Hello all. Brand new here. Haven't even looked around yet, but I will over the next couple of days. I have a pressing question, and I'd like to get it out of the way ASAP.
I took some Japanese in junior and senior year in high school, and I'm currently studying second-year Japanese in community college. I hope to transfer to the university in a year or two, but if it takes me two years to get there (which is likely), I will probably have to wait a whole year before I can take third year, since the university offers it, but my community college doesn't. After I'm done with second year here, I'll be all by myself for a year. I'm already worrying about that.
What I would love to know is: what's the best way to study/learn/practice Japanese if you're not taking any classes?
1. I've heard about the Heisig method (I've already bought the book and looked it over), where you're supposed to learn the kanji first, then learn vocab through kanji, and focus on learning to read first before you worry about conversation. Now, I've learned a little conversation in my first year, but I still can't really talk about anything unless the conversation exactly follows the textbook, so this is already playing to my weaknesses. I've been studying some extra kanji in my free time (I've learned about 300, while my classmates have learned maybe 120 by now), but it's rather dry and difficult to study just kanji alone. The Heisig method requires that you learn all 2000 Kyoiku and Joyo kanji BEFORE you do anything else. That seems REALLY tough, but I've read all about it on
AJATT (Khatzimoto makes a really convincing argument, but he also seems REALLY hardcore about it).
2. The classes that I'm taking right now are just like my high school classes: they teach us a little bit of everything: probably about 200-300 new kanji this year, some basic vocab on various topics, such as traveling to Japan. I've heard this is not the best method to learn, however, since the stuff you're taught is academic, and not "real" Japanese. The amount of stuff we learn seems kinda light. I can (and already do) learn more than this, but anything else I learn is totally independent, meaning I don't know if what I learn is actually useful, and it takes a lot of memorization just to remember the stuff I learn, even though I can't use most of it in my classes.
3. I've heard since the beginning that it's important to learn to speak with Japanese people themselves, to learn to speak as they speak. However, I don't know any Japanese people (if there are any near where I live, I don't know where to find them or how to talk to them, since I still can't speak Japanese and I'm afraid to approach random people and try to talk with them in a language I still don't know well), so I don't know how to practice "real" Japanese.
This is a really rambling post, I know, but I don't know how else to start off here. I have so many questions, and I feel so overwhelmed. I'm doing OK in my classes, but I know that if I want to learn Japanese (like really learn, and I really, REALLY do), I have to learn on my own as well. What I need to know is: what's the best way to learn on my own? Learn the kanji first, and focus on learning how to read? Try to find Japanese people and talk to them, even if I don't know how (and even if they think I'm some crazy girl
)? Or just stick with the classes? I'd like to start this independent study on my own, before this school year is over.
Please help me. I so want to learn, but I've very confused about what's the best way to do so. I've heard of so many methods, and none of them seem to work with any other. I would appreciate any advice you could give me. If you've learned Japanese through self-study, your advice would be doubly appreciated.