I can’t believe it is already halfway through our semester. I have noticed so much change in my Korean familiarity and comfortability. Last week, I started to use an app called Duolingo in my free time. Some of the high-level lessons in Duolingo really does test my ability in grammar and spelling. It is quite challenging and fun. Duolingo is another way to get a regular practice of my Korean, especially in writing and reading. Another thing that’s great about it is that it lets you pick a topic of your choice. I been trying to do two lessons a day, but sometimes the reset time isn’t quite right with my sleeping schedule, making me lose the streak. The streak is one of the things that make it attractive. It’s a small goal that is achievable and make you more competitive among your language learning community in the app, similar to a snapchat streak. I really recommend trying this app if anyone hasn’t tried it before. I think it is really important to find different ways to practice your language to make it more fun for yourself and engage in an effective learning experience.
Another thing I been trying to do past two weeks is listening to the Korean radio. There are so many types of radio and some are really funny, and some are really soothing to listen to. I especially like the funny stations and the news stations. It is an amazing way to practice your listening skill. If you are not a person who likes to listen to a radio, there are radios specifically for starting and ending your day. I tried having it on while I was getting in bed, and it was a lot better than I thought. Many of them play some nice Korean music and it helped me fall asleep. Now, if you’re into the K-pop industry and various idols out there, there’s so many radio stations featuring many idols and celebrities. I hope you guys give it a try and explore with it.
Jimin and I have been continuing to practice idiomatic expressions and reading different articles. We read some recent newspapers and there are so many articles on coronavirus in Korea. Number of coronavirus cases keeps on rising today, and CDC has raised a level 3 alert for South Korea. I have so many families and friends in Korea, especially in the city of Daegu where the recent breakout occurred. Reading these newspapers really scare me sometimes and I hope the situation gets better as soon as possible. Everything aside, my language learning experience has been great past two weeks. With continuous practice with the idiomatic expressions, I am now able to refer to different expressions in different situations that I come across. My reading and writing are improving as well with the new approach with Duolingo on my own. Finally, I’ve become so comfortable listening to Korean while watching videos and listening to radios. As I find new ways to explore my language learning career, it makes me so happy that I could apply my Korean skill in so many ways, and that encourages me even more to study and practice harder.
Comments
Great post Mr. Jo! Like the other guy who commented on this post, I also think that Duolingo is a great way to test your language abilities. While it doesn't make you fluent in the language, it helps you review words, vowels, and consonants that you've learned in class.
Great post Hyeon Jun Jo! I think that language apps are a great way to practice and learn a language. I've used several language apps myself, including Duolingo. I definitely agree with you that the streak adds an extra motivation to continue practicing. I also agree that the freedom to choose topics you want to learn is a big plus. If you're looking for other language apps, there is Memrise and Drops. Good luck with your studies!