How to memorize Hiragana & Katakana

I understand some students have difficulty in memorizing Hiragana and Katakana, so here are some tips and learning materials that might be helpful to you.

How to memorize Hiragana & Katakana

1) First, prepare a detailed hiragana chart. Try to keep a copy of your hiragana chart taped up somewhere you will see it daily. For example, you could hang it on the wall by your desk, on your fridge, or even in your bathroom.  Then, practice them regularly!

2) Before you do any writing, simply look at the forms and say the sounds out loud from 5 vowels (a,i,u,e,o). Try to emphasize the differences you see between each form.

3) When you feel comfortable with the look of hiragana, you can try writing them. Pay close attention to form as these will be the foundation of your writing. The correct stroke order will help others decipher the characters if you've written in a rush. One popular memorization method entails simply writing each character over and over while repeating its name.
(from: http://www.ehow.com/how_5097230_memorize-japanese-hiragana.html)

Helpful websites

a) Information about Japanese Writing System 

• http://www.japanese-lesson.com/characters/index.html

b) Mnemonics
 

• http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~if2n-szk/mnemonics.html
• https://waterfordschooljapanese.wikispaces.com/file/view/HIRAGANA+MNEMONIC+INDEX.pdf
• Hiragana: http://www.darton.edu/programs/Humanities/foreign-language/kana.html
• Katakana: http://www.darton.edu/programs/Humanities/foreign-language/katakana.html

c) Flash Cards
    - Flashcards to Print (Note that the fonts used in these flash cards look a little different from hand written kana.)

• http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sheaa/projects/genki/hiragana.pdf  (Hiragana)
• http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sheaa/projects/genki/katakana.pdf  (Katakana)

d) Writing Practice
    - Practice Sheets to Print

• http://www.coscom.co.jp/hiragana-katakana/kanapdf/renshuu_hiragana.pdf (Hiragana)
• http://www.coscom.co.jp/hiragana-katakana/kanapdf/renshuu_katakana.pdf (Katakana)

e) Games

• Multiple Choice (Genki online - Flash Cards)  
  http://genki.japantimes.co.jp/self_en
• Hiragagana and Katakana Practice (RealKana.com)  
  http://www.realkana.com/
• Drag & Drop to the Chart (Usagi chan's Genki resource page)  
  http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sheaa/projects/genki/hiragana-timer.html

f) Song

• Japanese Alphabet Song
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrMkJAzbWQc&feature=related

Keep practicing Kana!! がんばって！

Intermediate on 5/30/12

Number of students: 5

Summary:
(1)Self-Introduction

(2)Lesson 5: mini test

(3)Lesson 6: てform (Genki I pp.118-119)
- Classroom expressions
- Workbook p.49

(4)Lesson 6: ～てください (Genki I p.120)
- Excercise (p.123 I-C, p.124 I-D)

(5)Lesson 6: ～てもいいです/～てはいけません (Genki I p.120)
- Exercise (p.124 II-A)

(6)Lesson 6:dialogue

Homework:
(1)Workbook (pp.51-53) *Preparing for the mini test next week!
(2)Writing composition

Next week (6/6/2012):
(1)Lesson 6-1 mini test
(2)Lesson 6 (continued)

Please bring your textbook or a copy of pdf of Genki next week! We are starting lesson 6 next week. Please prepare for that if you have time!

 

Intermediate on 5/23/12

I resumed my Japanese class at ACC only during the summer semester! Anybody who wants to learn Japanese is welcome!
Let's study Japanese together and improve your language skill this summer!!

Number of students: 3
Summary:
(1)Self-Introduction

(2)Lesson 5: Adjectives (Genki I pp.100-101)
 - affirmative form and negative form
 - Practice: pp.105-106 I-A,B,C and D
 - past tense
 - Practice: p.107 II-A,B and C

(3)Lesson 5: すきな/きらいな (Genki I pp.102-103)
 - AはBがすき/きらいです。(A likes/dislikes B)
 - Pair work: すきなスポーツ/たべもの/おんがく 

(4)Lesson 5: ～ましょう (Genki I p.103)
 - ~ませんか: why don't we? (invitation)
 - ~ましょう：Let's do something! 

