Reading and Writing Practice

[maikeru]

I am kind of getting near the stage of intermidiate japanese and my learning's getting a bit stagnant. I was trying to think of how to get good practice at reading and writing - a lot of the stuff on the internet seems to be too easy - for beginner learners, but just reading full japanese is also way too hard.

I thought, how about a system where TJP.com members could practise their writing - from a paragraph, to a small article, in Japanese, at their selected level. In doing this members would be encouraged to write a at level challenging to them, but not so they are totally out of their depth, and need correcting every second word.

They could then post their article, and TJP.com members could discuss and improve the article. When it is pretty much right, it could be added to a data-base of articles in Japanese for members to practise their reading on. Maybe the forum discussion could also be included.

The finished product I am talking about is a database of graded paragraphs/short articles that members could use for reading practice, and an ongoing process that would allow for writing practice and discussion. Ideas for topics could be: cultural topics (Japanese and from around the world), current affairs, introduction of oneself (this would have to be limited as we dont want 10 000 different introductions, all at begginner level), conversation dialouge etc.

Well, this is just an idea. It would take time and work, but i think it would be worth it. maybe some existing forum posts could be added to this data-base to kick-start it........

i'd like to hear your thoughts....

[tanuki]

I like the idea, but sadly I don't have decent writing ability. I hope more people are interested, especially proficient members.

By the way, I was wondering "how the hell did he get an avatar so big!?" and then I realized you joined waaay back when the limits were different.

[Gundaetiapo]

They could then post their article, and TJP.com members could discuss and improve the article. When it is pretty much right, it could be added to a data-base of articles in Japanese for members to practise their reading on.

Fortunately the site already supports this functionality. Feel free to start a thread with your first attempt. Or if you want to read, there are many existing threads with corrections. See the recent polar bear thread or the ゆきの物語 threads for example.

If your post was really asking for organization of all these threads that have occured, I suggest you start a WagaWiki article to organize them with links.

[saraLynne]

I need to point out a very big obstacle to an idea like this. I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but it doesn't hurt to be a tad realistic.

When you have many, many people doing completely independent study, most are not following any particular course, and just picking up what they can here and there. TJP is not tied to any given course, either.

So the problem at the root is: How to divide people into... "stages"?

BillJoe and I might know roughly the same number of words, but I have focused on natural things and he's focused on technology and video games. Something that he writes will appear very advanced to me, and I'm stuck having to decipher every other word.

The only solution I can think of to this sort of problem is to develop a kind of standard for people to adhere to when writing their paragraphs. Accomplishing this, I feel, would be nothing short of monumental, as it would essentially require whipping up a full blown grammar book for TJP.

If anyone has a simple solution that I'm missing, then by all means share!! I'd love if something like this could work, but.... maybe I'm too pessimistic.

[tanuki]

So the problem at the root is: How to divide people into... "stages"?

JLPT-like stages?

[saraLynne]

I was thinking he was hoping for something a bit more intermediary, since the hop between 3 and 2 is rather large, and even bigger between 2 and 1... but I could be wrong.

[caroline]

BillJoe and I might know roughly the same number of words, but I have focused on natural things and he's focused on technology and video games. Something that he writes will appear very advanced to me, and I'm stuck having to decipher every other word.

I doesn't seem to me that this is a real problem, because it's a vocabulary question, and it would occur if someone was writing articles in specialized fields or area.
Take for instance ゆきの物語、it does not ask for a specific vocabulary, but for words and structures anyone may need someday.

The real question seems to me the grammar one : if grammatical structures are not understood, then it will become really difficult to understand a text.
But usually, people can get on their own if a text is too advanced for them or not... or if they can cope with a little effort.