1: how much time per day do you all use the site?
2:how many new kanji do you introduce per day?
3:how much time per day do you spend reading the book
4: how long does it usually take a person to finish book 1
5: after finishing book 1 how long does it usually take to learn the readings in book 2 (longer or shorter than book 1?)
6: how do you stay motivated?
7: do any of you have dyslexia? or dysgraphia and how much harder does it make remembering the kanji you have to learn to finish the book?..

hello im new to the remember the kanji series.. i have chosen to use this method after other methods have not produced results.. i have learning disabilities so learning the conventional rote memorization way doesnt work for me.. i have poor fine motor control so even my english handwriting is illegible.. im worried that ill never be able to write kanji longhand because of my poor hand control but i am really excited to be trying the remember the kanji method because it gives me hope of one day being able to read the kanji.. because of my dyslexia i tend to see the kanji backwards and sometimes upside down.. this made the kana difficult because some of them are basically mirrors of each other..

my father ordered both the first and the second book for me last night and im waiting for them to arrive now..

my long term goals are to be able to read novels in japanese (and read other things) and be able to speak fluently.. i do watch anime but i have absolutely no interest in ever reading manga.. i want to be able to watch the japanese channel on tv and understand what they are saying..

im hoping that this method of learning will help put me on the same level as others who dont have learning disabilities.. so far im way behind them as far as learning speed.. i want to close the gap..


thanks in advance

[ファブリス]

Hi squiggy and welcome,

You should be looking at an average 6 months to do RtK1, some people take as less as 3 months, some people take up to a year. But don't worry about the time it takes, enjoy the journey. The key is to make it enjoyable.

I know very little about dyslexia. Wikipedia says it is not an intellectual disability.

I was curious about how mnemonics might help someone with reading difficulties. As it turns out it seems like you've made a great choice!

The author of this book on Amazon ("Memory Foundations for Reading: Visual Mnemonics for Sound/Symbol Relationships") seems to say that in fact, visual mnemonics as well as memory associations for sounds can significantly help children with learning disabilities:

Regina G. Richards Wrote:At my clinic one day our staff was discussing how so many of our students have very strong visual skills. Some students can remember almost anything if it is presented in a picture! Others remember better if color is involved. We also noticed how many of our students could easily remember advertisements and jingles, but they struggled to remember rote academic information. We decided to pull these concepts together and develop a visual mnemonic system to help our students learn the key words and sound/symbol associations in a quicker, more efficient manner, and with much more enjoyment.

http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Foundations...096613530X

Since the article mentions the children self-image and self-confidence, I thought I'd mention that finishing RtK does give you a great boost in confidence with your memory, with or without learning disability.

Perhaps you may even find later success in applying the visual mnemonics system of RtK in other areas (at least according to the book above it looks very likely).

As to your questions I am a bit short on time, but generally look at learning at least 10 a day, and don't push yourself too much over 20. And always remember that the method IS CHALLENGING for everybody, regardless of learning disability.

As for staying motivated, don't hesitate to browse over books and Japanese material while you do RtK, and have fun recognising those few characters that you have learned. Over time you will recognise more and more (you can also do that on the "Reading" page on this site).


Question 7 : if my memory serves well, there IS at least one member here who mentioned they have dyslexia, who may be able to share some insights with you, a forum search reveals it was "AmberUK" but maybe there was another person?

Have fun with RtK and don't hesitate to post questions in the RtK sub-forum if you have troubles with some characters.

ps: take advantage of every imagined "sense" in your RtK stories : imagine smell, color, touch.. you may find one of these works great for you.

squiggyflop Wrote:1: how much time per day do you all use the site?
.

Every dinner break from work, i try to fit in 20 mins, and then depending on how many reviews i have to do, couple of hours usually.

squiggyflop Wrote:2:how many new kanji do you introduce per day?.

Some days none, other days 30. Just depends on how many reviews, and what kind of day i've had really.

squiggyflop Wrote:3:how much time per day do you spend reading the book.

