JLPT N1 Prep Advice - Printable Version

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - Printable Version

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JLPT N1 Prep Advice - DavidZ - 2010-03-07

ocircle Wrote:It worked for me -- that's mostly how I managed to pass JLPT1 in six months, most the latter 3 months spent cramming 100 words a day / taking a practice test weekly.

If you give it your best you should be reading newspapers in a few months (and only have to look up 3-5 words!)

ocircle,

Can you give me just a little more detail of how you did it?

When you crammed 100 words a day, I assume you weren't using the sentence method. So were you studying a list of Japanese words with English definitions? Or using Japanese definitions?

And were you using an SRS?

Thanks for your help.

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - ruiner - 2010-03-07

DavidZ Wrote:
ocircle Wrote:It worked for me -- that's mostly how I managed to pass JLPT1 in six months, most the latter 3 months spent cramming 100 words a day / taking a practice test weekly.

If you give it your best you should be reading newspapers in a few months (and only have to look up 3-5 words!)
ocircle,

Can you give me just a little more detail of how you did it?

When you crammed 100 words a day, I assume you weren't using the sentence method. So were you studying a list of Japanese words with English definitions? Or using Japanese definitions?

And were you using an SRS?

Thanks for your help.

ocircle gave a detailed account of their process here: http://forum.koohii.com/showthread.php?pid=85890#pid85890

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - JimmySeal - 2010-03-07

wccrawford Wrote:
yudantaiteki Wrote:Of course you have to know the vocab on the test, I just question whether it can be done with this "30-50 words a day off a list" method.
It's been done that way for centuries. The current 'learn only from watching TV' method is -far- more questionable.

What a beeeyoootiful strawman!

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - ocircle - 2010-03-08

I used workbooks:
kanzen master vocab
matome vocab
kanzen master grammar
Possible in 40 days -- shiken ni deru bunpou

I didn't have time to work with a reading comprehension book, but if you have time after finishing a vocab workbook, maybe it'll be beneficial.

I read and completed the questions in the grammar books, but I didn't spend time memorizing everything. Remember that grammar is only a small part of the test anyway (maybe not the case anymore with the new test... isn't grammar being lumped together with vocab? and you have to get over 70% on every section?)

There were anki decks I had made up by copying a list from somewhere covering 1Q and 2Q vocab... but I only used it for a couple of months before giving up on it (when I'm on a computer, I usually only want to game or chat online)

I read, completed, and reviewed the vocab as much as I could. During the last couple of months before the test I also started to read at least one news article daily, and study the words I didn't know from there, in addition to reviewing in anki for half an hour about 3 times a day (but I did also fall out of the habit of reviewing in Anki, thanks to bad computer habits)

I took a lot of practice tests.

My final results were vocab: 74; Listening: 97; Reading/grammar: 135.
I guess I would not had passed if I took the new N1, since it requires 70 or more on every section. But they did also change the sections up, a little....

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - mezbup - 2010-03-08

The last section is worth like half the marks on the whole test isn't? That's the grammar and reading section... I'd say it's pretty important.

At any rate there is no substitute for being well read than doing a lot of reading. It's one of those things that you can't Anki, you have to practice.

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - ocircle - 2010-03-08

To me, it didn't seem so important, since studying vocab helped both my vocab and reading points, while studying grammar only seemed to help my grammar, and my reading a tiny bit.

I'm not saying reading and grammar isn't important, but it's not useful to study grammar or reading intensely if you don't have the vocab to begin with.

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - DavidZ - 2010-03-08

ocircle Wrote:I used workbooks:
kanzen master vocab
matome vocab
kanzen master grammar
Possible in 40 days -- shiken ni deru bunpou
.
.
.
I read, completed, and reviewed the vocab as much as I could. During the last couple of months before the test I also started to read at least one news article daily, and study the words I didn't know from there, in addition to reviewing in anki for half an hour about 3 times a day (but I did also fall out of the habit of reviewing in Anki, thanks to bad computer habits)

I took a lot of practice tests.

Thanks, this is really helpful. Now I understand how you did it.
That graph of practice test results ... is that something from a JLPT practice site? or something you just made by yourself to track your own progress?

