Signing up for Japanese classes in Singapore is undoubtedly the best course of action if you want to become proficient in Nihongo. With a native Japanese instructor and an accredited curriculum to guide you, your learning journey becomes more efficient and straightforward than ever before. But as you may well know, mastering a language requires you to put in effort even when you leave the classroom.
With the need to tend to other responsibilities or even get adequate rest after class, you may be wondering how Japanes learning can continue outside of class time. But with these fun tips, you would realise that incorporating your Japanese studies into your day-to-day activities is not so difficult after all!
1. Immerse in a few educational games
Many younger students these days turn to their phones when they want to unwind after class. They either browse social media feeds or play the games that they enjoy. But no matter your age, if you want to improve your Japanese, playing games that incorporate learning is one of the best things you can do.
For instance, if you are looking to expand your Japanese vocabulary, you can play innovative games such as Earthlingo. This application, available in both the Apple Store and Google Play Store, is a vocabulary learning game that allows you to pick up Japanese words used in real-life settings. How it works: as a character in the game, you navigate the streets by clicking on the objects you see. A simple click will introduce you to the object’s Japanese name, spelling and pronunciation. Additionally, there is a testing feature for you to quiz yourself: naming the different objects you see as a character in the game.
Earthlingo is only one of the many fun and educational games you can play to supplement your studies. If you are a fan of crosswords, explore another game application called J-crosswords by renshuu. Apart from using Japanese characters only, the usual rules of a crossword apply. As you become more proficient in Japanese, switch from the beginner to the intermediate level, elevating your proficiency further!
2. Make a habit of naming things wherever you go
This tip builds on what you’ve learnt in vocabulary games such as Earthlingo. Essentially, whenever you commute or head to a new place, there are always opportunities to test yourself on the vocabulary you’ve learnt. Whether it was vocabulary picked up from Japanese class or Earthlingo, challenge yourself to name objects and events you recognise.
Even if you face difficulty naming an object in Japanese, the learning does not stop there. Note it down on your phone, along with how common or often you come across it. Typically, it’s better to prioritise the everyday items first. But if you would like to, you can also look up every item that you encounter.
3. Switch to the Japanese language in your favourite media
Constant studying is never helpful for everyone. As such, taking a break once in a while is an absolute must. And when rest is mentioned, the usual activities that come to mind are watching movies and playing games.
If you enjoy such activities during your downtime, why not double it up as an opportunity to enhance your Japanese skills? When you’re listening to dialogues in movies and games, explore the language options and see if the dialogues have versions dubbed in Japanese. Most shows (especially those found on Netflix) and games nowadays have the multi-language support option. These platforms are probably the best place to pick up vocabulary and grammar rules for the spoken language, as well as some everyday slang commonly used in Japan.
Fret not if you are not a fan of such media, because you can also get in touch with the language through written media: Japanese manga and novels. In fact, doing so not only enhances your reading and comprehension skills, but also tests your kanji knowledge.
Conclusion
Becoming proficient in Japanese can take some time. But by creating Japanese-learning opportunities in your pockets of free time, you can accelerate that process significantly.
If you would like to know where you can find effective Japanese courses in Singapore, check out our offerings here at Japanese Explorer! Our Japanese courses are led by professional and native Japanese tutors who will guide you to learn the language in the most optimal way, based on your learning needs and preferences.