I use the book to referane the kanji, and flick through it 3-4 times while checking and learning the characters before i write a story for it.

squiggyflop Wrote:4: how long does it usually take a person to finish book 1.

This will be month 7? maybes for me. I wil be finished by the end of this month. I've take time off work at the end of the month to finally get it finished and move onto RTK2 and sentancing.

squiggyflop Wrote:5: after finishing book 1 how long does it usually take to learn the readings in book 2 (longer or shorter than book 1?).

In Progess..

squiggyflop Wrote:6: how do you stay motivated?.

Sometimes its difficult, but i find guilting myself forces me to do something wether i can be bothered or not. I really want to learn this, but sometimes you need external factors during bad days to keep you going. Never letting reviews roll over.
I have the amount of Kanji learnt listed in my MSN, so everyone in my friends can see what ive done. even if they dont understand the number they can tell if it moves, so i feel horrible if it doesnt move for a few days and forces me to learn more. 1892/2042 atm.. 150 to go!

squiggyflop Wrote:7: do any of you have dyslexia? or dysgraphia and how much harder does it make remembering the kanji you have to learn to finish the book?...

I do not, so i can't give a fair answer here i am afraid
Good luck, and welcome Hope you have as much fun studying and learning this language as i currently am.

squiggyflop Wrote:7: do any of you have dyslexia? or dysgraphia and how much harder does it make remembering the kanji you have to learn to finish the book?..

I remember reading accounts of some people with the condition and it seems like it can be language (or rather, character set) dependent. Some people who were dyslexic in English had no problems with it in Japanese.

I bet there must be some method out there for Japanese people who have learned to cope with their dyslexia. Welcome to the journey, I say!

1. For study purposes, usually as long as it takes to review all the expired cards for the day, which varies depending on how many there are. I'll also usually keep a window open while learning new Kanji, so I can use one of the shared stories if I can't think of a good one myself (you won't need to come up with your own stories at first, though). About 2hrs total?
I do tend to spend time on the forums, too, though.
2. I try to do 25 per day.
3. It takes me maybe an hour and a half to learn the new Kanji. I read the story (these are just a sentence or two) if there's one given, or make up my own, then write the keyword in my notebook with the Kanji underneath it. I go through until I've done 25, then cover the Kanji and try to write them again from the keyword. I don't use the site to review new Kanji until the following day, although there's no reason you shouldn't.
4. I expect it to take me around four months, though it varies from person to person.
5. Not sure about this one.
6. Just coming across a Kanji I recognise is motivating in itself. The posts on the AJATT blog usually cheer me up, too:
http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/
And this forum, of course!
7. I possibly have motor dysgraphia as a result of my weak connective tissue (the doctors weren't sure what precisely is wrong). I certainly have difficulty writing, it's painful and my handwriting is illegible unless I write very slowly and carefully. It hasn't affected my ability to remember the characters, as it's not necessary to write them over and over with this method, but does mean I'm careful with how many I write each day (I stopped adding new characters for the last week, to reduce the number of reviews I have everyday). I actually find the Kanji easier to write than English, as the strokes seem to flow nicely. Hopefully even if you have trouble with handwriting, the book should help recognition. Incidentally, have you tried coloured overlays for reading?:
http://www.dyslexic.com/vision
I've known a few people with dyslexia (including my cousin) who've found them helpful.

Some aspects might be more difficult for you, but I think it's still possible for someone with dyslexia. This is from an interview with Heisig:
'It’s a good thing that Heisig believed in and resurrected his manuscript, because his work continues to touch and affect people in ways that he never could have predicted. One woman, Thelma Fayle, bought Remembering the Kanji when she was on an exchange program in Japan. Several years later, in Canada, a young neighbor boy with dyslexia became interested in the book. They worked through it and the young boy learned over 1,000 characters. The confidence and the skill that he gained through learning such a seemingly insurmountable set of skills helped him overcome his dyslexia and become more successful in school.'
Link: http://www.kanjiclinic.com/riverainterview.htm

You'll probably find you get into a rhythm, and discover how many Kanji per day you're comfortable with. Don't worry if it takes longer.

