Duncan Brown │ Facilitating English Learning

Hello,
my name is Duncan Brown and I’m from England. I moved to Japan in 2016.

Through my previous work in a variety of fields, I have learned the importance of working closely with people and supporting them as individuals. Drawing on these experiences, what I value most in my teaching is creating a place where each learner feels safe and comfortable using English.

Before moving to Japan, I began a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course, which I completed after arriving here. This training gave me the confidence to teach entirely in English without relying on Japanese. Although my Japanese is gradually improving, my lessons are conducted fully in English, as I believe immersion in the language is a highly valuable experience for learners.

Living in Japan and learning a second language myself has given me a deeper understanding of how challenging language learning can be. For this reason, I have great respect for the effort and dedication each student brings to their learning. I believe that through their commitment and our support, learners can overcome language barriers and gain confidence in using English.

Before becoming an English teacher, I worked in retail and warehousing in the UK. While these roles may seem unrelated to teaching at first, I now see how strongly they support my work as an educator.

In retail, I developed strong communication skills by listening carefully to customers and understanding their needs in order to respond appropriately.

In warehousing, I was involved in training staff from different backgrounds and nationalities, which required me to adapt my approach to suit different learning styles.

Through these experiences, I learned how important it is to put people at ease, show flexibility, and work with others respectfully. These skills now form the foundation of my approach to teaching English.

One of the most rewarding moments for me is hearing students naturally “chat” in English—not simply practising language, but connecting with others and expressing themselves in their own words.