Each character has two pronunciations-the Japanese word and the Chinese root. In actuality, there are 5 or 6 related verbs, nouns, and adjectives, each with a slightly different Japanese reading, that are associated with each of these characters. Readers have to guess from context and from the alphabet clues that follow, which reading is intended. The Japanese have a much more visual sense of their language than do peoples who use alphabets. The written language can convey meanings that can't be communicated orally.
Adults never reach full literacy in Japanese or Chinese.
There's always some character or pronunciation they don't know. Not surprisingly, Japanese schooling requires intense time investment for learning to read and write. As a consequence, Japan has had a centralized, effective nation-wide educational system, and children's lives are absorbed by schooling to a degree that Americans could not imagine. Conversely, among East and Southeast Asian peoples, one can often get a good sense of what a written statement means, even if you do not know a word of the language. Be informal, not stress one's authority Value opinions, creativity, originality Be upbeat, praise and encourage Examples from other cultures where the teacher has different role.