I Moved to Japan for Language School: I'm Bombing and Need Advice
August 27, 2022 3:40 AM Subscribe
I've put why I'm bombing in the details, but what concerns me most is the volume/ rate of new information is beyond my capacity, so I'm not retaining it, which is demoralizing and bad for my grades. I've paid for school through the end of the year, but I think I should leave then (vs my official end date in April 24) - but now I don't have an apartment or car, although I can work for my former employer remotely as a consultant, and I have US and UK citizenship, should that make a difference.
OK - here's why I'm bombing:
1.The primary textbook has 25 chapters, and each chapter has:
a. 50 vocabulary words.
b. 2 pages of grammar rules.
c. Example sentences to demonstrate the grammar rules (using the new vocabulary).
d. 6 pages of exercises.
2.There are 40 teaching days before the end of term exams, so the textbook chapters are covered at a rate faster than 1 chapter/ 2 days.
3. We get 20 new kanji/ week for which we must know the meaning, writing/ stroke order, kun'yomi and on'yomi readings.
4. We get homework every day too, as well as having to study the above words/ rules/ sentences/ exercises/ kanji.
So what all this means is that:
1.There isn't enough time to:
a. Learn all the new vocabulary.
b. Learn all the new grammar rules.
c. Review the example sentences.
d. Learn all the new kanji.
e. Complete the homework exercises.
f. Do any reading, speaking or listening practice.
2. You therefore have to be judicial about what you spend your time on, and in turn about what you skip.
3. It's just too much information to retain, so even if you're a diligent student and you're working hard, spending your time well and using established study techniques, you're going to push up against whatever limits you have.
A few additional notes:
1. This is supposed to be a beginner class.
2. There are 16 other students in the class: 14 are repeating the class from last term, and the other two have previously studied Japanese.
3. I'm much older (50) than most of the students, so I'm trying to accept that my retention skills may not be what they once were.
4. As is the case with many Japanese language schools, the tuition is targeted for passing proficiency tests.
5. None of the teachers speak English, so there isn't a realistic opportunity to ask any questions, either about the content of the class, or how to address situations such as this.
Overall:
The intensity of this class is starting to make my mental health creak (I've had two private meltdowns so far), which is why I think I need to get out. Earlier in the course I thought I could use the hours and tools available to me to keep my head above water, but now that I'm studying for two tests on Thurs and realizing that I've lost most of the information I was studying this time last week for the tests last Thurs, well it's really got me wondering what I'm gaining here. I've spoken to other classmates and everyone's got stories of friends/ colleagues/ relatives being astounded at what we're expected to learn in such a short time, but I've moved beyond that stage of indignation, and what I feel I need now is a plan, vs feeling like a victim.
On Preview:
If I leave the school I believe they will contact immigration to say I am no longer a student (I am here on a student visa), so I don't think leaving school but staying on in Japan and working remotely is an option.
OK - here's why I'm bombing:
1.The primary textbook has 25 chapters, and each chapter has:
a. 50 vocabulary words.
b. 2 pages of grammar rules.
c. Example sentences to demonstrate the grammar rules (using the new vocabulary).
d. 6 pages of exercises.
2.There are 40 teaching days before the end of term exams, so the textbook chapters are covered at a rate faster than 1 chapter/ 2 days.
3. We get 20 new kanji/ week for which we must know the meaning, writing/ stroke order, kun'yomi and on'yomi readings.
4. We get homework every day too, as well as having to study the above words/ rules/ sentences/ exercises/ kanji.
So what all this means is that:
1.There isn't enough time to:
a. Learn all the new vocabulary.
b. Learn all the new grammar rules.
c. Review the example sentences.
d. Learn all the new kanji.
e. Complete the homework exercises.
f. Do any reading, speaking or listening practice.
2. You therefore have to be judicial about what you spend your time on, and in turn about what you skip.
3. It's just too much information to retain, so even if you're a diligent student and you're working hard, spending your time well and using established study techniques, you're going to push up against whatever limits you have.
