MK, Marketing Specialist / Medical Device Industry (Cardiovascular)
Whenever I attend your class, It was like seeing my good old buddy.
You always made me very comfortable and it helped me a lot to relieve my burdens to speak perfect phrases and sentences. Thanks to your support saying, “it’s okay, as long as you keep speaking English,” I became less hesitant and more confident in speaking.
Since I could remove fear while taking Ben’s classes, I have no reluctance in communicating with colleagues abroad. Except my daily work, there’s not that many chances to speak English, but the fact that I’m not afraid of speaking English gave me higher self-confidence.
Plus, for the people like me who are unfamiliar with what’s going on in the world, Ben’s class will be a real benefit and became more aware of the news around the world and accumulate more common sense.
Apart from the things above, I liked the soft and healing energy from Ben
Jinhee, Manager / Non Profit Organization
I studied English with Ben for over 2 years.
Even though his class was not the only way that I studied English at that time (I studied on my own as well and always had to use English at work), but I can definitely say that the classes impacted me a lot.
First of all, Ben can make people become very easy going, so I felt very comfortable when I speak with him. I had a belief that he did not blame or embarrass members at any time.
Secondly, the class was so fun, even though we had nearly the same members for 2 years. We always had something to talk about and I think that was his ability as an English moderator.
Lastly, Ben is such a sincere person and had a good attitude to learn from. He always concentrated on us, and tried to understand and learn from us.
So I think for about 2 years, Ben and us learn a lot from each other.
Haejin, Product Manager / IT
I would like to say studying with Ben is like hanging out with your old friend!
I studied with him for more than a year (off and on for five years) and the time I studied with him and other members was the time I could vent out my stress from work.
We conversed about anything and the topic sometimes diverged which was also good because we could learn from each other and you can get insight.
The class was the time I could refill the energy that I exhausted at work.
I am sure his personality would help you jump into the conversation and you will become more confident!
Carrie, Overseas Guarantee Underwriter / Finance
Comfortable, Natural, Friendly, but very Absorbing, Oh! plus such a great sense of HUMOR!
He becomes a little kid when he talks to kids.
He becomes a woman when he talks to girls.
He becomes a great listener when someone needs an emotional therapist.
He becomes a fighter when you need justice. These things are how he moderates English class.
He has a lot of information and knowledge in various fields, but above all, I learned about critical thinking properly in his class. He wasn't teaching but helped me feel, experience, and think for myself. I am grateful that I have been able to listen more openly to the various opinions through my learning with him, and to think critically in a sound way. My initial goal to improve English proficiency became just a means, and now it is amazing that it brought a bigger result which is critical thinking IN ENGLISH.
It's embarrassing, but I've never been patient in class or academy to study English even though I majored in English Literature. In other words, considering that I have been in his class for over six years, I don't think I need to explain much about what I think about his class. I can affirm that Ben’s class was not a class but time to share my life.
The time with him made me look back on why I was studying English. At least for me, English is not academic, it is a language. I realized again that the reason for learning a language is to communicate with others. The biggest fruit I gained in Ben’s class is that it is no longer embarrassing or awkward for me to speak English, and it became really fun to be with others and ENGLISH!
Woody, KR-Marketing Strategy
Wow~~ It has taken 1.5 years since we’ve met. Time flies as an arrow.
While I join your class,
I would like to say it’s good to keep time to speak in English regularly. It removed my fear to confront the situation or a foreigner when I had to speak in English.
I have met various ideas and experiences not only English skill but also thinking process.
Table topic or 3-minute share is very helpful to develop my communication skill.
I have learned more than I expected while I prepared for the class. Googling and searching process make me expand my idea and communication skill.
Other benefits from this class, I learned and met something new and useful from the sub materials and contents provided by you through Kakao-talk.
Kyung-ah, HR / Insurance
Having been a part of Benjamin's class for about a year was great for me to not only develop my English skills in a technical way, but actually helped me to understand the whole context and conversational nuance in which I used the language.
