Language
Being A Language Assistant at Mount Holyoke College
I worked as a language assistant in the Japanese department of Mount Holyoke College for 5 semesters until I graduated in 2020. I was responsible for giving introductory lectures, organizing review sessions, and arranging language tables outside the class.
I consider myself as a “semi-native speaker” in Japanese. Although the first word I spoke was probably Japanese (according to my mom), I struggled to maintain my proficiency during my family’s frequent relocation between China and Japan. Throughout my childhood, Japanese became both a native and a foreign language for me, and I have devoted my life to learning and relearning it.
However, when I became the language assistant, I realized for the first time that I actually knew nothing about this language. Of course, I knew how to use it—I could read Japanese novels, watch anime without subtitles, or tell a joke in Japanese confidently. However, I never thought about the not-so-friendly but highly organized conjugations, the always-missing subjects, the subtle nuances in applying different writing systems etc.
Being a language assistant gave me an opportunity to look at Japanese from a different angle. Every time when I explained grammar and introduced new vocabulary to my students, I was able to reconnect with this old friend of mine; I no longer saw it as a tool merely for survival and assimilation.
Instead, I started to appreciate its linguistic beauty and became eager to learn more. I began to explore different classes regarding this language—literature, translation, and even classical Japanese. It was especially fun (and exhausting) to study about classical Japanese grammar, and it actually helped me to better understand the contemporary Japanese and its structure. Another thing I learned through this experience was to deliberate carefully about the cultural implications and nuances behind words and expressions. Creating handouts and activities, I had developed the habits to keep asking myself, in what situation would the expression be used, who would use it, and how readers/listeners would perceive it.
Please click the menu above to check my portfolio. It consists of class activities and handouts I designed for review sessions and introductory classes.
I hope they would be helpful for future Japanese LA at MHC.
Last, I would like to thank all the professors and friends at Mount Holyoke who have helped me through my journey of being a language assistant. Without you, I was unable to create this portfolio. Thank you!!