A few additional notes:
1. This is supposed to be a beginner class.
2. There are 16 other students in the class: 14 are repeating the class from last term, and the other two have previously studied Japanese.
3. I'm much older (50) than most of the students, so I'm trying to accept that my retention skills may not be what they once were.
4. As is the case with many Japanese language schools, the tuition is targeted for passing proficiency tests.
5. None of the teachers speak English, so there isn't a realistic opportunity to ask any questions, either about the content of the class, or how to address situations such as this.
Overall:
The intensity of this class is starting to make my mental health creak (I've had two private meltdowns so far), which is why I think I need to get out. Earlier in the course I thought I could use the hours and tools available to me to keep my head above water, but now that I'm studying for two tests on Thurs and realizing that I've lost most of the information I was studying this time last week for the tests last Thurs, well it's really got me wondering what I'm gaining here. I've spoken to other classmates and everyone's got stories of friends/ colleagues/ relatives being astounded at what we're expected to learn in such a short time, but I've moved beyond that stage of indignation, and what I feel I need now is a plan, vs feeling like a victim.
On Preview:
If I leave the school I believe they will contact immigration to say I am no longer a student (I am here on a student visa), so I don't think leaving school but staying on in Japan and working remotely is an option.
First of all that sounds incredibly difficult so I don’t blame you for feeling stressed!
What was your actual goal in taking the class?
If passing the class may not be possible, could you have a new goal that’s actually attainable?
What if, for instance, you focussed on speaking, understanding the teacher, and learning some of the grammar rules in practice, and completely ignore the reading or writing parts?
That way you might not pass but you’d come out with a useful skill - conversation.
Alternately, could you switch into a more beginner level class? It sounds like your classmates are all more advanced in their studies than you. It’s actually well documented that students who are less advanced than their classmates have a tougher time which is why we have the phenomenon of redshirting (delaying a child’s entry into kindergarten by a year - especially if their birthday is late in the year - so they’ll be older and more advanced among their cohort, thus conferring self-esteem). You’re experiencing the opposite of redshirting because you’re less experienced than your cohort, and yup, it’s hard on the confidence!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:48 AM on August 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
What was your actual goal in taking the class?
If passing the class may not be possible, could you have a new goal that’s actually attainable?
What if, for instance, you focussed on speaking, understanding the teacher, and learning some of the grammar rules in practice, and completely ignore the reading or writing parts?
That way you might not pass but you’d come out with a useful skill - conversation.
Alternately, could you switch into a more beginner level class? It sounds like your classmates are all more advanced in their studies than you. It’s actually well documented that students who are less advanced than their classmates have a tougher time which is why we have the phenomenon of redshirting (delaying a child’s entry into kindergarten by a year - especially if their birthday is late in the year - so they’ll be older and more advanced among their cohort, thus conferring self-esteem). You’re experiencing the opposite of redshirting because you’re less experienced than your cohort, and yup, it’s hard on the confidence!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:48 AM on August 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I can repeat, yes, and at this point I'm pretty much resigned to doing so. But my subsequent concerns are 1. I'm not even sure that a second stab will be enough for me (and the kids who are repeating - who aren't slouches - aren't all hitting it out of the park on this second round either), 2. if I pass the repeat round, I'm guessing the subsequent term(s) will be more of the same - i.e. the prospect of another 1.5 years of the same (most significant of which is repeatedly feeling $hitty about your shortcomings) feels like a sentence in a reasonably unpleasant prison.
