Buy Genki and instead of Anki, sign up for JPDB.io and add the pre-made Genki deck. After that book, you can go on it other books that also have JPDB.io decks and add all of the new words from your iTalki lessons to a new deck that you make yourself. Then, start Satori Reader and start reading stories where you can click on any word and immediately get the definition and make flashcards from them.
Practice, practice, practice. You can look up words or grammar points when you get stuck. If you're not ready to just dive into materials aimed at natives, there's plenty of free practice for leaners out there.
Generally, reading material with high comprehension is the best way to improve your grammar and your vocabulary. It will increase your understanding of what you already 'know' from a textbook, and you'll learn new things in context, often just from the context.
Japanese being Japanese, sometimes you have to look up a new word just for the reading even though the meaning may be obvious from the context and then kanji, but largely the real learning takes place from experiencing the language.
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"What can I use for reading practice?"
- https://www.erin.ne.jp/en/ (online audio-visual course, but has 'manga' version)
- https://tadoku.org/japanese/en/free-books-en/ (Graded Readers)
- https://www.japonin.com/free-learning-tools/teachers-blog.html (Essay style blogs from Japanese teachers)
- https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/80636366 (Crystal Hunters Manga "自然な日本語版")
- https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/ (Easier versions of the news, with links to the full version if you are up to the challenge)
- http://hukumusume.com/douwa/ (福娘童話集 - collected folk & fairy tales)
- https://www.aozora.gr.jp/ (青空文庫 - public domain works)
- https://syosetu.com/ (小説家になろう！ - Web Novel site for aspiring authors)
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"What can I use for listening practice?"
- https://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/english/ (NHK lessons - online audio-visual course)
- https://www.erin.ne.jp/en/ (online audio-visual course, many skits)
- https://www.japonin.com/free-learning-tools/teachers-blog.html (Essay style blogs from Japanese teachers)
- https://jlptstories.com/ (JLPT Stories podcast)
- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ujXryUUwILURRKt9Eh7Nw (三本塾 : Lessons and conversations about Japanese, in Japanese)
- https://www.youtube.com/@nihongonomori2013 (日本語の森 : Japanese lessons in Japanese JLPT focused)
- http://nihongoconteppei.com/ (Easier Podcast from a Japanese teacher)
- http://teppeisensei.com/ (Harder Podcast from a Japanse teacher)
- http://hukumusume.com/douwa/ (福娘童話集 - collected folk & fairy tales, many have audio)
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Ideally, fluency. My goal is to teach English in Japan (I have already obtained my TEFL certificate) so at the very least I want to know enough to get by just fine in Japan.
Those are exceptionally different goals, you know.
Fluency requires a *lifetime* of active learning, ( you never stop learning really)
Getting by, well you can be ae to do that pretty quickly if you stay focused.
Genki should help give you grammar and vocab to help boost you into higher level. You want to start make sure you’re adding details and trying to use 2 or more sentences at a time.
I know I sound like a broken record but, sooooo much comprehensible input. And emphasis on the comprehensible part, which I know can be kind of tough on the A1 end.
Buy Genki and instead of Anki, sign up for JPDB.io and add the pre-made Genki deck. After that book, you can go on it other books that also have JPDB.io decks and add all of the new words from your iTalki lessons to a new deck that you make yourself. Then, start Satori Reader and start reading stories where you can click on any word and immediately get the definition and make flashcards from them.
Practice, practice, practice. You can look up words or grammar points when you get stuck. If you're not ready to just dive into materials aimed at natives, there's plenty of free practice for leaners out there. Generally, reading material with high comprehension is the best way to improve your grammar and your vocabulary. It will increase your understanding of what you already 'know' from a textbook, and you'll learn new things in context, often just from the context. Japanese being Japanese, sometimes you have to look up a new word just for the reading even though the meaning may be obvious from the context and then kanji, but largely the real learning takes place from experiencing the language. --- Cut-n-Paste --- "What can I use for reading practice?" - https://www.erin.ne.jp/en/ (online audio-visual course, but has 'manga' version) - https://tadoku.org/japanese/en/free-books-en/ (Graded Readers) - https://www.japonin.com/free-learning-tools/teachers-blog.html (Essay style blogs from Japanese teachers) - https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/80636366 (Crystal Hunters Manga "自然な日本語版") - https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/ (Easier versions of the news, with links to the full version if you are up to the challenge) - http://hukumusume.com/douwa/ (福娘童話集 - collected folk & fairy tales) - https://www.aozora.gr.jp/ (青空文庫 - public domain works) - https://syosetu.com/ (小説家になろう！ - Web Novel site for aspiring authors) --- Cut-n-Paste --- "What can I use for listening practice?" - https://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/english/ (NHK lessons - online audio-visual course) - https://www.erin.ne.jp/en/ (online audio-visual course, many skits) - https://www.japonin.com/free-learning-tools/teachers-blog.html (Essay style blogs from Japanese teachers) - https://jlptstories.com/ (JLPT Stories podcast) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ujXryUUwILURRKt9Eh7Nw (三本塾 : Lessons and conversations about Japanese, in Japanese) - https://www.youtube.com/@nihongonomori2013 (日本語の森 : Japanese lessons in Japanese JLPT focused) - http://nihongoconteppei.com/ (Easier Podcast from a Japanese teacher) - http://teppeisensei.com/ (Harder Podcast from a Japanse teacher) - http://hukumusume.com/douwa/ (福娘童話集 - collected folk & fairy tales, many have audio) --- Cut-n-Paste ---
Great resources!
What's your goal/objective? What you want to do with the language will determine your course.
Ideally, fluency. My goal is to teach English in Japan (I have already obtained my TEFL certificate) so at the very least I want to know enough to get by just fine in Japan.
Those are exceptionally different goals, you know. Fluency requires a *lifetime* of active learning, ( you never stop learning really) Getting by, well you can be ae to do that pretty quickly if you stay focused.
If you've got the basics down, go talk to people! Hellotalk is a pretty dope exchange app that lets you actually meet people
Genki should help give you grammar and vocab to help boost you into higher level. You want to start make sure you’re adding details and trying to use 2 or more sentences at a time.
I know I sound like a broken record but, sooooo much comprehensible input. And emphasis on the comprehensible part, which I know can be kind of tough on the A1 end.