Progress Update 11/7/2016

I know this site is just for keeping track of my own personal studies, but that doesn't mean I discourage commenting. So if there's ever anyone reading this site who has a comment on a mistake in one of my sentences, or a tip for any grammar points, then that is always welcome. Questions are welcome as well, but as the site suggests, I'm a learner of Japanese, not a teacher. Still, I'll try to clarify anything to the best of my ability.

A few days ago I updated my song translation (here) after delving deeper into the usage of a couple vocab words. It feels more accurate now, though I know it still has a long way to go. I'm kind of excited to see its evolution as I grow more competent in the language.

Anyway, on to actual progress. I honestly can't remember when I first began learning Japanese this year. I want to say sometime in February? Assuming that's the case, this'll be my tenth month of studying Japanese. Progress in this language is noticeably slow-going compared to languages like Spanish because it's so different from English. But I'm still happy with how far I've come, and how much I'm able to understand after roughly ten months of study.

I suppose I'll give an overview of my current study habits, mostly for my own edification.

1. WaniKani to learn kanji and some vocab
2. Genki I to learn grammar (almost done)
3. Anki to expand my vocab
4. Graded readers for reading practice
5. Other random online sources for reading practice

Number 5 includes NHK Easy News, Satori Reader, and other random sites that are in Japanese. I don't use them on a daily basis, but I'll try to read an article maybe a couple times a week.

What I'm currently lacking in is speaking and listening practice. I know listening is key for the JLPT, and it's critical for speaking as well so I can respond appropriately in a conversation. I think using JapanesePod101 to both practice listening and shadow in speaking would help improve that immensely.

So, my plan for the next few months is the following:

1. Finish Genki I and move on to Genki II
2. Continue using Anki and WaniKani
3. Progress with more difficult reading material
4. Add JapanesePod101 for speaking and listening

With each of those, I'm studying Japanese from almost every angle and thus improving my skills while also reinforcing my existing knowledge.

I've spent a lot of time studying and don't plan to stop now. I want to be able to read full articles a few months from now. I want to be able to hold basic conversations. I can only do that if I keep studying.