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - ta12121 - 2010-03-08

I think in terms of preparing for JLPT 1. You don't really need to study from books/practice tests. When you reach a certain level all these tests should become second nature to you. I used to think that JLPT was a means to measure "fluency" but the word fluency itself means so many things.

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - Smackle - 2010-03-08

Quote:I think in terms of preparing for JLPT 1. You don't really need to study from books/practice tests. When you reach a certain level all these tests should become second nature to you. I used to think that JLPT was a means to measure "fluency" but the word fluency itself means so many things.

If your goal is to pass the test, I would say it helps to study from books and practice tests. Sure, you can reach the point where you'll be able to easily pass it by studying general Japanese, but it'll take longer because your scope is wider. In order to get you from point A to point B, it would be fastest to take the straight route.

Also, while you need a certain bit of knowledge to pass the JLPT, it doesn't make you fluent to pass the top level of it, so it should not be looked at as an end goal.

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - pm215 - 2010-03-08

Usually these "prep advice" questions come up rather closer to the test time, and the advice is skewed towards "what gives the most benefit for the limited time available" (my answers: timed test practice and study grammar). Knowing the vocab is important, but if you're only a few months from the test it's hard to improve significantly, whereas assuming your vocab isn't hopeless you can compensate for it being below-par by knowing the grammar really solidly. Over the longer haul, like we're dealing with here, though, coming up with a strategy for vocab seems like a good plan.

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - ocircle - 2010-03-08

DavidZ Wrote:That graph of practice test results ... is that something from a JLPT practice site? or something you just made by yourself to track your own progress?

I made it myself, using Excel. I took a lot of my practice tests here: http://jp.hjenglish.com/papers.aspx
but with the new JLPT, I hear the vocab and grammar are going to be one section together, so I don't know how you could grade yourself so make it mimic the new test format. (maybe it doesn't matter, actually, as each section still needs to be over 70%. So you could just grade yourself on (vocab+grammar)/2 >= 70.

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - DavidZ - 2010-03-08

mezbup Wrote:Though in terms of pace, if you're taking JLPT in December there's no need to go at break neck speeds. A cruisy pace of 10 - 20/day will do the trick (depending on where you're at).

pm215 Wrote:Usually these "prep advice" questions come up rather closer to the test time, and the advice is skewed towards "what gives the most benefit for the limited time available" (my answers: timed test practice and study grammar). Knowing the vocab is important, but if you're only a few months from the test it's hard to improve significantly, whereas assuming your vocab isn't hopeless you can compensate for it being below-par by knowing the grammar really solidly. Over the longer haul, like we're dealing with here, though, coming up with a strategy for vocab seems like a good plan.

The date for the next exam is July 4, less than 4 months away. So I am definitely thinking "most benefit for the limited time available".

To improve from 50% to 70% in about 4 months seems possible, but not likely... If I don't pass in July I'll take it again in December.

JLPT N1 Prep Advice - chuubaka - 2010-03-21

An important point about the new test scoring system, from the JLPT new test guidelines executive summary at http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/new-jlpt.html:

"The requirements for passing have changed so that examinees must now exceed the minimum acceptable score for both the total as well as each scoring section. Failure to exceed the minimum acceptable score in any scoring sections will result in a fail for the entire test, even if your total score is above the minimum acceptable score. The purpose of setting a minimum acceptable score for each scoring section is to assess the comprehensive proficiency.
　The minimum acceptable score for passing both the total score and each scoring section will be announced in 2010."

As far as I know, they haven't announced those scores yet.

But reading between the lines, it may be possible that new overall pass rate won't be 70% anymore, and in any case the individual section minimum score could be (I would say almost certainly will be) less than the overall pass rate. If you look at the distribution graphs of the recent test scores, a very high percentage of the passing scores are in the 70-75% range. In other words, most folks who pass are just squeeking through. And I'm guessing a lot of those folks are stronger in some areas than others, so they got less than 70% in their weak areas, but made it up in their strong areas.

So unless the JLPT test makers intend to radically reduce the pass rate, the individual section minimums will probably be lower than the overall test pass rate.

Another interesting thing in the executive summary is that JLPT will not be releasing official test questions until 2012. They have test sample questions at the link above, but they are kindergarten level compared to the current 1級. They give you an idea of the new test question formats, but not a realistic idea of your chances of passing the new test.