Update on my Learning Goals (PE7)

Earlier, I posted about my goals for learning Japanese this year, and what activities I would do to accomplish those goals. Here's an update on how things are going.

Listening Goal: "Getting the gist of native Japanese"

• On the bright side, it is easier for me to pick up on words that I know when I watch anime with English subtitles. 
• However, when real people speaking Japanese in real life, I get very lost almost every time. I can't even gather the main idea of what they are saying. 

      I said earlier that I would watch an episode of Japanese TV every week. I regret to say that I have not done this, except over Fall Break, when I watched the anime Cowboy Bebop with my brothers. My plan for the future is to set aside a little time every Sunday night to watch a bit of something like NHK.

Speaking Goals: Speed

• Positive: There are some practiced sentences that I can say fluidly.
• Negative: There are still very large, unnatural pauses when I speak (to a degree that is much worse than when I speak English).

     As for my activities, I have not been watching TV shows and shadowing them, and I haven't been learning songs, except for the intro lines to ぼくはくま and うえをむいて. I have gone to Office Hours, but not often enough to accomplish my goals. Every week, when I plan out my schedule, I will include Office Hours on my list of things to do, so I will be sure to make time and remember to do them.


** Update on Speaking Goals - Speed of Mind ** 

My earlier Speaking Goal Statement included various topics such as pitch, rhythm and "naturalness."  This semester, for pitch and rhythm, I will be mindful of those things as I talk and listen, but they won't be my focus. For me, my utmost priority in my speaking is improving how quickly I can produce the Japanese words that I am trying to say (speed of mind, not necessarily speed of tongue).
     In order to do this, I need to practice speaking with people a lot. I am getting to know my classmates better, so I will find opportunities to practice with them on a regular basis. Also, as practice for speaking quickly, I will find Shadowing exercises that stretch my abilities for talking speed.