For each class, Benjamin's preparation for the class material, leading and helping the class members' discussion to be more enjoyable and fruitful in content, and the caring efforts to help each one of the members to engage with one another and also get equal opportunity to speak their thoughts was what made me want to keep being a part of his class!
Thanks to his class, I now feel more comfortable using English at daily work.
Hope to be a part of his class again after all this Covid-19 situation gets resolved. :-)
Emily Nam, HR Director / NPO
All classmates have shared responsibility of preparing something for a class, which makes learning/engagement extended outside the class.
Not only learning/ practicing English, but also naturally get to know each other among class mates which attributes to that each person is expected to prepare and bring a topic of their own.
With variety of topics, the class itself is fun!
Ben well organizes or distributes the opportunity to speak, and makes comfortable atmosphere, gives helpful feedback.
YS, Creative Director / Advertising
When I joined the class, I was in a status that I lost all my confidence in speaking something in English at work. Ben served as a kind of sanctuary for me through months of classes. And it's necessary to mention that I became better after time.
So, I introduced Ben’s class to my sister as the rare opportunity that we can have natural conversations with trendy prepared content and brought her to his class. Eventually, she became a big fan of Ben as I was.
Ben’s class is the best proper way for whoever wants to advance their level of English, but wants to improve it naturally, not as a sort of study.
Eunny (Yunsil) Yang, Senior manager of S / Non-for-profit organization
It has been a tremendous joy for me to talk with Ben about various topics covering large spectrum from trivials in daily lives to current issues on business, technology, and international relations throughout the world in English. He is very knowledgeable and insightful. So, I’ve learned not only English speaking but also common senses in life.
He is very keen to what his students try to say and gives them a nudge to spill out their thoughts and complete their phrases.
He always provides practical English expressions and idioms for students’ better improvements in their English speaking.
He is well-prepared, friendly, thoughtful, and sincere in class.
I have come to feel at easier that before when I’m exposed to the environment where I should speak in English at work.
I’m getting to expect the next class with Ben every week.
Shelly, MD / Department of Anesthesiology
ABOUT MYSELF
I am a resident of anaesthesiology in a hospital and really interested in working in the US as a doctor.
ABOUT BEN
He is enthusiastic and warm-hearted. He listens carefully to what people in the class say and gives feedback right away. He is not judgmental and makes us talk.
OVERVIEW
By the time I got interested in USMLE, I started to look for a class to practice English. That is when I found this class which was a free talking class. First time I attended the class in March 2020, the atmosphere was warm and free. I had a chance to talk about anything in the class. It was fun and educational. That is the reason why I keep doing this for more than three years.
MY OPINION ABOUT THE CLASS
Based on my experiences, almost every free-talking class is kind of strict and I don’t have a lot of chances to speak in English. This class, however, is different. I like this cozy atmosphere and everyone has a great amount of opportunity to talk because Ben leads us to talk freely about some issues or articles.
During this class, I get to learn some practical expressions that are commonly used in the US. Because of those expressions, I came to understand ambiguous sentences in American TV series.
Furthermore, I get to show my honest opinion about some serious issues. Because of sharing opinions, I get to listen to what other people think and it is good to hear from different perspectives.
Lastly, many people in Korea don’t speak English in a work-time setting, so I get to have a chance to speak English at least once a week. In that way I can get familiar with English and practice English.
TAKE - HOME MESSAGE :)
It is worth doing it and you will not regret it !
Lizzie, Communications / NPO
영어라는 언어적인 부분 뿐만 아니라 여러 문화와 각 사회의 배경까지 함께 배울 수 있는 시간이었습니다.(그래서 지루하지 않고 영어 표현들도 머릿속에 더 오래 남는 것 같아요) 처음에는 영어로 다양한 주제에 대한 제 생각을 정리하는 것이 쉽지가 않았는데 Ben의 가이드 질문과 상세한 설명이 많은 도움이 되었고 스피킹 실력이 늘어난 만큼 이슈에 대한 지식도 늘어난 것 같아서 시간이 아깝지 않은 좋은 수업이었어요. 또 중간중간 평소 헷갈렸던 문법이나 표현들을 물어봤을 때도 뉘앙스를 살려서 답변해 주셔서 정말 좋았습니다:) 개인적으로는 업무 스트레스로부터 벗어날 수 있을만큼 재밌는 시간이었고 제가 성장하고 있다고 느껴지는 유익한 수업이었어요.
