(How Grammar Can Shape Your Understanding)

Teaching in Nagano

At one point, I was living and working in Nagano, Japan, teaching adult students at a company.

I was based in Komagane, a scenic town located in the center of the Japanese Alps.
It was a beautiful place — and an experience I will always remember.

This was also my first time teaching adult students in Japan.

Something Unexpected Happened

One day during a lesson, something unexpected happened.

One of my students pulled out a grammar book and started looking something up.

After a moment, he said:

“Oh… this is present progressive.”

Wait… What Is “Present Progressive”?

I paused.

Present progressive…?

I remember thinking:

“Wait… what exactly is that again?”

I knew how to use English — of course.

But all the technical terms…
past, present, progressive, passive…

I honestly couldn’t remember them clearly.

What I Started Noticing

And in that moment, I had a strange realization.

My students knew more about English grammar terms than I did.

But at the same time, something didn’t feel right.

Even though they understood grammar very well,
speaking English naturally was still difficult for them.

They would stop and think.
They would try to choose the correct structure.

The Moment It Clicked

That’s when it finally clicked for me.

My students understood grammar very well.
They even knew the correct terms, like “present progressive.”

And I actually think that’s important — especially for adult learners.

But at the same time,
they still struggled to use English naturally in conversation.

They were thinking about the rules
instead of just speaking.
That’s when I realized something important.

Knowing grammar is not the same as being able to speak English!

How I Teach Now

That experience really gave me an new insight into language learning and teaching.

I still teach grammar — and I believe it’s important, especially for adult learners.

But I don’t stop there.

I focus on helping students actually use what they learn — not just understand the rules.
To speak without overthinking.
To respond more naturally in real conversations.

Final Thought

Understanding grammar is important.

But being able to use English in real life
is something different.

And that’s where real progress happens!