Dumping class for self studying??

[海賊狩り]

Actually I'm not quite sure about whether this question should go to the learning tips subcategory or here.

I've studied a year japanese in a class of 10 students.Sensei was phenomenal but thing is pace was slow (6 hours a week) and the other students in the class were very noisy. I am supposed to take N5 in 6 months time but I have to pay in advance in about 15 days the fee for the whole year if I am to continue there. I really don't want to risk getting in a bad class again cause that leaves much additional work at home.

I aced the annual test we take, which is level N5 too, but I really don't want to spent so much time of my life there for work that most of the times I have to do home. What do you think? Can someone go all the way (let's say at least N3-N2) knowing the basics, without any help from a proffesor or a class enviroment? Would I be able to get through the levels only with personal study?

[baskerville]

I can't say that it is impossible. But you have to have plenty of discipline and stay on course with your self study. For example, your goal is to study for one hour a day. Make sure you really do that.

I myself never had lots of discipline so I am one of those types that needed a real class to keep me motivated

Obviously you are the more persevering type so kudos to you and good luck with your studies!

[Ongakuka]

Do the past papers, and get someone to time you according to the time limits given for the exam. If all seems hopeless, you need to aim for a lower exam. If it's rough but you think you might stand a chance, that's what you need to aim for. If you feel comfortable, it's too easy.

That said, you don't really need to take any JLPT even to measure your own progress. You might as well wait until you're ready to take N1. Self study requires discipline but you also need to be intuitive and industrious. Develop your interests in Japanese popular culture, world knowledge via Japanese news, or investigate hobbies and passions in Japanese. All you need to do that is the internet and perseverance. Don't let the pace of the class drag you down

[Shiroisan]

You might as well wait until you're ready to take N1.

I would 超 disagree! Although I've personally never seen the interest in N5-N3, I see job postings with N2 as a functional requirement, as well as a prerequisite to enter some institutions. It seems in many peoples eyes this level of fluency is enough to be a fully functional participant. Of course if you barely pass then that's questionable at best though


That being said, I've yet to see any job that would consider N3 as ok.

[Ongakuka]

Well that depends on whether Kaizokugariさん is seeking a job in Japan and if so how soon. From that perspective N2 is certainly very desirable, though there are a lot of jobs that are most of all concerned with your capabilities and qualifications, choosing to assess your Japanese via interview.

Well in my case my job requires me to speak as much Japanese as a lemon. I might go for kanji-kentei and see if that turns a few heads

[Shiroisan]

capabilities and qualifications

Oh right... the job itself, damn XD

kanji-kentei and see if that turns a few heads

You must be into S&M or something

[Ongakuka]

You must be into S&M or something

who isn't?

[sampaguita]

Years ago, I took the L4 test (same as N5), self-studying for the most part because I found classes too slow. I passed.

[Shiroisan]

To contribute to the original topic...

I took a painfully slow beginner class at a community center that was a couple semesters worth below my level, consisting of earnest but hopeless students, and yet it did not impede my progress at all. There are a few reasons as to why:

-As a self studier I had never had any practice speaking in front of people before. Publicly speaking on your toes is a skill in and of itself. Speaking in front of the whole class gave me the confidence and practice I needed to catch that skill up to the rest of my abilities.

-I asked the teacher for extra, more advanced assignments that I would do as homework. I would purposefully try to give the most complex (sometimes convoluted) answers to each question as possible to expose as many of my mistaken grammar or vocabulary usage as I could, and get him to correct it and give it back.

-Helping the other students and explaining the lower level grammar helped to solidify my own understanding of it all in a precise way.


At the end of the day, I would say it's down to what resources you have available in terms of time and money as to whether to take classes or not, because I certainly wouldn't call it a necessity.