This semester has a very enriching and transformative time in terms of my language learning journey. As someone who grew up speaking Korean at home, I initially believed I had a strong foundation, but after talking with Jason I…
Journal entry 4
As the semester comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting deeply on how much I’ve grown as a language learner. Not just in terms of fluency, but in confidence, consistency, and cultural awareness. My overarching goal was to improve my…
Journal Entry 3
This semester, another key strategy I used to improve both language and cultural understanding was watching Korean content, specifically dramas, variety shows, and culinary competitions. One show that stood out was Culinary Class…
Journal Entry 2
At this point of this semester, Jason and I have been meeting weekly to talk and watch kdramas. Another one of my primary focuses this semester was improving my interpretive listening skills. While I’m relatively confident in…
Journal Entry 1
In the beginning of our meetings I told my partner Jason that my main goal this semester was to improve my fluency in speaking Korean through consistent conversations. We met regularly to talk about our daily lives, asking questions…
"I think that if I received a research grant to conduct a linguistic study of Korean language and culture, I would focus on the use of honorifics. I think that Korean honorifics has a very structured linguistic pattern that also tells…"
My fourth cultural post is about sundae (순대), often referred to as Korean blood sausage. For my artifact, I watched a documentary about traditional foods in Korean markets and this was one of the food mentions. Sundae is a beloved dish deeply rooted…
My third cultural post is about Jjimjilbangs (찜질방), traditional Korean saunas and bathhouses that play a pivotal role in Korean society. These communal centers are integral to Korean culture, serving not just as places for relaxation but also as…
"This seems like a great approach to improve in Korean! I'm curious, did you find any specific strategies that helped you understand the video better, even without knowing all the words? For example, did you focus on any key phrases or context clues…"
"I completely agree with your points on how cultural differences shape communication, behavior, and values. I agree that these frameworks can sometimes oversimplify complex cultural dynamics. Like you mentioned, while cultures tend to lean towards…"
"I think your idea to shift from just learning about the grammar and vocabulary to integrating cultural understanding into your language learning is such as great move. I also found authentic materials such as Korean dramas and music as valuable…"
"It sounds like you've made incredible progress in such a short time! It's great that you're balancing structured lessons with independent practice through Duolingo, as well as using real-time conversations with Rabbi Sherry to reinforce what you're…"
"Many of the things you found I also found as well!
I found your part about history of the Korean language and its connection to Chinese very insightful. I agree with you that the shared history between Korea and China, especially through the…"
"I also prefer writing over typing! I'm wondering what have you've been doing to improve on your typing skills? Do you use any typing games or practice sentences you read to learn? I love that you’re noticing patterns in sentence structure too! The…"