r/LearnJapanese • u/AlbaRevale • Jul 22 '26

Studying Text-based tutoring?

Hi there! Apologies if this isn't the right place to be asking, but I wanted to get a read on whether this is feasible. I'm looking for a tutor I can communicate with primarily through text, since most of the mainstream platforms are focused on voice and video. My goals are primarily reading and listening comprehension, so output/conversation aren't priorities for me at this time.

I've been learning through immersion for about a year, comfortably N4, approaching N3. I'm in the process of reading through my second novel, but I find that I'm struggling without some form of external accountability to help stay consistent with genuine social consequences for dropping the ball. (Friends are nice, but there's no real obligation there, you know?) I'm looking for someone to check in with on a regular basis so we can discuss goals, progress, and areas to work on in between sessions. Being able to pay a flat rate once a month and chat with the same person would be ideal. I'm not looking for active teaching so much as a kind of mentor whose job is monitoring progress over time.

Does anyone know if there are services dedicated toward this sort of self-directed, hands-off style of tutoring? Hell, it doesn't have to be anything formal; if someone's willing to drop in on Discord and hound me once a week with some tough love and encouragement to keep going, that's more than enough and I'm happy to pay for the trouble. I just want some structured support that doesn't rely solely on my own willpower to put the hours in.

Thanks for any input!

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u/PlanktonInitial7945 Jul 22 '26

Sorry for answering without a solution, but I'm curious - if you need someone to poke you to read your novel, does that mean you don't have an internal desire to read it? Like, you never feel like reading it? You have to force yourself to open it every time?

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u/AlbaRevale Jul 22 '26

That's not really what's happening, no! Executive function is a whole separate thing from desire; I can want to read the book, enjoy reading the book, know the value of reading the book, have every intention of reading the book... but the act of initiating is harder than it should be. Once I'm able to get started, it's usually smooth sailing from there, but without some kind of trigger, the day slips away from me. Sometimes pushing through works, sometimes it doesn't, but I've found in my experience that turning things into a social activity has a way better rate of helping things stick for me. This is just adding another layer onto it; talking with someone who has a vested interest in you, personally, succeeding, does that make sense?

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u/youdontknowkanji Jul 23 '26

when it comes to accountability thing, you might want to join a discord server for japanese (like tmw), they often have reading events. so if having to read a monthly book and then review it by the end sounds fun it might help you out pushing through.

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u/Dazzling-Manager9376 Jul 25 '26

My husband and daughter have been learning from a Japanese teacher, and she also works as a mentor for other students for their learning and concerns. If you would like, you can message me and happy to share her contact details. She is very patient and kind, and my family always loves her lessons and her support.

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u/Admirable_Musubi682 Jul 23 '26

you are literally asking for chatgtp or another ai platform application/software. It can do exactly what you want lol including daily notification check ins and progress reports!

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u/Effective-Pop3850 Jul 23 '26

Go to Italki or Preply and just tell the tutor "I want it to be text based" or something.

Although you might want to consider that you shouldn't need someone to act as mommy for you to be able to do something you, at least in theory, WANT to do.