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Your Lesson Time Belongs to You
When a grammar point does not make sense, you can stop and work through it. When something clicks, you can put it into practice. Every regular Simple Gaijin lesson is 60 minutes of live, private instruction with Mike Viscusi.
No group classes. Your scheduled lesson time is reserved for you.
You work with the same teacher over time. That continuity helps Mike recognize recurring mistakes, adjust the pace, and connect today's lesson with what you have already learned.
Personal Attention With a Clear Direction
Your interests and goals help shape instruction, while Simple Gaijin's twelve-stage Japanese curriculum keeps your learning moving in a clear direction. The goal is to develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking together, with grammar and vocabulary you can use.
For new learners, that means beginning with Japanese sounds and writing. For experienced students, it means discussing what you have studied before and identifying an appropriate starting point without automatically repeating material you already know.
Get Explanations You Can Work With
Mike learned Japanese as an English speaker before becoming an instructor. He understands that an explanation can be technically correct and still leave a learner confused.
Private instruction gives you room to ask for a different example, revisit a point, or practice a sentence until its structure makes sense. You are expected to participate, and you are welcome to make mistakes along the way.
Match Your Lessons to Your Priorities
Complete beginners can begin with foundational beginner lessons. If you have studied Japanese before, Mike can discuss your experience and recommend an appropriate starting point, which may include intermediate or advanced instruction.
A specific goal can also guide the work. Conversation practice, JLPT preparation for N5–N3, advanced fluency goals, and travel Japanese address different needs within the same private lesson format.
Check the Practical Details
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All regular enrollment is temporarily suspended, online, and one-on-one. All students take lessons at least once per week.
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Instruction is available to students age 13 and older, with parent or guardian involvement and consent for minors.
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Lesson times are arranged individually and depend on availability across time zones.
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Current new-student rates based on lesson duration:30 minutes — $25: Conversation practice, reviews, pronunciation, and focused exercises. 45 minutes — $35: Budget-friendly structured Japanese lessons. 60 minutes — $45: Your standard comprehensive private lesson. (Note: For students taking two or more 60-minute lessons per week, the rate is $45 USD per lesson).
See pricing and enrollment for details, then share your current experience and the times you can study.
