Photo by Max Harlynking on Unsplash
From Dipping My Toes to Wading Knee-deep: The Transition from Elementary to Intermediate-level Japanese
The gently sloping bank of elementary Japanese has given way to the sometimes still, sometimes gushing knee-deep waters of intermediate-level Japanese.
On some days, my feet remain steady. On others, I stumble and look for new ways of maintaining balance. A large rock, a sturdy tree stump, a person’s hand—sources of support in the river. A podcast, a book, an interactive activity—resources in the language-learning journey. Some work well for me, others do not. Some help me gradually move forward, others block my way and frustrate me to no end. Some add the fun element, making my worries disappear. Others make me wonder whether I chose the right path.
The journey has no dearth of adventure and learning. And I continue to pursue it, often saying to myself,
いっしょうけんめいがんばります (I will do my best).
Here are some resources that I have found helpful, engaging, and entertaining as I learn Japanese:
- The Kanji Lookup app
- Takoboto dictionary
- Virtual classes, books, and tips from language learning institutes
- YouTube channels of Japanese tutors
- NHK’s weekly news in simple Japanese
- Episodes of Atashin’chi and Doraemon in Japanese
- Movies from JFF Plus
- Japanese songs
- Graded books in Japanese from Tadoku
- Books that are set in Japan or provide a glimpse into Japanese culture (while I’ve read English versions so far, I hope to read them in Japanese one day!)
Are you learning Japanese? What are your means of support as you dip your toes and then wade into the waters? What keeps you steady? What helps you move forward?
Anita Nagarajan
Communications and Editing Consultant, Writer, Educator
Ms. Anita Nagarajan is an independent communications and editing consultant, writer and educator, specializing in technical, scientific, and educational content. She edits research papers for researchers and scientists from academic institutions and research organizations across the world. Through her editing and recommendations, she has helped authors in STEM and Management successfully publish their papers in journals and publications of leading and renowned academic publishers such as Nature, Elsevier, IEEE, Springer, and Wiley. As an educator and trainer, she facilitates training sessions and workshops in pedagogy and effective communication for students, teachers, researchers, and other professionals in Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. She works with academia, corporates, publishers, researchers, and non-profits to publish high-quality communication material and content for different stakeholders in STEM, Business and Management, and Education for the target audience. She has an MS degree from North Carolina State University, USA, and a BE degree from Government College of Engineering, Pune, India. She has obtained several certifications and completed coursework in languages, editing, writing, and communication. She is Chair of EASE India, regional chapter of the European Association of Science Editors (EASE).