For the past two weeks, I’ve kept my lesson plans relatively the same. I’ve changed the default language on my phone for about four weeks now, and I think I can see the results of this change. When I’m on my phone, I catch myself constantly thinking in Korean. At first, I made lots of mistakes because I could not understand all of the words in the settings and applications. After about the third week, I was able to associate words with the images correctly. I am most challenged by this method when I am notified of a software update or any other settings in Korean. Since I receive different notifications all the time, I take my time to determine the meaning of the notifications. When I could not figure out the words after a few minutes of trying, I translated the words using Google translate. While Google translate is not the best method of learning a language, the site completed most of the task. I am not sure if I will continue this learning method as it does not challenge me as much anymore. I am thinking of improving upon previous learning methods that I have incorporated in the past.
About four weeks ago, I also changed the default language on my computer to Korean. I think changing my default language on my computer is much more difficult than changing the language on my phone for several reasons. First, the computer has a plethora of settings that a phone does not have. When using my computer in Korean, I have to take multiple attempts before I select the correct settings. The images that indicate each setting are also different from those of my Iphone. Currently, it’s much easier to associate words to images on my phone because I’ve been practicing more often. I could not practice much on the computer because I could not complete assignments for other classes in an efficient manner. I would only switch the default language to Korean only during my free time when I would practice. Second, I was not entirely familiar with the Koreanized internet settings that would appear when I clicked the right mouse button. This applies not only to the settings, but also websites as well. I saw changes in the default language of sites like Youtube, which I visit frequently. Third, I have never practiced typing Korean on the computer. While I do have some practice from typing in Korean on my phone, I realized that it would take more practice and greater muscle memory for me to master the skill. When I type in Korean on my computer, I constantly try to remember which buttons I would press when I type on my phone. This process slows me down significantly as I only type a few words per minute. For the next two weeks or so, I am going to research methods that I can use to get better at typing in Korean.
Comments
Hi Jaewan, nice post! I definitely think changing the language on your phone and computer are very effective ways to learn the language. I have also heard of other people doing the same to learn other languages they are currently learning. I also think it's interesting the differences you see between changing the language on your phone versus on your computer.
Great post Jae Wan! I think that changing your phone and computer's default language is a really interesting way to practice a language! I think I'll keep this in mind when I improve my language skills. I also agree with you that Google translate is not the best method to learn a language. I've tried using Google translate to communicate with someone in another language, and they sometimes tell me that whatever Google translate came up with makes no sense. Keep up the good work!