Good luck!

squiggyflop Wrote:1: how much time per day do you all use the site?

3-4 hours

squiggyflop Wrote:2:how many new kanji do you introduce per day?

~30

squiggyflop Wrote:3:how much time per day do you spend reading the book

0. I only read the preface.

squiggyflop Wrote:4: how long does it usually take a person to finish book 1

~3-6 months. It can be done under a month. Many did that. It works best when it is done quickly.

squiggyflop Wrote:5: after finishing book 1 how long does it usually take to learn the readings in book 2 (longer or shorter than book 1?)

Book 2 is not really good. Not even book 3.

squiggyflop Wrote:6: how do you stay motivated?

Do it as quick as possible before motivation ends.

squiggyflop Wrote:7: do any of you have dyslexia? or dysgraphia and how much harder does it make remembering the kanji you have to learn to finish the book?..

I've been told I had it when I was a child. But I don't have much trouble with it anymore. For kanji, I tried other stuff before RTK, but nothing worked. RTK worked fine.

squiggyflop Wrote:i do watch anime but i have absolutely no interest in ever reading manga..

So many people say this and change their minds later...

squiggyflop Wrote:1: how much time per day do you all use the site?

Between 15-30 minutes, depending on how fast I bang through them.

Quote:2:how many new kanji do you introduce per day?

20.

Quote:3:how much time per day do you spend reading the book

Um... I take maybe 5 minutes to write down the 20 new kanji then do the reviews, I guess?

Quote:4: how long does it usually take a person to finish book 1

Probably somewhere around 2 or 3 months.

Quote:5: after finishing book 1 how long does it usually take to learn the readings in book 2 (longer or shorter than book 1?)

I have no idea, sorry.

Quote:6: how do you stay motivated?

Guilt the next morning when I didn't learn any new kanji. Excitement when I come across Japanese that I can recognize. Plus it's kind of fun for me, setting goals and trying to learn a new language with such an interesting method. Reading about how other people have made it work is encouraging, too.

Quote:7: do any of you have dyslexia? or dysgraphia and how much harder does it make remembering the kanji you have to learn to finish the book?..

Sorry, can't help you here.

squiggyflop Wrote:1: how much time per day do you all use the site?

I wish I could use it everyday... A couple of hours on the weekends only.

squiggyflop Wrote:2:how many new kanji do you introduce per day?

Less than one (I'm such a bad student...)

squiggyflop Wrote:3:how much time per day do you spend reading the book

Five minutes on weekdays, about one hour on the weekends.

squiggyflop Wrote:4: how long does it usually take a person to finish book 1

If I keep my current pace, it should be done in about ten years...

squiggyflop Wrote:6: how do you stay motivated?

I guess completing the book is the motivation itself.

7: do any of you have dyslexia? or dysgraphia and how much harder does it make remembering the kanji you have to learn to finish the book?..

Hiya
I haven't finished the book I am at number 900. I have been struggling a bit. I have dyslexia. I suspect its not very bad, they only spotted it when I was at uni. I do have problems with reading, but only if I don't read much. I do have phases were I get o and a in kana mixed up, and sometimes words move on the page. Mostly my problem is with my short term memory. I find I have to learn the Japanese spellings of words, I cannot work it out from the sound in the same way I cannot spell some words even close enough for the spell checker to correct me.

The problem I have had is learning the kanji in this book thinking I am following the method and finding a month later they suddenly get forgotten. By that point you have added more kanji into your system and so have to relearn some things as your forgetting others. I have taken a bit of time out to try and work out why some things I remember and others I don't. There does not seem any logic to it. I think certainly that rushing the stories and not having a clear picture makes me fail them. The thing I have had more problem with is words I don't know and have to look up in English, so when the word comes up I have no clear thought about it my head, so then making a link is hard. I also often have an image in my head when I see a certain keyword, its virtually impossible for me to force something else in its place even if it then makes the story very hard to construct.