Homework:
(1)Workbook (pp.41,44,46 and 47) *Preparing for the mini test next week!
(2)Writing composition

Next week (5/30/2012): 
(1)Lesson 5 mini test
(2)Lesson 6 

Please bring your textbook or a copy of pdf of Genki next week! We are starting lesson 6 next week. Please prepare for that if you have time!

 

Intermediate on 7/14/11

Number of students: 5
Summary:
(1)宿題（しゅくだい）の答え（こたえ）合わせ（あわせ）  = Checking the answers of the homework
  - Homework

(2)Lesson 9 Colors (p.189)
  - There are two kinds of words for colors.
  - Group 1: いadjectives   ex) くろい= black, あかい= red, あおい= blue
     * Without the い, those words become nouns. ex) くろ、あか、あお
  - Group 2: Nouns   ex) みどり= green, むらさき= purple, きんいろ= gold        
     * If you add の after those words, they become adjectives. ex) みどりの、むらさきの

  - Practice
    - handout

(3)Information: a website to learn Japanese
  - エリンが挑戦（ちょうせん）！にほんごできます。
  https://www.erin.ne.jp/en/
  - I recommend especially "Basic skit," "Key phrases," and "Develop vocabulary" parts.
   The good thing of this basic skit is that you can read the scripts in Japanese
    (Kanji, Kana, and Roma-ji) and English. Let's study Japanese more!

Message from Takako:
I will go back to Japan next week and come back to the US in August. I am not sure if I can teach a class at ACC in the fall semester since I will be a master student at IU, but I am really hoping that you keep learning Japanese! I really enjoyed teaching Japanese to you all.:)) Thank you very much! Please keep in touch! Then, I'll let you know here in my blog if I find out I have time to teach at ACC again. Thank you! Have a great summer time!!

Intermediate on 7/7/11

Number of students: 5
Summary:
(1)七夕（たなばた）のお話（はなし） = Tanabata story
  - handout
  - Tanabata manga
  - Say your wish in Japanese using ～ますように.
    ex) 自転車（じてんしゃ）に　のれるように　なりますように。= I hope I become able to ride a bicycle.
      ピアノが　上手（じょうず）に　なりますように。= I hope I become good at playing piano.
      日本語（にほんご）が　はなせるように　なりますように。= I hope I can speak Japanese better.
      テストに　合格（ごうかく）しますように。= I hope I can pass the test (exam).

(2)Review of Lesson 8
  - practice text p.166 VII-A, VIII-A
         
(3)Review quiz
  - Review quiz (from Workbook pp.70-71)

(4)Lesson 8  単語（たんご）Vocabulary (pp.152-153)
  - handout (L8-1. Vocab)

(5)Lesson 8 会話（かいわ）(pp.150-151)

Homework:
(1) Review questions (handout) / *optional: (handout2)
(from: http://courses.csusm.edu/japn102bmi/Grammar%20notes/grammarF.htm)

Next class (July 14) :The last class of this semester

ではまた 来週（らいしゅう）！

Intermediate on 6/30/11

Number of students: 5 (+ observer 1)
Summary:
(1)Review quiz
  - Review quiz (from text p.165 V + Workbook p.69)

(2)Lesson 8-4 ～のが好きです (pp.157-158)
  - Add の to a verbal short form to express the idea of "doing x."
    ex) -私（わたし）は　日本語（にほんご）を　勉強（べんきょう）するのが　好（す）きです。
      = I like studying Japanese.
         - 私（わたし）は　掃除（そうじ）するのが　嫌（きら）いです。
      = I don't like cleaning.
         - ロバートさんは　料理（りょうり）を作（つく）るのが　上手（じょうず）です。
      = Robert is good at cooking meals.
         - たけしさんは　英語（えいご）を話（はな）すのが　下手（へた）です。
      = Takeshi is not a good speaker of English.

