Anki

Download:  http://ankisrs.net/
User Manual:  http://ankisrs.net/docs/manual.html
Create an Account:  https://ankiweb.net/
My Kanji Decks for Tobira:  https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/3960100011


I highly recommend syncing Anki on your laptop, phone, and other devices.  It makes it a lot easier to study wherever and whenever without having to remember to bring your book or notes with you.  If you use it effectively, you can get a lot better at memorization just by spending a few minutes a day with it.

For my kanji decks, I usually have some paper and a pencil handy so I can write it out.  For example...

When I get a flashcard with the kana and meaning...

... I try writing the kanji.

Then I check it against the back of the flash card.  Be careful with this part, since some kanji look very different in handwriting than they do in computer fonts.  You can set up Anki on your computer to display in different fonts, but I haven't found one that has kanji as they are written.

The Anki user manual has a ton of information on how you can customize your cards and Anki to match the study methods that works best for you, so I encourage you to at least look through it.  There's so much that it can do that I wasn't even aware of until recently!  

#6: Reflection

     It's certainly been a busy week!  Luckily, I still made time to practice kanji.  I've started using Anki again, which is wonderful since it reminds me to review kanji that we're not currently studying.  It will really cut down on the overall amount of time I have to spend practicing them but make sure I remember them longer.
     Doing conversation exercises is always fun, though it's often hard to come up with a situation.  Not only does it give me a chance to use the material in a practical way, it really gets people to talk a little to everyone which I think is important in such a small class.  In language, especially, we must remember that we are not simply learning how to use a tool of communication, but learning how to communicate all over again.  And communication is rooted in people.

#5: Sports

  According too our reading, winning is an important part of sports in Japan, but not as important another things, like growing as an individual and developing teamwork.  For example, some parents send their children to dojos to take martial arts to learn respect and etiquette.  I think we have something similar in America,
since some parents make their children join sports teams to build character.

  Something that's different is how it carries into adulthood.  The MLB player that was quoted in the reading complained that American players got angry and threw things when they did poorly, whereas this would never be acceptable in Japan.  On one hand, the player is right; you shouldn't be damaging team equipment.  On the other hand, being as noble as sumo wrestlers who can't show joy about their wins might be a bit too much.  It's okay to be upset about your performance when your livelihood depends on it.  It's okay to be happy when you win.  America could learn a thing or two about being polite about it, though.

#4: Reflection

     Doing the robot project was really fun!  I like doing things that combine different skills; in this case, Japanese, art, and design.  I think it was a good challenge to not only have to describe it in Japanese, but talk about it in a marketable way.  One of the goals of communication, after all, is persuasion.
     My one complaint would be that there may be better tools for this kind of project than Glogster.  As an artist, I'm partial to Illustrator or InDesign, but they aren't free so using them would create accessibility issues.  Maybe having a few different options to choose from would be a good way for students to use whatever program they're comfortable with and have more time to spend on the content.  
     Overall, it's really great to have things to work on that really involve tying ideas together and creating a unified piece of writing.  Even though we're pretty silly about coming up with ideas, having something to show people that demonstrates our progress in class is a great asset.  Over several semesters, I've built up quite a collection to look back on!

2モツくん

#3: Robot

Name:  Nimotsu-kun
What it can do:  Fold, keep, and retrieve clothing on demand
What it cannot do:  Hold things that cannot be folded
Why:  Travelling is about being active and on the go.  Vacations shouldn't be spent digging through clothing trying to find something, only to have to reorganize everything afterwards.