Learning Journal #1
My most recent task I have been working on is mastering the fluidity and understanding of the numbering/calendar system in korean. Growing up, one of my biggest struggles was when it came to understanding numbers, days, months, or things of such nature in korean. An example would be if somebody asked me to recite a random date like October 5th, 1967 in korean. Another example could be “Is it cool if I pick you up from the airport next Friday at 4:20pm?”. Or even, “did you want to set up an appointment two weeks from next Tuesday?”. Eventually I would get it, but it would take a few seconds up to a few minutes in my head to register or even understand what was being referred to in korean. Whereas in English, I wouldn’t have to second guess or even put an ounce of thought into formulating such a date.
With this in mind, I started practicing reciting and perfecting the flow and speed in which I would be able to recite or understand a given date. I met up with my language instructor this past week as well and practiced with him. Following our practice session, I even discovered that in the korean language, the months of June and October have a special variation and can be pronounced as “유월” (yuwol) and “시월” (siwol) respectively. David had walked me through the terms for “month”, “year”, and the basic numbering system. Following this, he quizzed me by assessing my ability to recite random dates, numbers, etc. in korean. At first, it was definitely frustrating but over time, it smoothened out and I was able to recite the calendar system more fluidly. I think the method I took in which I approached learning this time seemed rather more “brute-forced” rather than strategic. Reflecting on this moment, what I would do differently next time is lay out a more effective or approachable method in my new learning target. This will make my learning easier to take on rather than trying to “force” it at once.
With this newly acquired skill, which I still have yet to work more on and polish up, I hope to contribute to the fluidity of my korean speaking skills. This is a useful and practical skill which can translate into everyday scenarios and conversations such as asking a waiter how much the bill is, or at the doctors when they ask for your date of birth, etc. During this past summer when I was in Korea, I definitely felt that this was a department which I had lacked in and hoped to polish. I hope to continue building upon this skill by regularly assessing myself or having someone else assess me so that I don’t forget. Building tools such as flashcards, with software such as quizlet being made available is a method I hope to implement in my future studies, especially when it comes to memorization and honing a skill through repetition.
My most recent task I have been working on is mastering the fluidity and understanding of the numbering/calendar system in korean. Growing up, one of my biggest struggles was when it came to understanding numbers, days, months, or things of such nature in korean. An example would be if somebody asked me to recite a random date like October 5th, 1967 in korean. Another example could be “Is it cool if I pick you up from the airport next Friday at 4:20pm?”. Or even, “did you want to set up an appointment two weeks from next Tuesday?”. Eventually I would get it, but it would take a few seconds up to a few minutes in my head to register or even understand what was being referred to in korean. Whereas in English, I wouldn’t have to second guess or even put an ounce of thought into formulating such a date.
With this in mind, I started practicing reciting and perfecting the flow and speed in which I would be able to recite or understand a given date. I met up with my language instructor this past week as well and practiced with him. Following our practice session, I even discovered that in the korean language, the months of June and October have a special variation and can be pronounced as “유월” (yuwol) and “시월” (siwol) respectively. David had walked me through the terms for “month”, “year”, and the basic numbering system. Following this, he quizzed me by assessing my ability to recite random dates, numbers, etc. in korean. At first, it was definitely frustrating but over time, it smoothened out and I was able to recite the calendar system more fluidly. I think the method I took in which I approached learning this time seemed rather more “brute-forced” rather than strategic. Reflecting on this moment, what I would do differently next time is lay out a more effective or approachable method in my new learning target. This will make my learning easier to take on rather than trying to “force” it at once.
With this newly acquired skill, which I still have yet to work more on and polish up, I hope to contribute to the fluidity of my korean speaking skills. This is a useful and practical skill which can translate into everyday scenarios and conversations such as asking a waiter how much the bill is, or at the doctors when they ask for your date of birth, etc. During this past summer when I was in Korea, I definitely felt that this was a department which I had lacked in and hoped to polish. I hope to continue building upon this skill by regularly assessing myself or having someone else assess me so that I don’t forget. Building tools such as flashcards, with software such as quizlet being made available is a method I hope to implement in my future studies, especially when it comes to memorization and honing a skill through repetition.
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