For this week's meeting, I was able to wrap up what I've learned for this semester by taking a test over the things I learned in the past few weeks. Even though from the journals, the things I learned weren't organized and there were also some repetitive activities, my primary goal since the beginning of this semester was to build foundations for speaking, reading and listening. By revisiting the alphabet over and over again, I finally was able to spell words and read texts in Korean (It's been too long). Also, in the group meetings, we were watching the "Reply 1994" from the well-known "Reply" series. By watching this, I was able to practice my ability to speak naturally and get used to listening to native speakers talk (Even though the characters in the drama speak Korean with heavy accents).
Learning languages using TV dramas is not uncommon. For many Chinese, the main sources for learning English could just be "Friends." Similarly, learning Korean with "Reply" series could be an entertaining and effective approach. Jannette was able to give me some tips on how to learn Korean through watching TV series.
Learning to read Korean is definitely the first step. Once you've learned how to read Korean, you could use Korean subtitles that would enhance your reading skills. And you could also turn the subtitles off so that your listening skills could be enhanced.
Focus is also important. It’s easy to leave the TV on in the background, especially when it’s in Korean and you don’t understand everything that’s going on. It’s also easy to miss a lot of what’s happening on the screen if you’re busy trying to catch all the subtitles as they appear. Unless you focus on what’s happening and what’s being said, you won’t learn much of anything. At the end of a television learning session, you should feel a bit tired. After all, you’re studying! And while using your favorite TV show to learn Korean is a fun way to study, it still involves a bit of work to stay focused.
In order to keep your focus, it’s best to watch the TV series in segments, rather than trying to watch it in a single sitting. That way, you can fast forward or rewind as many times as you need to make sure you really understand what you’re hearing. nd have the chance to write down any useful vocabulary or phrases.
Once is never enough. If you really want to make the material your own, you’ll want to watch each segment more than once. Watch it once without subtitles, then again with English subtitles, then again with Korean subtitles. Write down the phrases you find useful in Korean, and then watch it again with English subtitles to check your translations. Finally, watch it once more without subtitles. Mix it up and dive deep.
When using a movie or TV show as a resource, engaging with the material is a good way to make your study time active rather than passive. Mimic the actors, fill in parts of the dialogue with your own responses, or even copy their body language.
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