On preview, this is the beginner class - I'm just unfortunate that I'm the least experienced beginner, if that makes sense. I don't really have an option to choose my goal because the format is essentially to do vocab and grammar questions for homework, and then everyone gets asked the answers in class + more vocab and grammar questions - i.e. the dynamic is that you look like an idiot if you can't answer a question, so you're motivated to get those questions done, else pay the emotional cost. I can attest that this an effective strategy, albeit somewhat cruel.
posted by my log does not judge at 5:06 AM on August 27, 2022
On preview, this is the beginner class - I'm just unfortunate that I'm the least experienced beginner, if that makes sense. I don't really have an option to choose my goal because the format is essentially to do vocab and grammar questions for homework, and then everyone gets asked the answers in class + more vocab and grammar questions - i.e. the dynamic is that you look like an idiot if you can't answer a question, so you're motivated to get those questions done, else pay the emotional cost. I can attest that this an effective strategy, albeit somewhat cruel.
posted by my log does not judge at 5:06 AM on August 27, 2022
Just because the class/textbook has certain goals does not mean they have to be the same as your personal goals. The fact of the matter is that there is no way of passing this course in one attempt because they have chosen to make it too difficult.
An option would be to narrow your focus to the bits that are either most important to you or would be hardest to learn outside Japan/a class. Perhaps within each chapter focus purely on learning the grammar rules. Any vocabulary or kanji you actually memorise are incidental. Kanji can be learned remotely, and vocab can be memorised separately. Do not care about the tests. Do not care about getting 'told off' for not knowing vocab or kanji. It's only embarrassing if you choose to find it so.
Another option is to entirely drop the course, figure out how long you'll have left in Japan before you need to leave as a result, and maximise your time there otherwise.
posted by plonkee at 5:47 AM on August 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
An option would be to narrow your focus to the bits that are either most important to you or would be hardest to learn outside Japan/a class. Perhaps within each chapter focus purely on learning the grammar rules. Any vocabulary or kanji you actually memorise are incidental. Kanji can be learned remotely, and vocab can be memorised separately. Do not care about the tests. Do not care about getting 'told off' for not knowing vocab or kanji. It's only embarrassing if you choose to find it so.
Another option is to entirely drop the course, figure out how long you'll have left in Japan before you need to leave as a result, and maximise your time there otherwise.
posted by plonkee at 5:47 AM on August 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
(1) you can absolutely leave. It may help you to work out your leaving plan. Do you want to try to stay in the country? If so, is someone hiring English teachers who might want you, or is there another school you could transfer to that would be able to sponsor you instead? Or do you want to move out to a country you have citizenship? Try planning that if so.
(2) I have done intensive immersion language study and it requires the immersion for it to work. Being in your room studying is not immersion in the language. You can do that anywhere. Go outside and try using some of the things you've been learning. Go to the clothing shop and stumble your way through asking for a "more big, uh, shirt. For winter. Like this?" because you don't know the word for a coat. Then when you learn the word for coat your brain will be interested in it, and also you will remember the rest better. I recommend this even if you are going to quit the program. Come out with an experience of getting around in a foreign language.
posted by Lady Li at 6:36 AM on August 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
(2) I have done intensive immersion language study and it requires the immersion for it to work. Being in your room studying is not immersion in the language. You can do that anywhere. Go outside and try using some of the things you've been learning. Go to the clothing shop and stumble your way through asking for a "more big, uh, shirt. For winter. Like this?" because you don't know the word for a coat. Then when you learn the word for coat your brain will be interested in it, and also you will remember the rest better. I recommend this even if you are going to quit the program. Come out with an experience of getting around in a foreign language.
posted by Lady Li at 6:36 AM on August 27, 2022 [9 favorites]
Do not care about getting 'told off' for not knowing vocab or kanji. It's only embarrassing if you choose to find it so.
This.
It's a bit shitty that it seems to be on you to structure the course materials in such a way that two years of what they apparently claim will fit into one will stick with you, but that's the course you're in and that's the way it seems to need to work.
Effectively, you need to design your own two-year course based on selective attention paid to the same oversupply of information that you know will come around twice. Plan deliberately to ignore enough stuff your first time around that what you do concentrate on will stick. Whether you structure that as slicing away whole subject areas like kanji and vocab, or whether you keep something like the balance of the existing course and simply slice away half the material in each category, is your call depending on what, as a competent self-aware 50-year old adult, you judge will work best for you.
