SDLC%20Reflection%20Paper%20%231.docx
Rote memorization and reading textbooks are helpful when I learn about accounting or economics, but for languages, it was best for me to learn with my ears and eyes. I always have thought that people were either a visual, auditory, and tactical learner, but instead of one or the other, people can be a mix of all three. My results from the Learning Styles quiz demonstrated that I was 45% visual, 30% auditory, and 25% tactical, and from the FIRE model it seems like I am more of a mix of factual and evaluative. From my experiences, knowing one’s learning style and implementing effective activities that suit it speeds up the language learning process and prevents burnout.
I have had the experience of learning Spanish, Japanese, and Korean, and I have realized that the most important factor of how successful one would be when learning a language, especially independently, is how interested and passionate one is in that language. I was forced to learn Spanish from fourth grade until ninth grade. I did not want to learn it, and I had no interest in it. Until my freshman year in high school, I dreaded attending my Spanish class. I did not understand it. It was a mess. After I was done with Spanish, I realized that I wanted to learn Japanese, but it was unfortunately unavailable at my school. So, during tenth grade, I decided that I was going to learn it on my own.
It was challenging. The 3 writing systems in the language were already overwhelming. I couldn’t move ahead to learning more grammar and vocab since I wasn’t even able to read or write. For about a year and a half, I learned by listening. I watched Japanese YouTubers and Japan travel videos almost every day. The summer after senior year, I planned to travel there with a few friends after visiting Korea. To prepare, I downloaded an app called Memrise, which extremely helped me recognize and ultimately memorize Hiragana and Katakana. I was actually able to read some words. Then for my freshman year at the University of Richmond, I registered for Japanese 101 and 102. Here, I discovered that not only was I a visual learner, but also an auditory learner. I learned the language much faster and more easily when I didn’t take notes in class and instead focused on what the professor was saying. Immersing myself into the language by listening to it as much as possible helped me improve my Japanese.
Even for Korean, I aim to call and text my parents as much as possible in order to practice my speaking and writing skills. I also watch Korean dramas and variety shows so I constantly listen to Korean, learning new vocabulary while also being entertained. On YouTube, I watch Korean YouTubers and read the comment section, helping me practice my reading ability. Attending school on the other side of the country far from home makes it very difficult to practice Korean especially since I have no reason to speak it here. However, I am constantly attempting to at least maintain my Korean speaking, reading, and writing ability. Although it is challenging to juggle learning two languages at once, seeing my progress and realizing how much I improved gives me satisfaction and pride.
Comments
Thanks for this thoughtful reflection, Kate. You seem to have a nice balance of visual, auditory, and tactile learning styles. It's impressive that you started learning Japanese on your own! This will undoubtedly be valuable experience going forward with your studies of Korean. In learning the three writing systems, did you by any chance use an app called Skritter? If you're still interested in advancing in Japanese, it could prove a valuable resource. What Korean dramas and variety shows do you watch? Do you watch them with subtitles? Also, which Korean YouTube channels would you recommend? Learning Korean and Japanese simultaneously will undoubtedly be a challenge, especially from a phonological standpoint, but your study of one will inform your knowledge of the other.