Reflections and Goals

PE 1 Reflection: (This is me reflecting vvv)

My original goals were very reflective of what I wanted to achieve by the end of the semester, so obviously, I did not complete all of them. However, I made lots of improvements. After just one month of learning Japanese, I am able to fully introduce myself, have basic conversation, and talk about my daily activities. I can fluently introduce myself although thinking about verbs + actions + particles slows down my speaking. Also, now I am a lot more conscious about the different factors that affect speaking such as intonation, pitch, fluidness, etc.  Therefore, I think achieved my goal of speaking more coherently, but only in terms of introductions. Also, through shadowing, I was able to practice immitating correct rhythms. My vocabulary is definitely expanded and I can now fluently read ひらがな.

1. I was able to listen to recordings and repeat without looking at the ひらがな.
2. By now, ひらがな is second nature and I do not need to look back at the chart.
3. Shadowing 10 minutes a day is a lot, so I think to be realistic, I should try to do 10 minutes every other day.
4. I couldn't go to Japanese language table, but I went to office hours every week!
5. I talked to my Japanese friends a little bit, but after I learn more, I will be able to sustain longer conversations.

Now for PE2:

Goals:

• To combine all aspects of pronunciation (pitch, intonations, speed, etc.) while being conscious of grammar
• To make particles more attached to the noun so that it is more fluid and sounds more like a native
• To learn vocabulary at a faster rate

Activities:

• Go to Japanese Table when I don't have meetings (once every two weeks)?
• Go to Office Hours once a week when I don't go to Japanese Table and practice pronunciation as well as free speaking, using new vocabulary that we have learned
• Continue speaking with my Japanese friends
• Shadow once every two days for at least 10 minutes a day.
• Listen to recordings as I learn the vocabulary.