And if some full-of-himself young whippersnapper tries to give you a hard time for going about it that way, pay less attention to the meaning or intent of what they're saying than you do to its actual raw content. Learning to give somebody a hard time in a new language is a useful skill in its own right.
posted by flabdablet at 6:43 AM on August 27, 2022 [8 favorites]
This.
It's a bit shitty that it seems to be on you to structure the course materials in such a way that two years of what they apparently claim will fit into one will stick with you, but that's the course you're in and that's the way it seems to need to work.
Effectively, you need to design your own two-year course based on selective attention paid to the same oversupply of information that you know will come around twice. Plan deliberately to ignore enough stuff your first time around that what you do concentrate on will stick. Whether you structure that as slicing away whole subject areas like kanji and vocab, or whether you keep something like the balance of the existing course and simply slice away half the material in each category, is your call depending on what, as a competent self-aware 50-year old adult, you judge will work best for you.
And if some full-of-himself young whippersnapper tries to give you a hard time for going about it that way, pay less attention to the meaning or intent of what they're saying than you do to its actual raw content. Learning to give somebody a hard time in a new language is a useful skill in its own right.
posted by flabdablet at 6:43 AM on August 27, 2022 [8 favorites]
By the way, I learned that approach from watching it applied by a friend of mine who took eight years to finish a nominally four year engineering degree. He turned into a really good engineer. I didn't have the patience to apply it myself, dropped out early, never did get the qual, and was nowhere near as good an engineer as a result (though I did end up making more money).
posted by flabdablet at 6:46 AM on August 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 6:46 AM on August 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
One possible course of action would be to see if you can switch language schools at the end of the year, once you've reached the end of the current term. It sounds like it is difficult, and a total pain in the ass, but it is possible. Here's GoGoNihon's information about switching schools, whether or not you have been using their service it might be worthwhile to contact them and see if they can help or at least provide some guidance and recommendations for a school that more closely fits your current needs. (Check the intensity ratings on GoGoNihon's website for the different schools.)
I imagine the sooner you start the process, the more chance that it will succeed and might give you some peace of mind for the rest of the term. The added stress of not knowing what to do definitely is making things more difficult.
It sounds like they really are trying to cram too much information into the class and while repeating courses isn't unusual, the firehose of new information is way too much, way too fast. I'd look at other schools and see if they break out the levels into smaller, more usable chunks over longer periods of time.
My experience with Japanese language schools in Japan was quite different from yours - I've taken about 6 months of cumulative classes in couple month blocks over the years at the same school (Intercultural Institute of Japan), so I wasn't dependent on a student visa. I'd already gone through a few years of excellent classes that were much slower paced at home, balanced for a work/normal life instead of the full intensity of 5 days a week language school.
The best classes I took in Japan were ones with the smallest numbers of students, the opportunity for more carefully targeted learning with teachers who cared makes a huge difference. Not getting feedback in English can be super frustrating, but when the language starts to click in your head it can be an amazing moment. For me, the biggest advantage of studying in Japan was being forced to interact with other students who didn't speak English - Japanese ended up being the common language by default. Also going out to bars and restaurants and talking to random strangers helped me get over my fear of speaking to others. But right now, I don't think you'll have the time, the school/life balance is way out of whack...
posted by rambling wanderlust at 7:01 AM on August 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
I imagine the sooner you start the process, the more chance that it will succeed and might give you some peace of mind for the rest of the term. The added stress of not knowing what to do definitely is making things more difficult.
It sounds like they really are trying to cram too much information into the class and while repeating courses isn't unusual, the firehose of new information is way too much, way too fast. I'd look at other schools and see if they break out the levels into smaller, more usable chunks over longer periods of time.
My experience with Japanese language schools in Japan was quite different from yours - I've taken about 6 months of cumulative classes in couple month blocks over the years at the same school (Intercultural Institute of Japan), so I wasn't dependent on a student visa. I'd already gone through a few years of excellent classes that were much slower paced at home, balanced for a work/normal life instead of the full intensity of 5 days a week language school.
