Learning A Language With Tech
When I decided that I wanted to learn Japanese, I had two options: self-study or paid classes. While a classroom environment sounds like the way to go, actually getting them to fit into my after work schedule proved to be a challenge. I opted for self-study and began researching potential resources. Books and flashcards were a given. They provided a solid foundation for learning kana and basic sentence structure. However it is 2011 and there are MANY other ways to learn a language. Being the interactive geek that I am, I turned to technology, and all sorts of it. For auditory learning, I turned to MP3 language courses that I could listen to on the way to work. I started to watch quite a bit of Japanese television via YouTube. For speaking practice, I turned to services like Skype so I could chat with friends who are also studying Japanese. I also began following others studying independently on Twitter. It’s like having a daily reading comprehension and vocabulary quiz in 140 characters or less!
With all of those components at work, you might think I would be pretty well set. I put in the time and try to ensure at least 30 minutes of study each day. Of course, it doesn’t always happen. Sometimes I’m short on time and need to translate something quickly. That’s when it’s really convenient to have an app like Kotoba.
Kotoba is a (free!) Japanese dictionary app for iPhone and iPod devices. Only instead of merely providing English to Japanese meanings, Kotoba also allows you to input Japanese and view the kanji readings in kana and romaji. I find it very useful for translating things on the go. It’s one of the best free Japanese learning apps I’ve found so far.
So that’s my にほんごべんきょう(Japanese study) routine in a nutshell. It’s a good combination of traditional and digital, with a shot of social on the side. I have a long way to go, but I’m excited about the process thus far. For additional 日本の言語 (Japanese language) resources, check out yesjapan.com (online courses, games, and videos) and jgram.org (grammar).
