Sorry but where does ur friend studies? No offence but Bunka sound too good to be true that it seems that their patent teaching method makes other schools seem sub-par in terms of their teaching in grammar and vocabulary
This is my story, so bear with the long windedness:
We used to study at Cambridge Jurong East together ( immediate level ) Aug 2008, the textbook used came from Minna no Nihongo, that time I did not really know even hiragana yet much less katakana, there was not really a structure or system that the school uses, but rather depend on the sensei's teaching ability & experience.
Still, the sensei was great, there was dialogue practice amongst students ( I know there are others that have senseis that babble on and on till the class ends without dialogue ), exercises that we do, homework to bring back ( most of the time I struggle to finish it, sometimes not even done at all, basically I couldn't read hiragana ) and sometimes video and listening comprehension. Some in the class are more competent than others, some struggle to even answer basic questions, since there was no qualifying test to have *quality control*, people with all sorts of abilities are in the class. Maybe the one at Jurong East has a lot less enquiries ( one class maybe once every few mths ) than those at Peninsula Plaza, where they have packed classes.
Thing is I felt lousy, and yes I was lazy, yes I was not really taking it seriously when I first signed up for that course at the beginning. So I went online, checked the websites of those schools with full price listings and course details, and of course I found this forum too along the way. Some here recommended this, some recommended that, of course it included my current school.
So I figured, 8 wks for Ele1, Ele2, Int1, Int2, Int3, Int4 each, effectively one would be able to learn to the equivalent of JLPT3 in 1 year assuming the lessons are non-stop week after week, AND PRE-ADV 1 to 3 is only 4mths each, only another 1 year !
Since Bunka Int2 = JLPT4, Int4 = JLPT3 and PRE-ADV = JLPT2
So I signed up their day ELE1 early Oct class ( 2 lessons / wk - finish in 6wks ), while my cambridge lessons are on silll ongoing with 4 wks to go.
Then somehow either I was possessed or rather after a few lessons, my hiragana started to pick up, also, using particles が は を に と for basic uses became clearer. The difference was Bunka is teaching using the ADDITION method whereas most schools ( or any school teaching other languages ) using SUBTRACTION method.
E.g. Later today, I want to go to Takashimaya and have my dinner there
normally, the common method will be to show to swap variables:
1. change *Takashimaya* to other location
2. change *dinner* to lunch / breakfast etc
3. change *want to* to intend to, like to, going to
4. change *Later* to just now, earlier, soon
5. change *today* to tomorrow, yesterday
6. change *and have my dinner here* to *take a bus home* or *some other activity*
All this above while maintaining the length of sentence / aka forming sentences by removing ( subtracting ) parts & changing parts / from a long sentence to a shorter one that you want
in comparision:
e.g. of ADDITION at ELE1 level: ( I try to follow their teaching sequence as accurately as possible )
1. I go to *somewhere* where *somewhere* = post office / bank / school
2. *day* + I go to *somewhere* where *day* = today / tomorrow
3. *day* + I go to *somewhere* + and + *some other activity*
4. *day* + *from X time to Y time* + I go to *somewhere* + and + *some other activity*
so in nihongo it becomes ( typing in romaji for those that cannot read hiragana yet ):
1. watashi wa gakkoo e ikun desu / watashi wa gakkoo e ikimasu
2. kyo + watashi wa gakkoo e ikun desu / kyo + watashi wa gakkoo e ikimasu
3. kyo + watashi wa gakkoo e ikun desu + sore kara + *some other activity*
4. kyo + 12ji kara 6ji made + watashi wa gakkoo e ikun desu + sore kara + *some other activity*
Legend: gakkoo = school, go = iku / ikimasu, kyo = today, sore kara = and then, kara = from, made = to,
ji = ~ o'clock, *wa* and *e* are particles to join sentences.
Here effectively I can choose what parts I want and add them accordingly, even if I forget some words, I can drop using them ( not recommended though ) , and the listener will be able to understand from context. ( not to mention faster response time from me in replying and answering )
Decide for yourself which one works for you...
Then I got greedy, if I could learn hiragana in less than 6wks, why not I take their placement test and jump to ELE2 ? Which I passed, less than 4wks after I started ELE1 class with 5-6 lessons to go. And joined ELE2 class with 1 lesson left.
By this time my sensei at Cambridge was pleasantly surprised when I made a turn in improvements with 1 or 2 lessons left, when I showed her the Bunka textbk she commented how different it is from others. I don't have the heart to tell her I suddenly decided to work hard so that's how I improved quickly but I just told her the truth as everyone in the class knows ( myself included ) I am amongst the bottom 3.
I got greedy again, wanted to go even more faster, so attempted the placement test for Int1 which I eventually passed when the ELE2 was ending with 2-3 lessons to go, by the time I started Int1 it was mid Dec 2008, finished it somewhere in Feb. That was when it dawned on me realizing JLPT2 may be possible this year, remotely, yes, but still achieveable.
After that, I skipped group lessons and started attending individual lessons since there is not much time left till Dec.
As of now, should be able to finish Int 4 this month or early next month depending on how fast I learn the honorific form and humble form.
Other schools I cannot say is sub-par or not, but what I do know is I have never learned anything as fast as this using this method my whole life, before that maybe I was lazy, maybe I had poor study techniques, maybe I even have learning disabilities, but somehow I can pick them up faster, perhaps it matches my personality or it's my preferred learning style. And I know I definitely will not want to, will not be able to learn a list of 30-40 words presented to me everytime I go for EVERY SINGLE lesson like before.
I think you should just sign up for ELE1 and see if it suits you, take those classes that are taught by senseis that have some experience ( a few new senseis just started teaching couple of weeks after arriving from Japan ), even if you think you can pass the placement test. Jumping in halfway at middle levels will not be really beneficial since courses are build on one another & relates to previous courses, unless you want to save some money & time, otherwise, you will be handicapped by the things missed out even if you passed their placement tests.
Oh I forgot, my friend is currently at Stanford Jurong East...