The best classes I took in Japan were ones with the smallest numbers of students, the opportunity for more carefully targeted learning with teachers who cared makes a huge difference. Not getting feedback in English can be super frustrating, but when the language starts to click in your head it can be an amazing moment. For me, the biggest advantage of studying in Japan was being forced to interact with other students who didn't speak English - Japanese ended up being the common language by default. Also going out to bars and restaurants and talking to random strangers helped me get over my fear of speaking to others. But right now, I don't think you'll have the time, the school/life balance is way out of whack...
posted by rambling wanderlust at 7:01 AM on August 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Also keep in mind, how long have you been living in Japan and in this class? Are you a couple-3 months in? You’re hitting a wall where the newness has worn off and it feels impossible, and that’s a pretty normal phase. I agree with a lot of the others that this class sounds not great but yes, language learning CAN be a lot more casual. Go to class and listen to grammar/practice writing and reading all day but then go out and TRY and just stumble your way through it, and it will eventually start to click. Don’t be embarrassed.
posted by jeweled accumulation at 7:02 AM on August 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by jeweled accumulation at 7:02 AM on August 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
> Are you a couple-3 months in? You’re hitting a wall where the newness has worn off and it feels impossible, and that’s a pretty normal phase.
Strongly agree with this. I spent about a year living in rural Japan in highschool, and I nearly gave up 3 months in. The culture shock, isolation (because I hadn't learned enough to socialize in Japanese), and frustration really hit me hard around then.
There's a lot to learn and it can feel overwhelming even outside of a language course. What helped me was finding small victories that I was personally invested in:
- working new vocabulary into conversations outside of class
- finishing a simple book/comic/newspaper article, even with the help of a dictionary
- navigating trains+buses on my own by reading maps and schedules in Japanese
Try to find those small victories for yourself; they're ultimately more rewarding+meaningful than any language school.
posted by ripley_ at 9:59 AM on August 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
Strongly agree with this. I spent about a year living in rural Japan in highschool, and I nearly gave up 3 months in. The culture shock, isolation (because I hadn't learned enough to socialize in Japanese), and frustration really hit me hard around then.
There's a lot to learn and it can feel overwhelming even outside of a language course. What helped me was finding small victories that I was personally invested in:
- working new vocabulary into conversations outside of class
- finishing a simple book/comic/newspaper article, even with the help of a dictionary
- navigating trains+buses on my own by reading maps and schedules in Japanese
Try to find those small victories for yourself; they're ultimately more rewarding+meaningful than any language school.
posted by ripley_ at 9:59 AM on August 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
I did an intensive in a different language (Arabic). Ultimately, I decided to repeat the material too. I would not be discouraged by this - ultimately, I found that language learning was not something I could rush, but making the commitment to focus on language learning and only language learning did pay off. When I repeated the material, whereas normally language-learning was hard, I found it easy and that the info really stuck with me. So, just focus on learning what you can through this experience, and take advantage of the "living classroom"around you.
posted by coffeecat at 10:47 AM on August 27, 2022
posted by coffeecat at 10:47 AM on August 27, 2022
Here to emphasize what others are saying in terms of just... don't give into the social structure of the class and the expectations of the teacher- if you don't know, you don't know. Apologize and move on. Learn what you can. It's perfectly okay to attend and fail. That is fine. As most of the class has been there before, you are getting an impression that people know more than you, they didn't the first time around.
I'd start focusing on a subset of whatever the lesson point is. Say- The lesson is about cooking - pick the two verbs, two adjectives, two nouns, one grammar point. Pick relevant kanji(s). If you can do more, do more, if you can't - that's okay too.
At the end, you may be only to write a few sentences, but it will be useful later on. If you know these well, you'll be able to use them in different situations as the class moves forward. Don't stress too much.
