Kumon Method Is it worth it? Japanese course and others

Do you know the Kumon method? What sets the Kumon method apart from other face-to-face courses? In this article, we are going to talk about the Kumon Japanese course and its learning method! Is it worth it?

As the name makes clear, Kumon was created by Japanese in the year 1958 by Professor Toru Kumon, who started teaching mathematics to people who had difficulties at school, soon he spread this method around the world, which appeared for the first time, in London, in 1977.

The main objective of the Kumon method is to create independence in studies, generating self-education and a taste for learning. In other words, the focus of the Kumon method is to make the person study alone, despite the existence of face-to-face classes.

Kumon courses are spread across several cities in Brazil and around the world and teach mainly mathematics, English, Portuguese and Japanese. Is the Kumon method worth it?

Kumon Method - Face-to-face course or not?

Those who know Suki Desu know that I don't recommend it. face-to-face courses, mainly because of the sluggishness that the classes are taught in order to make you pay endless monthly fees and end up spending fortunes.

The Kumon method is different and encourages learning at home, making the person really learn at a much faster and higher level. Still, Kumon's Japanese course shares characteristics of face-to-face courses that are negative.

Is Japanese and other kumon courses worth it?

Those who usually opt for face-to-face courses need the help of a teacher, discipline and motivation. Unfortunately, if the focus of the course is to make the person study at home, they may not be able to do this due to lack of discipline.

Another negative reason for a face-to-face course is the need to travel to classes weekly. The Kumon method gets exactly stuck in the back and forth of studying at home and in the course. So why not just take an online course?

As already mentioned, if a person lacks discipline, the Kumon method is useless.

How do Kumon Method classes work?

In the Kumon method, you receive the material to study at home and go weekly to the Teaching Unit to solve tasks and receive individual support. No class is presented to the class, each student has an individual support in the unit.

Another school that uses a similar method is the prepare. I've had the opportunity to take about 5 courses at Prepara, and unfortunately I don't remember anything I studied there, even though I worked in the same area as the courses I took.

Is Japanese and other kumon courses worth it?

Kumon is better because it encourages you to study at home with quality material. Kumon students usually stay at the Unit 2 times a week for about an hour. It's a very short time, which only makes you waste time getting from home to the Unit.

My friend said that the Japanese course goes from Module A to L, she spent 9 months and only reached module C. In addition to this basic Japanese course, there is another more advanced course called Kokugo.

The student, upon completing the last level (stage L) of the Japanese course, will have studied approximately 1,000 kanji, 6,380 words, and literary works with a maximum of 6,000 characters, offering conditions to take the N2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Exam. .

kumon japanese course

As this site is focused on Japan and the Japanese language, I think it's good to give the kumon Japanese course a bit of prominence. As I mentioned earlier it goes from stage A to L, dividing the course as follows:

The table below represents the number of characters studied per text, number of total words learned and number of ideograms learned.

Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>
Module TextvolKanji
Beginner 4A??1090
Beginner 3A??2040
Beginner 2A??4030
Basic A 24056858
Basic B280856121
Basic C2801088185
Basic D3001323265
Basic E9001640347
Basic F9002055428
Intermediate G10002395508
Intermediate H11002885588
Intermediate I13003375668
Advanced JKL???63801000

The number presented does not mean the number of words that the person will already know how to speak and write, only the number of words and ideograms that appeared in the material studied. To learn a person needs time and dedication.

No beginner level the student will learn to read and write hiragana and katakana, simpler words, and to understand elementary sentences.

No basic level the student will learn about 1,500 words, and will practice text comprehension. Upon completion the student will be able to provide level N4.

No intermediate level the student will be able to take the N3 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Exam. And as already mentioned, at the end of the course the student will be able to take the N2 test. Will it be?

The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:

How much does the Kumon method cost?

Kumon Units are franchises where investors open Units in their cities, prices may vary depending on the region and Unit administrator. In addition to tuition, the course also requires an enrollment fee.

My friend paid around 230 reais a month to learn Japanese at Kumon in São Paulo. This is also the average for Japan. Suppose you spend 3 years to reach N2 (fluency) in Japanese. You will have invested a total of 8,000 reais to reach fluency.

Is Japanese and other kumon courses worth it?

If you have the same dedication that you have to study alone with Kumon, you will have a much lower expense studying on your own or investing in a cheaper online course like Japanese Online Program.

You online courses of the Internet as the Japanese Online Program uses a more effective method based on immersion and spaced memorization with Anki. So you spend less money and learn faster. Has Basic Japanese courses with a single price of 100 reais.

Already in the subjects Math and Portuguese the Kumon method can be put to good use, as we are not trying to learn an unfamiliar language, we are just trying to improve our performance in the subjects we already studied in schools.

Remembering that learning will depend on your dedication, no matter what course you are taking!

IS IT WORTH IT OR NOT TO MAKE KUMON?

Although the method encourages self-study at home, along with self-taught, its study material hits the same key of filling in the blanks and answering questions, a traditional method that is not so beneficial in language learning.

I'm not saying the Kumon method is ineffective. I just think it's useless to pay monthly fees to have study material at home and spend more than two hours of your week to stay in a Unit doing exercises and asking questions with the teacher.

2 hours of class per week at a Kumon Unit is not enough to learn Japanese, English or another language. I also doubt that the children do the exercises proposed in the handouts correctly.

Is the Kumon method worth it? Japanese course and others

That way, you end up paying expensive monthly fees for a method that appears to be innovative, but is no different from online courses or face-to-face classes.

I've always wanted to do the Kumon method, but I believe that all the material taught by this method can be easily found on the internet without spending a penny. With discipline and dedication, you will be able to learn Japanese or any other subject on your own without having to pay anything.

Now, if you have a child, the Kumon method can be very effective in encouraging children to learn on their own. It needs a follow-up from the parents, to reach a conclusion that the high investment in this method is paying off.

There are complaints from Kumon in the Complain here, most about improper charges, difficulty in canceling, negligence and other problems. Unfortunately, we don't blame Kumon, but the owners of the Units that hire the franchise.

I cannot question or influence your decision to do Kumon. Even because I am a person who criticizes even higher education, which in my opinion only serves to obtain diplomas.

This is a feature of Julius from Everybody Hates Chris. Why would I spend money on something when I can do it for free or cheaper? Well that's my opinion, many prefer to invest, so go for it!

I believe the Kumon Method has helped many to learn Japanese, English, math and other subjects. If you've already taken this course, I'd like to hear your thoughts on it in the comments. If you liked the article, share it with your friends on social media.

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