  - Practice (activity with your partner)

(3)Lesson 8-5 が (pp.158-159)
  - A question word that is the subject of a sentence is never followed by the particle は, but always by the particle が.
    ex) - だれが　沖縄（おきなわ）に　行（い）きましたか。= Who went to Okinawa?
  - A noun that will provide the answer to such a question is also followed by the particle が.
 - クラスで　だれが　めがねをかけていますか。 = Who wears glasses in the class?
  - 山下先生（やましたせんせい）が　めがねを　かけています。= Professor Yamashita does.

(4)Lesson 8-6 何か and 何も (pp.159-160)
  - 何（なに）か = something (in positive sentences), anything? (in question sentences)
  - 何（なに）も+ negatives = not ... anything
  - Practice p.167 VIII-B

(5)Reading for fun
  - Article about Osaka (from: http://web-japan.org/trends/07_food/jfd071107.html)

Homework:
(1) Workbook pp.70-71

Next class (July 7) :
(1) Tanabata story
(2) Review of Lesson 8
(3) Review quiz
(4) Lesson 8  単語（たんご）Vocabulary (pp.152-153)
(5) Lesson 8 会話（かいわ）(pp.150-151)

ではまた 来週（らいしゅう）！

Intermediate on 6/23/11

Number of students: 5
Summary:
(1)Review of Lesson 8-1: Short forms

(2)Review of Lesson 8-2: と思います／と言っていました
  - Practice p.162 III-B

(3)Lesson 8-3 ～ないでください = Please don't ... (p.157)
  - To request that someone refrain from doing something, one can use a negative verbal short form plus でください.
    ex) - ここで　写真（しゃしん）を　撮（と）らないでください。= Please don't take pictures here.
         - ここで　食（た）べないでください。= Please don't eat here.
         - うちに　来（こ）ないでください。= Please don't come home.
  - Practice p.165 V

(4)Reading for fun
  - Article about Ginza (from: http://web-japan.org/trends/09_food/jfd110224.html)

Homework:
(1) Workbook pp.68-69

Next class (June 30) :
(1) Review quiz
(2) Lesson 8-4 ～のが好きです (pp.157-158)
(3) Lesson 8-5 が (pp.158-159)
(4 )Lesson 8-6 何か and 何も (pp.159-160)

ではまた 来週（らいしゅう）！

Intermediate on 6/16/11

Number of students: 5
Summary:
(1)Review quiz
  - Review quiz (Verb short forms)

(2)Review of short forms
  - Practice p.161 I-A and B

(3)Lesson 8-2: と思います(I think ...) ／ と言っていました(Somebody said ...) (pp.155-157)
  - Practice p.162 III-A

Homework:
(1) Workbook p.67

Next class (June 23) :
(1) Lesson 8-3 ～ないでください = Please don't ... (p.157)

ではまた 来週（らいしゅう）！

Intermediate on 6/9/11

Number of students: 3
Summary:
(1)Words quiz
  - Words quiz (Katakana)

(2)Lesson 8-1: Short forms (pp.154-155)
  - Practice p.161 I-A and B

(3)Lesson 8-2: Informal Speech (pp.155-157)
  - In informal speech, we use short forms.
  - ex) - よく　魚（さかな）を　食（た）べる？= Do you often eat fish?
         - うん、食べる。= Yes, I do.
         - ううん、食べない。= No, I don't.
  - Practice p.161 II-A and B

Homework:
(1) Workbook pp.65-66

Next class (June 16) :
(1) Review quiz
(2) Lesson 8-2: と思います(I think ...) ／ と言っていました(Somebody said ...) (pp.155-157)

ではまた 来週（らいしゅう）！

Intermediate on 5/26/11

Number of students: 3
Summary:
(1)Words quiz
  - Words quiz (Adjectives)

(2)Katakana Vocabulary
  - handout

(3)Review of Lesson 7
  - handout

(4)Reading for fun
  - Article about Yokohama (from: http://web-japan.org/trends/07_food/jfd080221.html)

Homework:
(1) Practice katakana vocabulary for quiz.
(2) Lesson 7 review (handout)
(3) Lesson 7 Introduction of your family

Next class (June 9) :There is no class on June 2.
(1)Words quiz
(2)Lesson 8-1: Short forms (pp.154-155)
(3)Lesson 8-2: Informal Speech (pp.155-157)

ではまた 再来週（さらいしゅう）！