motivation to continue learning. In general language schools, the days and times are fixed, so even people who are not good at actively studying on their own can be forced to continue learning. In the case of online services, while there is flexibility, you must maintain your own motivation to continue.

You cannot improve your real-world face-to-face communication skills

There is a concern that online Japanese learning is “different from face-to-face conversation.” In fact, it can be difficult to fully grasp the atmosphere and feeling gained by interacting with the other person in front of you, as well as the subtle facial expressions of the person you are talking to, through the screen of a PC or smartphone. Also, some foreigners can speak calmly through the screen, but become nervous and unable to speak well when actually face-to-face.

Summary

In this article, we have introduced the advantages and disadvantages of online Japanese learning. By making good use of the advantages of both online and face-to-face learning, it is possible to compensate for each other’s disadvantages, so let’s aim to improve your Japanese language skills by using them effectively.