Ted, Manager / Finance
He is not only the greatest moderator, but also the most positive supporter among those I have studied with.
He moderates and gives participants chances to have chats and conversation as much as possible.
Additionally, he is good at making the atmosphere easy to get accustomed to and makes the sessions comfortable.
I have no doubt if you have an opportunity to have a session with him, you will never regret it!
Crystal Bae, Receptionist / NGO
"Fake it, until you make it" Perfect!!!
벤자민쌤과 영어를 하면서 나에게 도전을 준 슬로건이다.
항상 완벽하게 영어를 구사하지 못하는 나로서는 스스로 좀 모자란것 처럼 느껴지고
자신감이 위축이 되어 알고 있는 영어도 제대로 말 하지 못할 때가 많았다.
하지만 나의 마인드가 바뀌기 시작했다.
잘할때까지 계속 실수해도 괜찮다라고 나를 내려 놓으니 영어의 울렁증도 사라지고
한결 말 할때 편안해지는 나를 발견하게 되었다.
긴장하지 않으니 점점 자신감도 붙어서 영어로 긴시간 말 할 수 있게 되었다.
그리고 미국에 있는 예비 며느리에게 문자로만 안부를 묻다가 영상 통화로 얼굴을 보며
대화를 나누게 되었다.
프리 토킹을 할때는 나에게 사소한 일상의 이야기도 벤자민 쌤은 특별하고 새롭게 들어 주셔서 내가 수업시간 내내 들떠 있었던걸로 기억한다.
영어는 공부가 아니라 즐겁고 수업내내 많이 웃었던 행복한 시간이었다.
Alice, R&D Engineer / SK Hynix
I've been attending Ben's English conversation classes for over three years. Actually, before joining Ben's class, I explored various native speaker courses, which enabled me to clearly recognize how unique Ben's teaching style is and how adeptly he guides the conversation.
He always listens to our stories genuinely and leads the productive results by asking highly relevant questions that allow for in-depth discussions on various topics. I believe this is rooted in his extensive and diverse knowledge, as well as his empathetic abilities.
Koreans who haven't had the experience of living abroad often have a tendency to unconsciously translate Korean into English during conversations. However, he leads us to use appropriate expressions for the context, fostering an English mindset.
I really love my learning journey with Ben.
Karine Lee / Marketing Manager / Global healthcare
I work at a global company that requires continuous communication in English with all counterparts. Because of this, I was seeking a suitable class to practice formal English, and that's when I finally met Ben.
I have been studying and practicing English with Ben for the past 4 to 5 years. The reason I continue to practice with Ben, even though I speak English without any discomfort, is because I want to eliminate unconscious habits and express situations in a more American idiom.
Due to my job, I often have to deliver presentations or interpret graphs and papers in English, and what I have learned through my classes with Ben has been tremendously helpful.
Ben maintains an unbiased approach in everything he does. His mindset is providing positive support, not only for my English skills but also for my overall mindset. If you have the same needs as me, I wholeheartedly recommend Ben as the best moderator.
Zoey Lee, Assistant Manager / Garment manufacturing vendor
It has been almost 5 years since I met Ben. I started with group study at first, but after I moved abroad, I needed help to continue practicing my English and Ben was the first person that came to my head. I didn't even try to look for other tutors nor online classes and directly contacted Ben and I am continuing this private class for 3 years.
He is more than just an English Moderator. What I had was mostly free-talking class (since I was too lazy to prepare the material to read or discuss lol) but still I could get my English corrected, could practice my English while I have no chance to use English in where I am living now.
He is a good Moderator and good listener at the same time. (Sometimes I consider him more like my shrink lol) Every class I had was valuable and I would really appreciate this to Ben :).
If you are considering signing up for the class with Ben, you will not just have your English improved, also you will have a chance to have this new sincere friend in your life. Therefore,,,, definitely recommend him!!!