Study Techniques That Work!!! (vocab)

[markystar]

uma thurman, riding a horse.

それってどういう意味？！
スケベじゃねぇ？

whatever works, right?

[mjones]

I use a program on my Palm Pilot called SuperMemo. It is a flashcard program. What I like about it is that is has an algorythm that keeps track of cards that you have down pat and moves them to the bottom of the stack. Cards you keeps missing are more or less in the front of the stack. It also then randomly samples from your database cards to present occassionally so you don't forget. Highly recommend it. I went from 1500 words to about 3000 in six months using the program.

[TrueNappa]

Hey Everyone,

I'm new to the Jpod forums, but an avid listener to the podcast. I have a piece of study wisdom I took from a University professor friend of mine that I'd like to share. She had a few students in a history class who were completely ignorant / moronic in her class... they didn't get good grades, they didn't know what to do, or how to do it. It was a lack of method versus lack of motivation for this group, she told me. She took control of their study habits and made them review everything they learned from day 1 every week. The kids quickly found out they hadn't learned anything at all despite their efforts, and started to reform their habits so there would be something to review. Eventually, it all came into place and they did ok, she said. A nice little allegory, ne.

The key is REVIEW REVIEW and more REVIEW. I am around 2-kyu level, and I've found that I learn more when I review than I do when I study new things. It's the review that cements the knowledge... makes the conjugation more natural.... all that great stuff, right? Obviously you don't have to review EVERY Japanese word you know, but all the stuff that keeps slipping your mind, I suppose.... and keep doing it. The repetition really helps keep it in your head, I think.

[markystar]

what's your method for reviewing? can you share that with us? よろしくお願いします！

[TrueNappa]

もちろん、伝えられますよ。 It's not like its a secret or anything

Mainly, I split my review (since there's so much) into two categories... the vocab, and the grammar. I keep Japanese notebooks... they're smaller than the B5 paper size and I think I'm on my 4th notebook right now. For vocab, I go over all the words I've written into my notebook from the beginning. If I don't remember it, I go over it again and put a little mark next to it. Next week, if I still haven't remembered it, it gets another mark! And finally, a third time earns the elusive word a hideous underline!!

As I keep reviewing... I find that most of the words find their way into my head somehow and I can keep them there. Some I remember and forget the next week.... other's I forget, then remember... but generally I know them and can recall them without too much effort. But I make sure to create a special page in my notebook for these wayward words that keep getting lost. I know it's dorky, but I find a funny title for the page, too... like "Tomb of the Lost Lexicon" or "Ye Forgotten Treasure Words" or something.... this page lets me move on to review more recent words while still going over the most problematic ones... and I review it and its words the same way I'd go over any other word. This method has worked for me. I may have failed the JLPT 2-kyu last year, but vocab was not my problem!

Grammar is a lot tougher to review.... for me I think it's just a matter of practice, repetition, and getting the right idea from the get go. Because Japanese is so different from English in so many ways, I think it's really easy to get lost and get the wrong idea and attach the wrong translation in our heads to the grammatical structure. So, I try to focus on getting the "image" of the grammar point as clear as possible in the beginning, and reinforcing it as much as possible. Sometimes that means I make example sentences... or read the reading comprehension essays.... or just trying to use it in daily conversation with coworkers at my schools (I'm a JET in Fukui; GO FUKUI!!!). Reading books, playing games, reading manga, or watching TV is also good, I think, but you're more likely to get the grammar you want from stuff that's directly tied to your goal (in my case JLPT 2).

Anyway I hope that helps.

And Marky, what's up with the "oooh yea!"?? I think I hear it every time you do the English translation.... and you got everyone to do it on the Niigata dialect podcast! I was in the gym when I heard it. I almost tripped on the treadmill because of you, lol.

[markystar]

that's a great bunch of advice you put up there! thanks alot!!

as for the "awwwww yeah!"
i dunno... i think i picked it up from one of barry white's burger king commercials back in the day. somehow it became a running joke between me and yuki and from there it worked it's way into a few translations here and there. i'm all about running the theme gags/private jokes in the lessons/bonus/intros...

but please stay safe on the treadmill!
i don't want it to hurt anyone

[QuackingShoe]

I find all the advise at www.alljapaneseallthetime.com (and the www.antimoon.com from which the method is based) to be really great. Particularly, using sentence-drilling instead of individual word-drilling to learn, and getting as much input as possible. And the idea of switching to a Japanese-Japanese dictionary as early as possible (even if you can't go cold turkey) is brilliant, even if it should be common sense. There's nothing like using Japanese to describe Japanese to really get that vocab in your head - and it makes Japanese self-sustaining. Reading that "電力" is "電気の力 (－の大きさ)," or that "大勢" means "多くの人" is a lot better reinforcement for all words involved than memorizing what those words and phrases mean in English, individually. Same way, reading that a "電車" is a "電力でレールの上を走る乗り物" is great reinforcement for everything, and you're getting bonus grammar examples (and vocabulary) on the way! For example, I didn't really know of the bizzare exception that states movement-type (running, swimming, flying etc) verbs use 'wo' despite being intransitive until I read that definition and looked into it.

