Hello fellow koohiistas.

Does anyone have any recommended teachers for improving my speaking skills?

Specifically, I'm interested in learning about intonation, pronunciation, and making my speech more native like through grammar.

I can read at the JLPT N2 level, but my speaking is very lacking. Normally, I can communicate information. Most teachers put up with this, rather than saying, "here's a more natural way to say it," or "we only use this word in this situation because it has this connotation."

I'm browsing italki right now, and I can never be sure who could help me with things such as intonation and speaking since a lot of teachers seem to focus on the students whose level is N4 or below. If anyone has any good italki recommendations, I'd be grateful to hear them!

I also live in the Tokyo area and would be willing to see any teacher around here who y'all know is amazing.

Thank you so much!

(2016-03-18, 7:48 am)datrukup Wrote: Specifically, I'm interested in learning about intonation, pronunciation, and making my speech more native like through grammar.

While this stuff absolutely can be learned I would advise you to give up hope that it can be taught. Instead start immersing yourself in material where you can pick up these sorts of queues naturally. When you find good lines and phrases from your materials rip them, transcribe them, and shadow them on repeat until you can deliver it just like they do. There will be an awkward phase but over time you'll amalgamate so many of these bits and pieces that it will just blend together into your own speaking style. (Native speakers all have their own phrasing and speech patterns too.)
There are many reasons why this stuff generally can't be taught but I'll point out the most obvious one. Professional teachers absolutely abhor the way most (young) people speak Japanese on a daily basis. To get an idea of how deep it all goes watch all of Ikebukuro West Gate Park.

[Zgarbas]

I took JOI classes when I wanted to practice speaking, and they did wonders for me. Usually group lessons are more focused on just saying anything, rather than saying it correctly, but if you ask teachers to correct you/offer more natural alternatives then they will. They have classes for higher levels as well =) (and private classes if you are willing to spend the extra cash). I don't know about italki, but at the time they were the cheapest Japanese lessons on the web, and they helped me a lot so I can strongly recommend them =).

Since you live in Tokyo, can't you just join a Japanese/english conversation group? There should be plenty around.

(2016-03-18, 7:48 am)datrukup Wrote: Hello fellow koohiistas.

Does anyone have any recommended teachers for improving my speaking skills?

Specifically, I'm interested in learning about intonation, pronunciation, and making my speech more native like through grammar.

I can read at the JLPT N2 level, but my speaking is very lacking. Normally, I can communicate information. Most teachers put up with this, rather than saying, "here's a more natural way to say it," or "we only use this word in this situation because it has this connotation."

I'm browsing italki right now, and I can never be sure who could help me with things such as intonation and speaking since a lot of teachers seem to focus on the students whose level is N4 or below. If anyone has any good italki recommendations, I'd be grateful to hear them!

I also live in the Tokyo area and would be willing to see any teacher around here who y'all know is amazing.

Thank you so much!

I haven't used him yet but "Japanese Specialist" on iTalki seems to do a lot of lessons on the things you are talking about.  And the reviews from people on how he helped them  with intonation and stuff look good.  If you use him, please let me know how it turns out because I was thinking of using him for some JLPT stuff also.