+- kanji koohii FORUM (http://forum.koohii.com)
+-- Forum: Learning Japanese (http://forum.koohii.com/forum-4.html)
+--- Forum: Learning resources (http://forum.koohii.com/forum-9.html)
+--- Thread: Pen and Paper Leitner (/thread-400.html)
Pen and Paper Leitner - aizeya - 2007-02-24
How does one actually go about using the Leitner system without a computer? I mean, he developed it in the '70s, I'd doubt he was using a PC to organize it, right?
But it seems to be really difficult to work out the scheduling. I mean, sure, you move cards up to the higher boxes as you get to know them better, but when do you test yourself on those higher boxes? And which cards when? For example, if I studied box 3 on Tuesday, it obviously wouldn't be good to do all of box 4 on Wednesday, even if it's been 4 months since I've done box 4.
Did Leitner only concern himself with differentiating the classes of cards, not the scheduling of each class? If so, any ideas on how to organize it IRL that doesn't have too much organizational overhead?
Pen and Paper Leitner - JimmySeal - 2007-02-24
Usually it would be based on quantity, not time, so you would review a box when it was full, and move cards up or down accordingly.
Pen and Paper Leitner - RoboTact - 2007-02-24
You can sort cards by due date, 'box' being only a mark on card defining by how many days card is to be delayed next time. Given how randomization was introduced on this site, it seems to be how RevTK database is organized too.
Pen and Paper Leitner - taijuando - 2007-02-24
not sure if I understand the parameters of your question... right now I'm using a homegrown system for reviewing kanji onyumi readings....I own a heisig blue kanji card box with all 2,000+ cards included....started by studying 10 cards and the next day seeing how many I could remember...I took a small post-it note strip and dated the ones I learned for 3 days later...3 days later I review my any new cards and still unlearned cards....those that I pass from the three day review graduate to the 7 day stack marked with a new post-it strip and put the failed cards with the new stack I'm still working on.....I continue with 14, 30, 60, and recently I've just added a four month compartment....it's all automatic....I study the cards that have come up for review in each stack....study the one's I've failed and continue....700 cards studied so far....it's easy and the cards are easy to carry around and study on the subway and at the gym...10 is an easy number for me...it doesn't feel too much like homework...I still use the website to review keywords.....
Pen and Paper Leitner - Magnadoodle - 2007-02-27
You're supposed to make compartments of gradually increasing sizes. There is no notion of cards expiring. If you pass a card, you move it up to the next compartment, if you fail it, you move it back to the first compartment. You only review the first compartment until another one becomes full. You may add cards from your general stack to the first compartment to keep it full.
Anyway, this is what I managed to understand trying to write my own leitner based program. I was surprised not to find any reference source on how to make such a program. I also found out that so called Leitner based programs all have differing implementations that don't work like the paper system.
Pen and Paper Leitner - RoboTact - 2007-02-27
Paper system is limited, there's no reason to subject yourself to those limitations when you can do anything.
Pen and Paper Leitner - aizeya - 2007-03-04
Thanks for the responses guys, and sorry for my slow response.
--
Yea, the computer-based approach is definitely easier, and more versatile. You can keep track of the history of each card, and schedule each one separately. I've gotten to really like the tangible feel of paper cards though. Plus it gives a bit more flexibility on how to design my cards. And since I'm a programmer, and spend at least 50-60 hours a week on the computer, if I can do something offline, it's prolly a good idea.
--
So yea, I definitely don't like the idea of having different sized boxes. It seems like it may approximate the ideal scheduling, but really badly, especially if you're like me and get ten minutes on some days, and 3 hours on others.
Dating each set separately seems...tedious, and like there'd just be an excess of separators...I wanted a system that, on most days at least, would be really quick to just whip out the box, start studying, and put them away if I need to.
I think I have found a system that will work pretty well for my needs, though notably a bit more complex. Here's the explanation:
* Every day, I test every card in box one. If I don't get through them all...whatever, I can put them off 'till the next day. When I add new cards to my set, I put them in box one to be tested the next day.
* Box two has three separators in it. Every day, I take the front-most separator, and move it to the back. I'm allowed to test on any card that's in the front-most section. When I move cards into this box, I put them in the back-most section. This'll give a 3 day delay between box 1 and box 2.
* Boxes 3 and above are relatively regular. Each of them have two separators. Whenever I advance a card into a box, I put it in the back-most section. The schedule of rotations (moving the front-most separator to the back) for each box is as follows:
Every saturday: rotate box 3
1st and 3rd saturday of the month: rotate box 4
1st saturday of the month: rotate box 5
1st saturday of odd months: rotate box 6
etc.
This guarantees between a 1-2 week period for box 3....a 2-4 week period for box 4, a 4-8 week period for box 5, etc. Sure it's a little inexact, but it enforces n expiration based on time passing, and can never be more than double the ideal time. Having all rotations except box 1 and 2 on saturdays means that I don't need to worry about it through the week. One key point is that, except for box 1, only the cards in the front-most section (in front of any separators) of each box have expired, and are ready to be tested.
--
I realize it seems very tedious, but once ya get the hang of it, it's very quick through the week, very little hassle, and the saturday rotations really don't take that long. If you try to think about it too much, it gets a little overwhelming for a day-to-day thing, so I wrote down the instructions, and taped it to the top of my collection, and all I have to do is follow the instructions -- Something I can handle.
Pen and Paper Leitner - brianobush - 2010-06-15
Going to give this a try with Japanese keywords. I get tired of looking at my computer and makes my reviews not as fun as they should be.
I have had these cards printed and cut for a quite some time now... time to break them out:
http://www.polarcloud.com/kanji
Very nice cards if printed on quality paper.
Pen and Paper Leitner - ファブリス - 2010-06-16
Very ingenious aizeya
