Getting Started on Learning a Second Language

All Japanese All the Time (AJATT)

http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/

While he focuses on Japanese and Chinese learning, most of the techniques he recommends can be applied to any language.

Spaced Repetition Software

This moves things from your short term memory into your long term memory through reviewing flashcards using algorithms. There are different options for this software.

http://ichi2.net/anki/

http://www.mnemosyne-proj.org/

http://www.supermemo.com/

How To Learn Any Language

http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/e/index.html

LeechBlock

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4476

If you are like me and tend to get sucked into aimless web browsing this addon for the Firefox browser can help.

Here are some other tips:

1) Read stuff in your target language, from blogs, the paper, to books (young adult level can be a good starting place, but avoid kids books they are not interesting and not that useful).

2) Watch stuff in your target language. Movies that you are already familiar with the plot of but dubbed over in your target language, TV shows and movies that only exist in your target language, etc.

3) Make some friends who speak primarily your target language (this is easier when you live in a country where they speak that language, but if not there are great resources on the web). It’s a great way to inspire yourself because you have the drive to communicate.

SRS: Japanese Study Update ２００８年７月１１日

Recently I have tried to up the amount of Japanese study that I do every day and I have been seeing an improvement in the rate of my language learning. I feel that I am retaining a lot more new words and grammar with my new study regimen.

The main part of my study is using Spaced Repetition Software (SRS) to review vocabulary every day. Depending on how well you know or understand the word or phrase, it brings up the words at different intervals to increase your brains retention. I first learned about SRS from All Japanese All the Time and after reading about his method, I also read a few reviews of the different types of SRS on Nihongo Pera Pera.

Since I have a Mac, I use Anki for my reviewing. With the function to sync to the internet, I can review from my PC at work and my computer at home without losing anything. I try to review every day, and whenever possible I add new vocabulary and sentences. Khaz on AJATT recommends using sentences as much as possible, as it teaches both grammar and vocabulary. When using sentences in my SRS I use only recognition, not production. When I use vocabulary I use both production and recognition.

As my vocabulary increases, I am trying to use more Japanese within the the answer portion of the SRS. For example, I will look up a word in the Sanseido Dictionary and use the Japanese definition as the question, and for the answer I need to guess the word. This is useful, but is slow going both to look up the word, and to be able to understand the definition. As my my vocab improves I will use this more and more.

Next Japanese language post I will talk more about my listening practice.

Some of my frequently used links are below. If you have any good links or books for Japanese practice, please comment below and tell me about them.

SRS:

Anki

Useful Links:

All Japanese All the Time
How to Learn Any Language
Nihongo Pera Pera
Japanese Grammar JGram
The Japanese Page
The JLPT Study Page
E-Japanese

Dictionaries:

Sanseido (Japanese to Japanese)
Jim Breen’s WWWJDIC

Japanese News Sites:

FNN News (includes video)
Mainichi News Feed