Language is really hard, and it takes so long for things not to feel like a firehose of everything.
I do have questions about how beginner you started as, and what textbook this is . Also, as mentioned, knowing your goals would be helpful as well, and what the actual target is at the end of the beginner class. For example, if you want to say, pass the N5, you certainly don't need to be memorizing 20 kanji a week, because there is only 100 in total on the exam, or if it is N4 and I'm assuming there are eight weeks left is about right as the total is about 300 kanji. You might want to cross reference what you are being given with manuals that align with these levels, so you know when you should be learning a word, and when you should wait for another time.
You may or may not know about SRS systems (like anki & wanikani specifically for kanji) but there are other ones as well such as kitsun.io. Many of these have built decks for common textbooks and their vocab. If you aren't using them, you may want to consider that.
posted by AlexiaSky at 10:52 AM on August 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'd start focusing on a subset of whatever the lesson point is. Say- The lesson is about cooking - pick the two verbs, two adjectives, two nouns, one grammar point. Pick relevant kanji(s). If you can do more, do more, if you can't - that's okay too.
At the end, you may be only to write a few sentences, but it will be useful later on. If you know these well, you'll be able to use them in different situations as the class moves forward. Don't stress too much.
Language is really hard, and it takes so long for things not to feel like a firehose of everything.
I do have questions about how beginner you started as, and what textbook this is . Also, as mentioned, knowing your goals would be helpful as well, and what the actual target is at the end of the beginner class. For example, if you want to say, pass the N5, you certainly don't need to be memorizing 20 kanji a week, because there is only 100 in total on the exam, or if it is N4 and I'm assuming there are eight weeks left is about right as the total is about 300 kanji. You might want to cross reference what you are being given with manuals that align with these levels, so you know when you should be learning a word, and when you should wait for another time.
You may or may not know about SRS systems (like anki & wanikani specifically for kanji) but there are other ones as well such as kitsun.io. Many of these have built decks for common textbooks and their vocab. If you aren't using them, you may want to consider that.
posted by AlexiaSky at 10:52 AM on August 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
What is your ultimate goal in language learning? Being able to read, write, converse, watch TV, all of the above? Prioritize the one you want the most and do it with appropriate materials. Obviously this is a really time-consuming course, but if you can carve out like an hour of your day to just watch some Japanese TV or read some manga, I guarantee that will help you.
Memorization alone will only get you so far, you HAVE to see/hear/use the words and grammar structures in practice to reinforce what you've learned. Watch some children's shows or slice of life TV. Install the Language Reactor extension and watch Netflix with only Japanese subtitles on. Watch some Japanese YouTubers go about their day. Go order some food in Japanese even if it's embarrassing. I took like four years of Mandarin in university but the single most useful thing for me was watching a shit-ton of Chinese dramas with ONLY Chinese subtitles, accepting that I wouldn't know what the hell was going on for the first while. You can do it!!
posted by thebots at 10:57 AM on August 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Memorization alone will only get you so far, you HAVE to see/hear/use the words and grammar structures in practice to reinforce what you've learned. Watch some children's shows or slice of life TV. Install the Language Reactor extension and watch Netflix with only Japanese subtitles on. Watch some Japanese YouTubers go about their day. Go order some food in Japanese even if it's embarrassing. I took like four years of Mandarin in university but the single most useful thing for me was watching a shit-ton of Chinese dramas with ONLY Chinese subtitles, accepting that I wouldn't know what the hell was going on for the first while. You can do it!!
posted by thebots at 10:57 AM on August 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I agree with Gotanda that language learning is not a linear process. When I studied Spanish in Mexico, the director of the program, whose second language was Spanish, told us that a foreign language just sort of suddenly clicks in; that you go along for quite some time not understanding much of anything and then, suddenly, you realize you understand everything ... sort of analogous to learning to ride a bicycle.
posted by SageTrail at 11:25 AM on August 27, 2022
posted by SageTrail at 11:25 AM on August 27, 2022
Just chiming in with my own language immersion course experience in case it's of comfort. I did 1 year of intensive Estonian at University, living in Estonia, in my 20s. It shares our alphabet, which helps, but Estonian is v. heavy in unfamiliar grammar for English speakers, and none of the words are even remotely similar to English, so it was a LOT to learn. We finished the standard Estonian grammar textbook, from start to finish, over the course of a year.
