Project End - Conclusions

For the final week in this kanji, here are my learning totals: I managed to learn to read all of the kanji at a solid level, which I am very proud of. However, the kanji I can write still only amount to 96. (A reminder that this is out of 124).

The project as a whole, I feel has been very successful for my learning of kanji, for the simple fact that I actually learned some and that I set aside some time in which to do this. Being a student who normally does a minimal amount of study, this amounted to a big step forward to me, and has set up habits which I hope to continue into the future.

In terms of technology, I have a few different observations. As a learner of Japanese, I find it easier to memorise characters if I write them down multiple times while I am learning them. However, this is a technique more suited to pen and paper than to an application. Also, while the kanji learning apps out there are many and varied, most of them amount to little more than to 'stimulus, response, reinforcement' on an often-times predetermined set of kanji. It is imperative, therefore, that prospective users of this software choose an application that suits their preferences and needs. For my part, I found that the software, while useful for storing lists of kanji to learn, grew a little monotonous with continuous use, which is why I included my pen-and-paper approach into my challenge.

My engagement with the project, at times sporadic, could have admittedly been a little higher, as evidenced by my abandonment of my promised written passages. Though this is lamentable, it is also a symptom of my previous attitude to learning, which could be encompassed by the simple mantra of 'study for exams'.

Finally, I must acknowledge that the learning of kanji can only get easier, as I master more of the basic ones, and learn to differentiate the similar looking ones. And although this is an ongoing process, which will continue probably after I have finished university, I know that every kanji I cross off my 'to-learn' list brings me one step closer to being fully literate in Japanese.

Learning Challenge Update

Though it's admittedly a week late, here are my learning challenge reflections for the week of 12/05.2014:

So, this week my progress slowed off a bit due to assessment. While I have been working on the issue stated about last week, I still mix up certain kanji from time to time. The only thing I can do, however, is to practice these kanji until I no longer need to do so; and until I find a better way, that is what I will be doing.

In terms of technology, I have found myself reverting to some of my old ways of studying; I will use the app to keep my kanji list, and while I am learning them I will write them many times over in my notebook. This physical act of actually writing the kanji not only serves to cement their form within my memory, but also teaches me the stroke order. Time and again I have found this to be an effective way to study, far from simply looking and attempting to remember.

It is worth noting here that writing kanji is useful only for the purposes of handwritten communication only, as computers can do the writing for you if you enter the word in a phonetic manner. While this does not diminish the importance of learning them, it is worthwhile remembering that there will be fewer opportunities to write them than to see them, which brings me straight to my next point.

Another learning initiative which I am putting into place is to do with the kanji I see in class. If I see one I know I cannot write, I will write it out with my finger, and remember its meaning. In that way my study is extended, to not only my personal study sessions, but to class time as well.

Finally, the raw data. In terms of learning, I have learnt 122 kanji, which means that in practical terms, I have learnt to read all of the kanji in my 124 kanji list, with a small margin for error. My writing has crawled its way up to 90 kanji, and though I  am still not entirely pleased with this progress, I cannot deny that I am close to reaching my goal, setting myself up for many more years of Japanese study.

Progress Report: 5/05/2014

Well, apparently I didn't actually post this, so I'd better get up to speed.

My learning challenge has been full speed ahead, although my blog has been left a little by the wayside. I have been finding it advantageous to use my hour-long commute (via ferry) to study, which certainly helps with allocating time. Splitting up the kanji I have been learning also helps very much; seeing as the ones I use regularly do not need any study at all.

A bigger challenge, however, is the kanji which look similar to one another. For instance, the kanji shown below.

When there is a difference of a single stroke in a kanji, it becomes very easy to mix them up. In order to avoid this, I need to focus on these ones, and the differences between them. If I make a list to learn of just these types, perhaps I can get around this problem.

Now, in terms of learning, I have managed to learn to recognise 119 kanji, which is very close to my list of 124. This, however, is the easy bit. The more difficult part is in no way catching up to these totals, something which worries me greatly, and I find myself thinking that perhaps this kind of learning is best completed over a long period of time, to not only learn them but also solidify this knowledge so that it cannot be forgotten. Speculation aside, my totals for writing are 73. And while this is progress, I would have liked to see more progress. Perhaps in future weeks I will be able to report more success.

Post Easter Holiday Reflections

I would have posted this a lot earlier, but I have just moved house. Nonetheless, university does not wait for those sorts of things. My learning challenge has been going strong, but there are some changes I have made in order to more effectively reach my goals.

Firstly, since learning a large amount of kanji at once is quite difficult, I have decided to split my learning up into the ones I have the most difficulty with. In this way I can ensure that I am getting the most out of each and every study session. Next, I have decided to stop using Kanji Flip, since the lack of customisability does not work with my plans. Finally, I am going to try writing each kanji down as I learn it, in order to further solidify my knowledge of it.

In terms of quantitative measurements, I now have a total of 115 kanji that I am able to recognise. Being almost all of the kanji in my list, I find this to be a great step forward. However, the writing is still proving to be a barrier, as I am now still only able to write 68 different kanji.

I plan to get a lot of study done this week, and with any luck these changes will bear significant fruit!

