Japanese Ab Initio
Built for true beginners, from first words to a confident oral.
Book a free 15-minute callYour Japanese Ab Initio tutor
One dedicated tutor, matched to your syllabus, current grade, and goals.
Qualified IB Teacher & Examiner
Yuri Graham
30+ Years Tutoring · 10+ Years IB-Specific
Yuri aims to make every lesson a safe and encouraging space where students feel heard and supported from the very first session — personalising content, setting achievable goals, and maintaining open communication to build real confidence and momentum.
She is a qualified IB teacher and examiner, with over 10 years of IB-specific tutoring experience within a tutoring career spanning around 30 years in total.
“I aim to make lessons a safe and encouraging space where students feel heard and supported from the very first session.”
Qualified IB teacher and examiner — 10+ years of IB-specific tutoring within a tutoring career of around 30 years in total.
Safe, encouraging, and personalised — achievable goals and open communication that build confidence and momentum.
Japanese Ab Initio
How we help
One tutor, matched to your current grade and school, covering every paper and the Individual Oral against the same criteria examiners use. Tap any item for more detail.
Paper 1 is a single written response — a message, blog post, or diary entry built around core vocabulary and grammar. We build the structure, connectors, and message clarity examiners are marking for: task completion, clarity, and grammatical control, all within the hour.
25% of final gradePaper 2 is worth half the total grade: short authentic texts for the reading section, then audio extracts played twice for listening. We train students to recognise kana and high-frequency kanji and extract meaning quickly, rather than translating word-for-word.
50% of final gradeThe oral is worth 25% of the final grade: students describe a photo linked to a course theme, then the teacher opens a follow-up discussion before extending into a second theme. We run mock orals until the conversation stops feeling scripted.
25% of final gradeAb Initio is built for true beginners, so strong technique on Paper 1, Paper 2, and the oral all rest on the same foundation: core grammar, kana, high-frequency kanji, and confidence speaking out loud. We build this steadily, week to week, alongside exam technique.
Before you book
Sessions run one-on-one over video, built around your child's actual school assessments rather than a generic syllabus.
We match on subject mastery and teaching style, informed by the free 15-minute call, not just who happens to be free.
Simply reach out to our admin team, and we'll work with you to arrange a replacement tutor better suited to your needs.
We recommend starting a few weeks before the beginning of term to allow adequate time for preparation, though starting earlier is always beneficial.
There is no minimum session requirement. We do, however, offer package options for families who prefer to commit in advance.
Yes — Language ab initio is an SL-only beginner course, with no HL option. Paper 1, Paper 2, and the Individual Oral are all timed to your school's assessment calendar.
Ab Initio is for true beginners with little or no prior Japanese, including no expectation of existing kanji knowledge. Japanese B is for students who already have some background in the language. If you're not sure which course you're enrolled in, check with your IB coordinator.
Yes. We run mock orals using a visual stimulus tied to a course theme, then practise the unscripted follow-up and second-theme discussion, with feedback mapped to the same criteria examiners use.
For IA, EE, and TOK-specific feedback, see our IA / EE / TOK Review service.