Comments on: Do Classes Really Suck? AJATT Follow-up

By: yonasu

yonasu — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:52:50 +0000

We have a “sakubun nooto” where we write things with the new grammar we’ve just learned, every week. The teachers or exchange students then correct it for you. That’s really good and I’ll continue to write in it.

I guess we all have different experience of classes and I’m in the middle of testing what works best for me. After all it’s not really about attending or not attending, it’s about how to get most out of the time.

By: yonasu

yonasu — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:40:55 +0000

If you know that your pronunciation is decent and have CDs and other material to compare yourself with you should be fine. Recording yourselves and getting corrected is a great idea though. Conversing in class (at least in our classes) is 90% of the times based on the things we’ve just learned. We end up doing some 1on1 or group exercises which can also be done with the help of CDs, that way you’re also always exposed to native Japanese.

It would be good to have classes where you’re not so tightly connected to the book and can at least try to have a normal conversation rather than just replacing verbs and adjectives to make things fit.

By: yonasu

yonasu — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:20:56 +0000

Good point! It’s indeed good to get your bad habits corrected. The people who refuse to speak in their native language in class usually learn a lot faster, but we’re not all at that level yet.

Attending classes is optional for me so I can choose freely which ones to go to, hopefully I’ll find a good balance.

By: Mizuu

Mizuu — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:32:15 +0000

Well, that depends on the formula of the classes. As you’ve said – most of the kanji lessons are useless – tedious assignments, repetetive tasks, you would make the most of it by just showing on the first lesson for the recommended materials and then, on the exam.

But I am attending any classes I can on writing essays and so on (sakubun juugyou), because editing and peer editing does amazing things to your Japanese. You just want to express yourself very precisely, so you come across new words, use them on the spot and in the context, check if you can not only fill in gapped text with right particle or verb form but rather if you can contruct a whole understandable sentence. You practice the kanji, the cohesion and coherence of your statements. It’s great.

Of course, it matters a lot whether we have a native or not as a teacher, what’s his or her attitude. Many points. But overall I can go to the classes for several hours, teach for several hours and learn for myself for several hours a day. My social life s a bit suffering at times, but this is just the way I am. I love languages more than people I suppose.

By: Rokku Ramu

Rokku Ramu — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:20:17 +0000

To avoid this dilemma, I always take at least 2 classes a day. For some semester, I would pack all classes in one day (of course with time left over to eat) so I won’t be going to school for a few hours and go home. My school is also 30 mins away from my house and gas isn’t cheap these days.

For Japanese specifically, our classes have recording assignment. We record ourself speaking a drill (repeating it at least 3 times) or short conversation in the book. Our sensee would take a listen and point out anyone’s mistakes. Attendance is also mandatory so I kinda have to go either way. Though I do like going to class more since I can hear how the word is suppose to be said.

By: maakusutipen

maakusutipen — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:18:16 +0000

Classes are good! Well in classes you get to correct your bad habits that you may have picked up when you study alone. I know I sure corrected a lot of bad habits that I picked up from my 1 yr self study. Taking classes also gives you the opportunity to feel a sense of belonging and challenge. That works for me but everyone has their cup of tea. There is one guy in class who refuses to speak in our native language or in English when we have class so the rest of the class (and maybe even the teacher) get quite ashamed and yeah we tend to talk in Japanese more because of that.
Also I agree with you on your opinion on Kanji classes. You don`t really need to attend those and just learn the kanji on your own.
With language learning, exposure is really important or else it will slip. Do something everyday even for 5 minutes.