The Learning Park
...a better way to learn English
Lorie works in close partnership with students at The Learning Park to customize classes so that students can succcessfully meet their language goals. ______________________________
My name is Naoya, and I'm 27 years old. I have taken Lorie's class for about three weeks. She is the greatest teacher I have ever met, because she understands which points I don't understand. Actually, my weak point is 'speaking,' so she always speaks to me, and she says, 'You need to read many books, and you should learn English vocabulary more and more.' So when I started my class, I read a book at first, and I learned about -ous (this is an adjective), and we tried to use these words in our conversation, because she said, "if you want to get these words truly, you have to use these words at least seven times." Anyway, I think most Japanese people have not learned how to speak English, and are not used to listening to native speakers, so Lorie has been very helpful to me, definitely. Thank you for your tons of help. I will never foget you, and I love English! --Naoya
Lorie is the best English teacher I have ever met.
She always takes a serious approach to teaching English. She is thinking about how students improve their English, and looking for the best way for each student. I learned a lot, not only English grammar, how English is used, vocabulary, and pronunciation, but also she gave me confidence. I really enjoyed learning. It's very important. Lorie is cheerful, friendly, and fun to be with. I am sure everyone would like her, and gain a lot from her.
-- Miyako
I am Shuji Kubota, an officer in the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. Although I have learned English several times in high school, university and officer candidate school, Lorie is by far the best teacher I have had. I can also vouch for her integrity and enthusiasm, as well as her capabilities I think the most important thing in studying English is fun. Her class has that. We had a field trip, parties, games, discussions, making a newspaper and so on. It was radically different from any class I have ever had.
I definitely recommend taking her class, especially to a person who does not speak English as his/her first language. Thank you. -- Shu
I 'll tell everyone one thing for sure! She always pays attention to what I say or when I write her something in English. and she teaches me how to improve or how to say what I want in other words. It's not only grammar, but also pronunciation and intonation. I am much more able to use English. Therefore it has really been useful and effective for me to be taught by her. In addition, I think she is a very friendly person. I would like to say to her, "She has my deepest gratitude for her zeal." English is fun! --Toshiya
I am Motoyuki. I am very glad to write a comment for Lorie's WEB page. I studied English in her class for 3 months, and enjoyed it, because she taught me not only English, but also the background culture of the U.S., such as Halloween, Thanksgiving Day and so on. It made me interested, and motivated me to learn. In addition, her class did not stick to a textbook, especially her grammar teaching. She taught the usage of the verb in an original explanation --1st form, 2nd form and 3rd form. It was very helpful for comprehending grammar by using it in a real situation. I feel my English skill was improved by 3 months in her class. I surely recommend her class for any person who wants to improve their English skill. Thank you.
-- Motoyuki
It was the greatest pleasure to have Lorie as my English teacher. She is an experienced, open-minded and kindhearted teacher. During the classes, she always taught me better ways of learning English, She always considered how much I could follow and kept explaining the points that were above my head until I could understand. That has motivated me to continue on with my English study, and she has inspired me to make greater efforts toward it. What is more, sharing precious time with Lorie and her thoughtful family was unforgettable! I am sure that studying English at the Learning Park with Lorie is the most effective way to improve in the English language! -- Ayako
When I was a high school student, I started being interesed in going to the U.S.A. to study. In my high school, there was an English conversation class provided by an American teacher once a week. Most of the teachers were from Seattle, and we saw a video of Seattle during the class and heard a lot of stories about Seattle. I began to be interested in Seattle and have wanted to have a homestay since then. However, in reality, I had to give it up because of the cost of the homestay at that time.
Although more than ten years had passed after I graduated from high school, I could not give up the dream. When I started looking for an English study program in the U.S. , my friend gave me the web site of the Leaning Park . Once I saw the website, I was intrigued by the course that was divided into 4 classes, which was writing, reading, speaking, and listening. Since I had taken a lot of English classes in Japan , I knew that to improve in English, I needed these four aspects. Moreover, the emphasis on TOEIC and weekend tours drove me on to go to the Learning Park .
I was very nervous before going to the homestay. I was worried about if I could understand what the teacher said, or if I got lost in Seattle , etc. Upon seeing the teacher, Lorie, at the airport in Seattle , all my worries were gone. She found me quickly, calling my name. On the way to her house, she explained the members of her family, the curriculum, the weekend tours, the Seattle weather, etc. That made me comfortable and already knowledgeable about her family members before we arrived at her house. When we arrived at her house, I was amazed at the size of the house! It was huge! I had never seen that big of a house in Japan. She introduced her husband, daughters, son, and a lot of pets. Despite my arrivingt close to midnight, they were still up for me and started talking very friendly and took me to see each room.
During my homestay, I had a lot of experiences: studies, sightseeing, and shopping. In the writing class, I leaned how to built the essay structure, which is introduction, body, and conclusion using examples from my own experience, watched TV programs: CNN and Survivor, which was a famous TV show in the US, during the listening class; I had to read one novel in 2 weeks, and discussed many topics from politics to slang.
During the free time, the family took me to the beach, the Space Needle, Snoqualmie Falls, and shopping. Moreover, before I came back to Japan , I took a TOEIC test. I was fully satisfied with the program in the Learning Park , especially with the teacher, Lorie. Whenever I brought up my many questions, she explained again and again until I understood, even if the class time was over, and she was very considerate of the Asian personality. I could feel her kindness a lot, not only as a teacher. On the departure day, I did not want to go back to Japan and could not stop crying at the airport.
The most important thing I learned is to try it, even when it is difficult to make a decision. Before having this homestay, it was very difficult for me to take action even if I wanted to do something. Now I am glad that I have had this tremendous experience because it changed me a lot, like seeing things from a wide viewpoint and to have confidence in myself. I appreciate having the opportunity to meet the teacher, Lorie, and have the most wonderful experience of my life. Now, she is my best teacher and best friend!
-- Seiko
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