Welcome to JapanEasyReads Bookstore

Hi! I’m Monique—lover of books, all things Japanese, and a lifelong advocate for inclusive and engaging language acquisition.

A Little Bit About Me

With over 30 years of experience teaching Japanese at both primary and secondary levels in Victoria, Australia, I’ve always been passionate about helping students succeed in their language-learning journey. But a pivotal moment in 2017 changed everything.

At a Brisbane conference in 2017 featuring Blaine Ray (founder of TPRS) and Dr. Terry Waltz, I experienced the transformative power of Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling firsthand. As a total novice, I found myself understanding Spanish after just a few hours of rich, comprehensible input—no memorisation, no pressure—just engaging, meaningful stories. That experience ignited a shift in my teaching that continues to evolve today.

From Teaching to Acquisition

Since that turning point, I’ve moved away from traditional, output-driven models and embraced a proficiency-focused, acquisition-based approach. Instead of drills and rote learning, my classroom became a space for real communication, inclusive practice, and joyful language discovery.

What I Saw in My Classroom:

Dramatically increased student engagement

Spontaneous, unscripted communication

More Japanese being used naturally, in and out of class

A more inclusive environment where slower-processing students could thrive

And—perhaps most importantly—a renewed sense of joy in my own teaching

 

This year, in Term 2 of 2025, I’ve partnered with fellow educator Angie Gall on a collaborative action research project exploring how to foster intrinsic motivation and deeper engagement in Japanese language classrooms. Together, we’re investigating how acquisition-driven strategies—like TPRS and story-rich literacy practices—can boost confidence, support inclusion, and reignite passion for language learning in both students and teachers.
You’re welcome to follow along with our journey through my blog and social media updates.

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Why Reading Matters

Reading is a cornerstone of language acquisition. When students read for pleasure—not just for content—they gain valuable, repeated exposure to the language in context. Research supports that accessible, easy-to-read texts build fluency, boost grammatical intuition, and increase confidence, especially when learning a complex writing system like Japanese.

But for beginners, finding those kinds of texts is a challenge.

That’s what inspired me to create JapanEasyReads—a growing collection of graded, easy-to-read Japanese books designed specifically for emergent learners. Rooted in language acquisition research and classroom-tested strategies, these books are full of high-frequency language, rich cultural content, and inclusive storytelling.

My 'ikigai' is simple:
To make reading in Japanese not just possible, but pleasurable—from the very beginning.

You can read more about the research and philosophy behind the books over on the blog.