Since I am not taking the actual self-directed Korean language class this semester, I am not learning Korean, so it's difficult to say whether anything changed or not. But, after watching my PanOpto recording, I think I realized how ambitious I was because realistically, the tasks I mentioned would be hard to consistently complete especially with other classes and work. Even now, I haven't been able to practice and keep up with learning Korean. It's difficult to call my parents everyday, and when we do call each other, phone conversations are usually not that long. Also, I just don't need to speak the language here. It's interesting how sometimes I think I speak more Japanese than Korean. Even though I'm not actively learning through textbooks or with a teacher, I continue to watch Korean dramas and variety shows to immerse myself more into Korean culture. I also frequently watch Korean YouTubers and attempt to read more Korean comments. I think passively learning a language through entertainment can help one not only understand more of the language, but also the culture because language is the core of culture. By watching funny variety shows, you can learn about jokes and puns along with Korean humor. Through dramas, you can see what family relationships are like while learning the terms people use to call each other.
Learning through entertainment is enjoyable, but to really improve my communicative competence, I want to focus on grammatical competence and discourse competence. Learning passively and only listening to the language will only get you so far. To really use it, speaking is essential, so I want to learn more grammar and have a stronger foundation in order to speak fluently one day. Because I have never learned that much grammar, I realized that I tend to make more mistakes, sometimes questioning myself if what I said made sense or not or thinking about a different, simpler way to phrase my thoughts. I think knowing grammar would be very helpful for creating sentences and going farther than just simple conversations.
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It's also been really hard for me to try to learn Korean with all the other classes that we have. I didn't really realize how time consuming and engaging learning a language could be especially with Korean which I grew up with. I think I've also been very passive in learning in how I also don't speak in Korean even in my family but like you said I need to be more active even in listening or reading in order to better understand and remember Korean.
Hi Kate! I think I am in a similar situation as you. I am not currently enrolled in a formal Maltese class, in addition to the weekly linguistics class we attend. It can be really difficult to set a "learning time" each week to practice my studies, so I have found it is a little bit difficult to hit all of my original goals. Similar to you, I have also been doing my learning through leisure activities, such as watching YouTube videos and reading poetry. One suggestion I can make that has helped me is keeping a binder for your Korean studies. For example, every time I read a poem I print it out and put it in the binder. Also, I write down new vocabulary that I hear in videos I watch. This way, I feel like I have something tangible that reflects my progress and learning through entertainment outlets. Hope this helps!