Asian Culture Center offers language classes

The Asian Culture Center is offering free language classes until April. They’re open to any IU student who wants to learn. \nThe spring language classes include Vietnamese, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean, according to the Asian Culture Center’s Web site. The center offers three classes in Japanese, two in Mandarin and one in Vietnamese, and it will have two Korean classes starting in February. \nEach language typically has a beginning and an advanced class. Every class is about an hour long, said Babita Upadhyay, program and administrative assistant. \nSenior Ryosuke Koyama said he has been taking free language classes for about three-and-a-half years.\n“I wanted to learn Korean but I didn’t have time for the IU class,” Koyama said. “I went to the ACC and found out about the free classes.”\nKoyama said the classes have helped him improve his Korean. He said he also likes the extra attention he gets from the small classroom setting.\nAll of the classes are open to IU students and faculty, as well as Bloomington residents, Upadhyay said. The classes are not affiliated with IU and no credit is given for them. \nThe language classes have been around since 2000. Volunteers, who are usually IU graduate students, teach the classes. Michiko Owaki, a Bloomington resident, teaches two of the Japanese classes. Owaki said she began teaching classes after she moved to Bloomington from Japan. \n“I was looking for a teaching (position) and met a student who used to teach this course,” Owaki said. “He introduced me to the Asian Culture Center.” \nOwaki said her classes typically have about five students. She also started a blog to help the students keep up with the homework and what they \nare learning.\nUpadhyay said the classes are successful because they always get a large, diverse turnout. Upadhyay also credits the relaxed environment of the classes for their success. \nAlthough the classes have already started, she welcomes everyone to her classes, Owaki said.\nThe Asian Culture Center does not control how the classes are taught, Upadhyay said. The center provides all supplies and purchases any necessary books for the courses. All of the classes are held at the center, Upadhyay said. \n“I think it is an excellent opportunity for people to learn any other language,” Upadhyay said. “It is almost like (having) a personal teacher for you, and it’s all free.”