Monday, November 7, 2011

PE Cycle 2 Goal Statement

I need to focus on the flow of my sentences as a whole, rather than become stuck on individual words. I feel that with memorization, it is easier to aim for the correct pitches on individual vocabulary words/short phrases, but it is still difficult to achieve a natural flow and intonation over the span of an entire sentence. This is something I hope to work on in Cycle 2.

My steps for improvement:
1. Reduce the time it takes for me to think of vocabulary words and grammar structures by practicing talking in Japanese regularly during the day. For example, I might describe the actions I am doing at the moment. When I am eating dinner, I might mutter, "わたしわばんごはんをたべます。” I practiced talking to myself a lot when I learned German and Russian, and I feel like this method, though it might make me seem insane, is useful.
2. Go to Language Table at least every other week.
3. Befriend and converse with a native speaker of Japanese, other than せんせい.
4. Go to study hall at least every other week to practice speaking with さとうせんせい。