My mind was definitely more of a sponge at that age - I think I'd struggle more now in the same way as you - but I do remember that there's definitely a timelag between studying stuff in class and suddenly realising that you know it. It kind of goes:
1. Study something in class - it's tricky and awkward and you have to look up all the answers and you feel like you'll never know it.
2. You overhear someone using the thing you just studied 'out in the wild', and think "Oh, hey, they just said that in the illative case, and I recognised it, how cool!"
3. One day it suddenly pops out of your mouth unbidden, surprising you utterly.
And there's a delay between each stage. So just because you feel like everything is dropping out of your head after step 1, doesn't mean it is. The brain is amazing at processing these things in the background even while you're pushing new stuff in.
That said, my course was very laid back and light on testing. I guess it boils down to how much you personally can cope with feeling like you're not doing well in class, which only you will know. As others have said, if most people fail first time around, you're probably doing better than you think.
I also agree with everyone who said the 3 or 4 month mark is the struggle point. For me that also landed in the middle of a very dark, cold northern winter, and I did seriously wonder about whether to carry on. I gave myself a deadline two or three months out and promised myself that I'd carry on until then, and if I wasn't enjoying it then, I'd stop and go home. That made me feel much better in the moment and of course, by the time my date came around, it was spring, the end was in sight, and things were much better. So that's how I dealt with it.
posted by penguin pie at 12:09 PM on August 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
My mind was definitely more of a sponge at that age - I think I'd struggle more now in the same way as you - but I do remember that there's definitely a timelag between studying stuff in class and suddenly realising that you know it. It kind of goes:
1. Study something in class - it's tricky and awkward and you have to look up all the answers and you feel like you'll never know it.
2. You overhear someone using the thing you just studied 'out in the wild', and think "Oh, hey, they just said that in the illative case, and I recognised it, how cool!"
3. One day it suddenly pops out of your mouth unbidden, surprising you utterly.
And there's a delay between each stage. So just because you feel like everything is dropping out of your head after step 1, doesn't mean it is. The brain is amazing at processing these things in the background even while you're pushing new stuff in.
That said, my course was very laid back and light on testing. I guess it boils down to how much you personally can cope with feeling like you're not doing well in class, which only you will know. As others have said, if most people fail first time around, you're probably doing better than you think.
I also agree with everyone who said the 3 or 4 month mark is the struggle point. For me that also landed in the middle of a very dark, cold northern winter, and I did seriously wonder about whether to carry on. I gave myself a deadline two or three months out and promised myself that I'd carry on until then, and if I wasn't enjoying it then, I'd stop and go home. That made me feel much better in the moment and of course, by the time my date came around, it was spring, the end was in sight, and things were much better. So that's how I dealt with it.
posted by penguin pie at 12:09 PM on August 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Right, it sounds like you’re in a more academically oriented and fast paced program, but there are also more easy going programs in Japan. (At least there were before COVID.) We liked JALS, for example, which has AM lessons and the option to do PM speaking practice. But that wasn’t a requirement and gave good freedom to just go around and live in Japan by doing everyday stuff like getting a haircut. So if you do transfer programs, maybe look for one with more of an everyday life focus? 毎日生活
Plus I wholeheartedly agree with the suggestion to watch Japanese TV. Not only is it good language practice, there are so many shows that are just weird and fun. And you can ask people what they like on TV. We liked the type of dumb variety show or reality TV where not much happens, like the one where they drain a pond and see what’s in there - might be a snapping turtle ???? (Possible link.) Plus a lot of random shows like this have kanji motion graphics 字幕 that will help your comprehension.