End of Week 1 - Learning Challenge Reflections

First off, I must stress that I have not done the requisite amount of study this week due to time restrictions and assessment. This, already, is a bit of a setback, but I am prepared to use this next week as efficiently as possible to make as much use of the available time in this challenge as possible. Although I am generally not a very motivated person in terms of study, this challenge is important for two separate areas of study and I can certainly put time aside for it.

Now, on to the actual reflections. In terms of the software itself, I find there to be pros and cons with the ones I am using. The ability to customise kanji lists is sadly missing from Kanji Flip, making my learning a little less targeted. However, since many kanji have the same root and look very similar, I believe that this will in the long run help me with recognising kanji as a whole. The websites I am using have a nice range of different activities which I can switch between if I get bored. Finally, iKanji Touch. Though it was a pain to set up my kanji list to begin with, the ability to practice stroke order with this application is unique to all of the technology I am using. I generally find stroke order to be the most important factor in learning to write kanji, which makes this a very good application for me to be using.

So, how have I improved? Due to factors stated above, not that much. I feel that this week, my efforts have mainly been in consolidating that which I already know, and given that I am still very much on target with regards to my plan, I also feel that this is a worthwhile investment. So here, with regards to last week, are my test totals:

From a pool of 124 kanji; the same as last week, I was able to recognise 97 (only marginally better than last week's 93), and write 62 (also a negligible increase). And while to me these totals are embarrassing, I must remind myself that learning is not an instant process, which to me, is the most difficult aspect in learning. In which case, the time that I have already spent working on this challenge represents, for me, a win.

Learning Challenge Day 1 - Ground Work

Welcome, everyone, to my learning challenge blog, since I have failed to welcome you. Today I started on the first stage of my challenge - the preparation. Here is, in order, a list of the things I have done:

• Added my list of kanji to the 'iKanji Touch' app.
• Check my flash cards for missing ones and replaced the ones I lost.
• Tested my recognition and writing of kanji.

While it did take a while, I am now completely prepared. So, what about my recognition? Well, out of a pool of 124 kanji which I tested; I was able to recognise and give meanings for 93 of them, but I was only about to write 59 of them. And while it may seem that I am close to my goal already, the remaining 60 kanji have already proven elusive to me. By rights I should have memorised them already. I will also be increasing my pool of 'to learn' kanji during the course of the project with the kanji we are currently learning in class.

Now, during the week I will sort out which slots I am going to use for kanji practice; and I will update it on here when I have finalised the times which I have available for this.

Laura

My Learning Challenge: Proposal

Title: Computers and kanji study: The modern answer to the flash card.

My challenge: As a speaker of such European languages as French and German, I find it difficult to adjust to the learning environment presented by my Japanese classes. Specifically, I find it a great struggle to learn and retain Japanese kanji and katakana scripts, as these are used less frequently than the hiragana script. In the past I have used flash cards to try and make up for this weakness, but as the number of kanji we learn increases, it becomes increasingly difficult for me to acquire new ones.

My Learning goal: Through the course of this project, it is my goal to learn at least 20 new kanji each week. I want to be able to learn and retain them; that is to be able to read, write and understand them. By the end of the project, I want to have a solid grounding in all of the basic kanji that we have learned so far in class.

My learning styles and strategies: I am a visual learner, which is not surprising given my introvert tendencies. Where strategies are concerned, I tend to use cognitive and social strategies most dominantly, and affective strategies the least. For my learning challenge, I intend to work on my memory and metacognitive strategies, both of which had middling scores on my SILL. These work best with the type of learning I am aiming for, using visual aids like virtual flash cards to enhance my learning, while also catering to my learning style.

The technologies I am going to test: It is my intention to test several different technologies during the course of this project. Firstly, I intend to use websites specifically aimed at learning the sets of kanji covered in my textbooks. Next, I am going to use an application called ‘Kanji Flip’, which is a flash card app specifically for kanji. I am also going to use an application called ‘iKanji Touch’, a customisable app which teaches stroke order as well. Finally, I am going to run a blog through which I can post Japanese writing and qualitatively assess my use of kanji over the course of the challenge. I believe that since these technologies are uniquely suited to learning kanji, as they are targeted in a way that most other language learning technologies can’t be, and they allow a certain flexibility of learning – I can focus on the kanji that I have the most difficulty with.

My plan: I will designate three hourly slots each week to practice kanji. The first slot each week will be the kanji website, followed by a session using ‘Kanji Flip’. The second slot of the week will be a session using ‘iKanji Touch’. Finally, in the last session of the week, I will write up a passage in Japanese using as many kanji as I can, and use this to document my progress by making a picture and putting it on my blog. This session will also be used to quantitatively test my recognition and writing of kanji.

My evaluation approach: In order to quantitatively measure my knowledge of kanji, I will use the flash cards I already have access to in order to test it. Every week I will sit down with my sister and go through them, measuring how many I can not only recognise, but give the meaning for. Then we will do the opposite, testing how many I can write when given the reading. As far as the blog is concerned, my weekly posts will give me time to reflect on my progress and write up a paragraph on how my learning challenge is, qualitatively, going.