Also, he has a site-based SRS program on there that's like SuperMemo and etc but works on cell phones. It's nice.

[Psy]

It's scary how many of this fellow's learning philosophies mirror my own. I do admit that, while I do spend some time every day listening to Japanese, I haven't been as proactive as he recommends. However I find it interesting to be directed to a such a page as I am currently working a *large* database of Mandarin example phrases/vocabulary to use locally on my computer... though I've believed in the "learn in context" methodology long before, it's nice to get some motivation from somewhere outside of myself.

[Javizy]

I review Heisig and vocabulary using SRS, and I can really see how learning entire sentences could help you learn kanji, vocabulary, and grammar all together.

Does anybody have or know where to find any premade decks (preferably for Anki)?

I have a textbook covering over 100 common sentence patterns, so I think that would be a perfect place for me to start. I think I'll also start making decks covering the terms in my idiom and slang dictionaries using the example sentences they provide.

[QuackingShoe]

There might be some around, but I don't know where you'd find them. As far as I can tell that site doesn't have a forum, so the easiest place to look is shot He has some at http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/bl ... ter-pack-1 (and more from the related links at the bottom), though. But, they're an example of early stuff, with english translations.

Really, though, it's probably best to pick sentences from real Japanese writing you encounter. Stuff you like and want to be able to say. The sentences are bound to be more natural, and if you make it yourself, you're also tailoring the answer to what you want to know. I have lots of sentences with potentially complex(for certian levels >.>) grammar and misc vocabulary that isn't addressed at all on the answer side because that's not what I want to remember in the sentence (I already know them). Doing it yourself, you pick exactly which words may need defining for you, personally.

Personally, mine end up looking like this:
Q: しばらくこのままお待ち下さい。
A: しばらく　この　まま　おまち　ください
１．　しばらく【暫く】
（１） 少しの間． （２） やや長い期間．
２．　まま【儘】
その状態のとおり．
　A.　じょうたい【状態】　ありさま【有様】

I use the sanseido dictionary (as recommended somewhere on that site) for my definitions, because they're usually concise enough to wrap my head around.

But however you choose to use it! Good luck.

[eppbot]

I have found the flashcard series(s) by Tuttle very helpful. http://www.tuttlepublishing.com.
Their "Japanese in a flash" series flashcards,for example, have a word in hiragana or Kanji and hiragana (in bold type), and under that four other related words or phrases in hira and kanji. On the reverse side, the romanized word, the English trans. an example sentense( hira,kanji,romanized and trans.) as well as the four related words or phrases (trans.&romanized). What I like most about this series is the example sentence feature, it gives a little context. I've started digitizing these(rather tedious) and have created an Adobe Flash app to flip them and jump through them(rather fun). Anyway *-*...

[Ar_Yue]

Quite a few interesting tips on studying which are helpful, especially learning by yourself. So... some of what has been mentioned are good tips. But, I tend to just jump into the deep end.. which I shouldn't advise people, but strangely enough it helps me learn.

I have a range of books which are vocabs, normal learning materials and dictionaries. But use the net to give me a correct insight on what I just learnt.

I guess I should say that for a few tips, I would say for anyone who is self learning...

1. get you're self a decent dictionary English -> Japanese and Japanese -> English : There are times that a pocket dictionary isn't enough.

2. get a writing book and write down everything you've learnt. : It's good, cos when you write, you are learning to write the pronunciations, also when you look through the dictionary, you will add the kanji and Kana along with it. Hopefully you will remember what you wrote, if not you can always go back and read it.

3. grab yourself a good Japanese Grammar book. : I have the Oxford Grammar and verbs book. Which is great. Very handy when I'm like really miffed on certain things.

4. When on the move, use your DS. : I actually found it quite helpful, like I said... I tend to jump into the deep end. But I brought a Kanji learning software/game. It helps you learn the Kun and On yomi and of course the Kanji. It's called "大人の漢字練習完全版” I haven't touch this for a while but should pick it up to have my daily learning.

That's pretty much what's popped into my head... but if all else fails... go to classes or use the net.

[vrosario7]

I am trying to learn the Japanese language so I purchased Japanese for Dummies and also Kanji de Manga book. So far I have finished the entire Japanese for dummies including the audio disc that came with it and I am still only able to recognize a few words. I know it will take me a long time to master but I would like to try another way to learn. Has anyone read this book? Does it help?

[Taurus]

I don't know much about Japanese for Dummies, but you could do worse than trying Minna no Nihongo. There are two books: one contains vocab lists and grammar points; the other contains sample sentences and exercises. And there are audio CDs that you can buy separately if you want them. If you go through the book, learning the vocab, learning the sample conversations, studying the grammar points and practising the sample sentences and exercises, it will definitely give you a good base (the first pair of books takes you up to around JLPT 4; the second pair of books to around JLPT 3).

The only caveat is that you will need to know kana to use it. But it doesn't take long to learn kana. I think the best way to learn is just to practise writing each character over and over again, and it shouldn't take more than a matter of days.

[Yumi919]

It is a great idea!
I remember making flashcards when I was studying English in school..back in Japan. I should be doing this still now.

Anyways, flash cards will work..you can create flashcards on PDFs and use it whenever you have an access to the computer!