Gaming Learn Japanese with a DS?

[cocomonk22]

I use Kageyama Method Tadashii Kanji Kakitori-kun.

It is goes through hiragana, katakana, and all 1,945 jouyou kanji. It has excellent handwriting recognition and shows proper stroke order. There are also some game modes if your Japanese is at intermediate level.

 

[Schizoanalysis]

I'm 18, why?

I was just wondering if it is a generational thing. I mean, I used to tutor at a university and noticed that students these days were different to how they were when I was at Uni.

I mean, I also found that students won't put in the work. No one does their readings anymore. When I was at Uni, 90% of the class did their readings. Just a different expectation of work/reward.

 

[Inunah]

I use Kageyama Method Tadashii Kanji Kakitori-kun.

It is goes through hiragana, katakana, and all 1,945 jouyou kanji. It has excellent handwriting recognition and shows proper stroke order. There are also some game modes if your Japanese is at intermediate level.

I tried that game just prior to making this topic. I got stuck on the second thing, where you put the missing kanji into a sentence. I was stuck because I couldn't read the sentence, nor did I know what Kanji would've gone there.

 

[Inunah]

I'm 18, why?

I was just wondering if it is a generational thing. I mean, I used to tutor at a university and noticed that students these days were different to how they were when I was at Uni.

I mean, I also found that students won't put in the work. No one does their readings anymore. When I was at Uni, 90% of the class did their readings. Just a different expectation of work/reward.

What do you mean by 'does their readings'? I have no clue what that means.

 

[cocomonk22]

That's why you should just do the かきとり mode for hiragana and katakana. For kanji, if you can't read the definitions the game uses, you may have to learn in context, so it works if you have a source for learning Japanese such as a class or something. At your level, I would say you should use the game to work on writing and stroke order, and if you have a dictionary or something to look up the kanji as you progress through the game.

 

[Inunah]

That's why you should just do the ???? mode for hiragana and katakana. For kanji, if you can't read the definitions the game uses, you may have to learn in context, so it works if you have a source for learning Japanese such as a class or something.

Okay... I can't get to that mode when it's asking me to do the writing the missing kanji thing. All options lead to the same thing.

And how do you learn in context if you can't read even one word? I mean without a class. there's no way for me to get a class.

 

[Schizoanalysis]

What do you mean by 'does their readings'? I have no clue what that means.

The students are expected to read one or two boring articles or book chapters before they come to class. None do this. OK, maybe 5% do. But in my day, 90% did.

 

[Inunah]

What do you mean by 'does their readings'? I have no clue what that means.

The students are expected to read one or two boring articles or book chapters before they come to class. None do this. OK, maybe 5% do. But in my day, 90% did.

Huh. That sounds fun. But awfully hard if the article/book was in a language you barely knew enough of to even describe your typical day.

 

[cocomonk22]

At the writing missing kanji thing, it is just checking your level. To get past, just push とばす and さいてん　for each fill in the blank thing. Then push スキップ to skip, and then you will be at the menu where you can select かきとり.

 

[Schizoanalysis]

Oh no, these are in English. And they are even given a copy of the articles.

 

[Inunah]

At the writing missing kanji thing, it is just checking your level. To get past, just push ??? and ?????for each fill in the blank thing. Then push ???? to skip, and then you will be at the menu where you can select ????.

It won't let me. I've already tried that. It just skips to another level! It NEVER gets to the main menu.

 

[Clydefrosch]

japanese is all about vocab lists and memorization.

i know from someone studying japanese in germany, its really a lot of work getting to learn the kanji and being able to draw them.
it took about 2 years of university level japanese courses for her to comfortably play a game which has probably rather easy language, namely pokemon black.

Get real now, you actually need textbooks and real lessons.

Save some money and raid amazon for some used basic japanese books.


Even if you need to save for a year, you'll learn much more than trying ds games in that time.

theyre only useful to enhance your vocabulary anyway

 

[cocomonk22]

Ok, let's try starting from the beginning. This is assuming you are playing "Kageyama Method Tadashii Kanji Kakitori-kun - Kondo wa Kanken Taisaku Dayo" and not the earlier "Kageyama Method - Dennou Hanpuku: Tadashii Kanji Kakitori-kun" version.

Select an empty save slot
Select hand
Enter name
Select スキップ
Select 1年生
Select とばす or さいてん through each section
Select スキップ
You should now be at main menu

 

[Inunah]

Um... I've been saving for over five years and have NEVER gotten close to getting the money for lessons or text books. Hell, there AREN'T any lessons here. I have to have someone physically around to help me with things if I get lessons. Over the internet has never done shit for me.

And textbooks are not likely. There aren't any stores around that carry those, and I can't order off of the internet.

Also, that didn't work for that game. The game I have doesn't have Dennou Hanpuku in the name, but your instructions didn't work.

 

[Phoenix Goddess]

It honestly just sounds like you don't want to learn if it isn't easy.

 

[cocomonk22]

Those instructions worked for me.

This is the start-up screen for the updated version the instructions are based off of:

Some other games to check:
Anpanman to Asobo AIUEO Kyoushitsu DX (click ??????, select a hiragana character, and there will be words starting with that character with picture and voice)
Anpanman to Asobo ABC Kyoushitsu (select categories of words, there are pictures to click and you hear English and Japanese voice)

Other than My Japanese Coach, there isn't really any good DS software for English people learning Japanese.

If you are alright with non-DS options, you may want to check out the list here: http://www.tofugu.com/2010/04/06/tofugu-10...ning-resources/

 

[Inori]

Not only have you youself admitted that you don`t have the attention span to learn, things have to be all flashy and dressed up in order for you to consider learning. If you can`t make yourself learn, then don`t learn at all. Just because something doesn`t work instantaneously for you, it doesn`t mean that it doesn`t work at all. It takes years of practice to learn any language. If you can`t even get over this first hurdle of learning Hiragana and Katakana, then you won`t make it very far because it gets harder at every level. And you`re grossly mistaken if you think learning how to read and/or write = Knowing Japanese.

If you are genuinely interested in learning Japanese, then buy the damn textbooks. Don`t give me that "Oh I have to order it online and it costs so much and it`s just too hard for me because it involves me actually putting in effort" crap, because there is always a way.

Of course, the option is to just sit there, do nothing, and expect the knowledge fairies to bestow upon you the knowledge of the Japanese language with their magical fairy dust.

 

[Goli]

Instead of staring at different kana you should actually try writing them.
It helps you memorize everything much more effectively rather than staring at it like you had some mental problem.
They do make you write tons of seemingly useless things in school for a reason.

 

[Inunah]

I can't order off the net, games I know about don't work, and there aren't any Japanese classes around here that I can physically sit in.

Argh, I'm better off learning Spanish from a guy who can only speak Russian. Or physically going to Japan without any knowledge of Japanese and sitting there waiting until I understand what the fuck they're telling me.

 

[Inori]

Unless you`re living in a cave guarded by bears that happen to have a laptop and wi-fi, then there will be classes that you can physically sit it.

Have you checked courses at your local tertiary institution?