Special Interview
From “Knowing English” to “Using English”
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Professor Harada, you taught English at Waseda University for 40 years, correct?
Yasunari Harada:
Yes. I taught English at the School of Law for about 40 years. Every year, I conduct a survey during the first class, and many students answer things like, “I want to be able to speak English,” “I want to practice speaking English,” or “I can’t speak English—what should I do?”
In other words, they have knowledge of English, but they have not reached the level where they can actually use it.
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Even students who are good at English sometimes cannot find the words when they try to speak.
Yasunari Harada:
From elementary school through high school, students mainly study for final exams, entrance exams, TOEIC, Eiken, and similar tests. They receive plenty of training in how to answer questions on tests, but they rarely practice communicating something to someone in English.
So even if they feel they cannot speak English, that is completely natural.
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Even students who are good at English sometimes cannot find the words when they try to speak.
Yasunari Harada:
That’s right. Knowing vocabulary and grammar is a necessary condition for using English, but it is not sufficient.
For example, if I ask, “What would you do if you won 300 million yen in the lottery?”, most students answer, “I’d save it.”
But they cannot say that in English. They look it up on their smartphone or in an electronic dictionary and find words like save or deposit, and they think, “Oh, I know that word.”
However, there is a huge gap between “knowing” and “being able to use.” Traditional English education has lacked the kind of training needed to close that gap.
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How does Logiglish close that gap?
Yasunari Harada:
In the Logiglish program, learners reinforce their foundational knowledge while also receiving practical training designed to bridge the gap between knowledge and real-world usage.
What we value most is practicing with topics that match each learner’s interests and concerns. Learning begins by speaking or writing in English about what the learner truly wants to talk about.
Based on that content, learners gradually build their skills by answering related questions, organizing spoken ideas into written form, and improving step by step.
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There is also a step of “reviewing your own English,” isn’t there?
Yasunari Harada:
Yes. At first, it may be difficult, but by objectively reviewing their own speech or writing, learners begin to think about whether their English is truly understandable, whether their logic is consistent, and whether their message is persuasive.
This is training not only for English ability but also for thinking skills. At Logiglish, we aim to improve English as a foreign language while simultaneously strengthening logical thinking and persuasive communication.
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Mr. Sakahara, how do you feel after hearing Professor Harada’s perspective?
Atsushi Sakahara:
I completely agree. Through my own experience studying in the United States and working in Silicon Valley, I strongly felt the difference between “English you know” and “English you can actually use.”
Logiglish is not simply a company that teaches English. It is a platform that develops the ability to think in English.
Professor Harada’s words are at the very core of our philosophy.
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Finally, could you share your thoughts on Logiglish?
Yasunari Harada:
Deep down, everyone wishes they could speak English.
We want to create learning that responds to that desire—so that each individual can connect with the world through their own words.
That is what Logiglish aims to achieve.
Yasunari Harada
Professor Emeritus, Waseda University
Former Professor, School of Law, Waseda University
Advisor, Institute for Digital Education and Research, Waseda University (Former Director)
Former President and Board Member, Japan Business Communication Association
Advisor, Japan Association for English Education (Former President)
Former President, Japan Society for Language and Information (formerly the Logical Grammar Research Group)