My Nihongo Lessons

As a Japanese teacher and lifelong learner, my journey with the language never ceases. Progressing in Japanese as a self learner or adult learner requires not only dedication but also the right resources. While textbooks are invaluable for building foundational grammar and vocabulary, finding suitable materials becomes more challenging as you advance. However, this doesn’t mean opportunities are scarce. In fact, with improved skills, a broader range of engaging and effective learning materials becomes accessible.

Start with Solid Textbooks, Then Explore Authentic Materials

For beginners, a solid textbook is essential. I recommend materials like Marugoto A1 (which I use in my Patreon lessons) for a structured start. As learners progress, I encourage them to explore materials tailored for Japanese learners.

One such resource is NHK News Web Easy, a platform offering daily news articles edited for a Japanese-learning audience. This site provides:
✅ Color-coded names of people, places, and companies to aid comprehension.
✅ Toggle furigana (pronunciation guides) on and off.
✅ Audio transcripts for listening and reading practice.
✅ Links to original articles for those ready to tackle native-level content.

👉 Pro Tip: Check out this great blog post by Kuropixel for a step-by-step guide on navigating NHK News Web Easy.

Enhance Listening Skills with Japanese with Shun Podcast

To sharpen listening skills, I highly recommend the Japanese with Shun podcast. Shun speaks clearly and primarily uses Genki I grammar, making it suitable for beginners to intermediate learners. Listening to his podcast in the morning prepares me to engage with Japanese throughout the day.

🎧 You can listen to Japanese with Shun on Apple Podcasts or visit his YouTube channel.

Incorporate Authentic Materials to Advance

Authentic materials—content created by native Japanese speakers for native audiences—are crucial for advanced learners. After reading simplified articles on NHK News Web Easy, I encourage my students to move on to the original articles to deepen their understanding. This method helps familiarize learners with new vocabulary and grammar structures before tackling complex texts. There is a direct link for each article so the original is easy to find.

I personally use NHK News Web Easy to keep up with new trending vocabulary and phrases, which keeps my Japanese skills sharp.

My Passion for Japanese Brush Calligraphy Enhances My Learning

Outside of teaching Japanese, my passion lies in Japanese brush calligraphy (書道), which I also teach at the Kansas City Art Institute. To immerse myself further, I engage with authentic materials related to this art form.

Here’s how I stay connected to the world of calligraphy:
🎙️ Okikaki Talks – Shodokei Radio Podcast: Dialogues between artists and their guests, offering rich insights into calligraphy.
📹 YouTube Videos: Watching lessons by Japanese calligraphy instructors exposes me to specialized terminology and teaching techniques.
🏫 Remote Study with a Japanese Calligraphy School: My sensei’s instructional videos, aimed at native speakers, provide an authentic learning experience. It can be challenging, but well worth it.💡 Explore Their YouTube Channel here.

Leveraging AI for Personalized Japanese Learning

To transform these authentic materials into structured lessons, I leverage AI tools like ChatGPT and You Learn. While AI’s role in education is often debated, I find it invaluable for language learning. Here’s how I use it:

1. Obtain the Video Transcript: I select a YouTube video I want to use as my authentic material and access its auto-generated transcript. After removing timestamps, I adjust punctuation to ensure clarity.
   
2. Edit with AI Assistance: I prompt ChatGPT with:
   📝 “Edit this transcript for punctuation. Remove hesitation noises for a script.”
   This generates a polished version, which I save in Google Docs.
   
3. Generate Vocabulary and Grammar Lists: I ask ChatGPT to create vocabulary and grammar lists from the transcript, focusing on categories such as:
   
   • Calligraphy Techniques (筆の動き)
     
   • Brush Movements (筆の運び方)
     
   • Calligraphy Styles (書体の種類)
     
   • Balance and Proportion (バランスと配置)
     
   • Timing and Rhythm (リズムと流れ)

💡 Grammar Analysis Tip: If I need more depth learning, I prompt ChatGPT to analyze the script and provide a grammar guide suitable for advanced learners or adjust the level to match my students’ needs— for example:  JLPT N5~N1, A1, B2, C2, Novice ~ Distinguished, etc.

4. Create Interactive Study Aids: I use the site You Learn to generate flashcards, quizzes, and interactive discussions in English or Japanese. Put https://app.youlearn.ai/ in the address bar, then add the youtube video you want to use.  The basic features are free to use and I find them enough to meet my learning needs.  If you choose to upgrade, please use my link to let them know I sent you.  

Join Me in Building a Comprehensive Learning Resource

I encourage you to try these methods and share your experiences! Although resources for self-learners and adult learners beyond the basic level may seem limited, together we can build a comprehensive repository. I’ve started a collaborative spreadsheet and would love your input. Please comment with your favorite resources.

💡 Join My Patreon Community to discuss this further and contribute to our growing resource pool! Explore new learning techniques and get personalized guidance.

👉 Visit My Nihongo Lessons on Patreon to access my free video lessons and exclusive content!

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🔥 Final Call-to-Action

Are you ready to take your Japanese skills to the next level? Start exploring authentic materials, leverage AI to create personalized learning tools, and connect with other dedicated learners by joining My Nihongo Lessons and subscribing to my blog today.