I also wonder if you are making friends in the program? It sounds like you’re in a home stay maybe, but even so, you can probably try to do activities with your classmates. Is it the worst thing if you become the fun activity organizer? Or can you ask the school to set you up with easy volunteering?
Finally, can you streamline your studying? Does the school have a Quizlet or could you find a Quizlet or Kitsun.io for your textbook? That’s pretty common. Could you trade off study list prep with your classmates? Lots of people seem to like Anki, but personally, I’m not a fan - if I can’t do all the memorization from my phone, it’s not going to happen. Thus I probably use wanikani (via Tsurukame) the most, followed by Renshuu, with N1-5 levels stuff. Jalup is maybe OK for practice, but probably too much extra stuff for you right now unless you want the sentence-based listening. I used to use memrise all the time with the Tae Kim materials, but let’s just say they’ve taken a new user signup focus ala Duolingo, over the continued loyalty of multi-year users, with the painstakingly developed user contributed materials… (Broad market vs niche if you’re into Porter’s generic strategy, except that if they had actually gotten real strategy advice they would have realized that the user loyalty and materials were their unique, valuable, inimitable and rare resource. Ahem /strategy.)
posted by ec2y at 3:51 PM on August 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Plus I wholeheartedly agree with the suggestion to watch Japanese TV. Not only is it good language practice, there are so many shows that are just weird and fun. And you can ask people what they like on TV. We liked the type of dumb variety show or reality TV where not much happens, like the one where they drain a pond and see what’s in there - might be a snapping turtle ???? (Possible link.) Plus a lot of random shows like this have kanji motion graphics 字幕 that will help your comprehension.
I also wonder if you are making friends in the program? It sounds like you’re in a home stay maybe, but even so, you can probably try to do activities with your classmates. Is it the worst thing if you become the fun activity organizer? Or can you ask the school to set you up with easy volunteering?
Finally, can you streamline your studying? Does the school have a Quizlet or could you find a Quizlet or Kitsun.io for your textbook? That’s pretty common. Could you trade off study list prep with your classmates? Lots of people seem to like Anki, but personally, I’m not a fan - if I can’t do all the memorization from my phone, it’s not going to happen. Thus I probably use wanikani (via Tsurukame) the most, followed by Renshuu, with N1-5 levels stuff. Jalup is maybe OK for practice, but probably too much extra stuff for you right now unless you want the sentence-based listening. I used to use memrise all the time with the Tae Kim materials, but let’s just say they’ve taken a new user signup focus ala Duolingo, over the continued loyalty of multi-year users, with the painstakingly developed user contributed materials… (Broad market vs niche if you’re into Porter’s generic strategy, except that if they had actually gotten real strategy advice they would have realized that the user loyalty and materials were their unique, valuable, inimitable and rare resource. Ahem /strategy.)
posted by ec2y at 3:51 PM on August 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Wow: I did not expect this many answers. I appreciate everyone taking the time to respond - thank you! I think the most significant takeaway for me here is that I now feel a little less crazy for 1. feeling so overwhelmed by the volume of material, and 2. being frustrated that the work I've done so far hasn't borne fruit. I've definitely found that with e.g. Anki, I don't feel like I'm remembering vocabulary in the moment, but somehow miraculously a good amount of words do sink in, so I guess there's a degree of trust required, in your own brain and your study techniques. I *really* wish I could turn off feeling embarrassed about sounding a dummy in class, but I'm not wired that way at all - I'll keep it in mind though and try to mitigate the emotional impact. That said, the primary problem here is an emotional one - particularly with regard to the endless-seeming firehose - and giving more bandwidth to that aspect is a good way forward. Again, thank you everyone for your help and advice.
posted by my log does not judge at 10:59 PM on August 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by my log does not judge at 10:59 PM on August 27, 2022 [6 favorites]
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posted by warriorqueen at 4:03 AM on August 27, 2022 [32 favorites]