Some people in this group advised me to just keep going as many of the earlier kanji are used again later on. I did do this for a while. But again I found that when your in a group that has all the same primitive, say heart its easy to get used to 'your doing the heart group' so you know part of it already. Later on when you test yourself and they are mixed up suddenly they are not part of the heart group and that story is suddenly not so clear.

I think its certainly something thats you can work round. But I am not too dyslexic so I am not sure how much you would be effected. I have found the stuff I know the best if stuff I use all the time. I think that if I never saw a text book again I would still know basics like taberu and suru etc etc. I also am trying to get to the reading stage, because I read a lot of English books and it seems best to use it rather than being stuck in this eternal loop of self testing which to be honest I really dislike.

Good luck

1: how much time per day do you all use the site?
*I don't know... I learn kanjis all day long because thats not the only thing I do... I browse webpages, watch videos and stuff between my study.

2:how many new kanji do you introduce per day?
*Used to do 50, now I slowed down to 25.

3:how much time per day do you spend reading the book
*I only use it to see what heisig says about the kanji, so I look at it for like 6 seconds for each new kanji.

4: how long does it usually take a person to finish book 1
*I don't know. I have been learning since the beginning of february and I have been adding at least 25 kanji each day. I think I will finish in 15 more days.

5: after finishing book 1 how long does it usually take to learn the readings in book 2 (longer or shorter than book 1?)
*I don't know. I will not go through RTK2. I prefer to learn readings with vocabulary and grammar at the same time. Rote memorization alone will not work for me.

6: how do you stay motivated?
*When I see my progress I feel motivated. I didn't think that I could come this far, so I want to go farther. I love learning a new language too, and I have a lot of material for reading. I want to read it as fast as possible, thats a good motivation too.

7: do any of you have dyslexia? or dysgraphia and how much harder does it make remembering the kanji you have to learn to finish the book?..
*I don't, sorry.

Ampharos64 Wrote:. actually find the Kanji easier to write than English, as the strokes seem to flow nicely. Hopefully even if you have trouble with handwriting, the book should help recognition. Incidentally, have you tried coloured overlays for reading?:
http://www.dyslexic.com/vision
I've known a few people with dyslexia (including my cousin) who've found them helpful.

Some aspects might be more difficult for you, but I think it's still possible for someone with dyslexia. This is from an interview with Heisig:
'It’s a good thing that Heisig believed in and resurrected his manuscript, because his work continues to touch and affect people in ways that he never could have predicted. One woman, Thelma Fayle, bought Remembering the Kanji when she was on an exchange program in Japan. Several years later, in Canada, a young neighbor boy with dyslexia became interested in the book. They worked through it and the young boy learned over 1,000 characters. The confidence and the skill that he gained through learning such a seemingly insurmountable set of skills helped him overcome his dyslexia and become more successful in school.'
Link: http://www.kanjiclinic.com/riverainterview.htm

You'll probably find you get into a rhythm, and discover how many Kanji per day you're comfortable with. Don't worry if it takes longer.

Good luck!

interesting.. i find the kanji much more difficult for my hands because in order to write them small (like 1cm squares) i have to be able to control my hands well enough to make the little drop things and keeping the lines the right length is also awful for me.. my brain tells my hand to pick up the pen but its like it gets intercepted or something.. but perhaps if i forever write them an inch high it might be possible.. my english handwriting is really bad.. because i cant control my hands well i cant write on the lines properly.. and its really only legible when i write inch high letters.. all my letters are different..

hmm colored overlays.. my father told me that the reason all lawyers use yellow pads of paper was because it allows for better memory.. perhaps if i used colored paper.. hmmm

Diana Wrote:I bet there must be some method out there for Japanese people who have learned to cope with their dyslexia. Welcome to the journey, I say!

ive been looking for this for years.. i have yet to find it

ファブリス Wrote:Hi squiggy and welcome,

But don't worry about the time it takes, enjoy the journey. The key is to make it enjoyable.

I know very little about dyslexia. Wikipedia says it is not an intellectual disability.

I was curious about how mnemonics might help someone with reading difficulties. As it turns out it seems like you've made a great choice!

The author of this book on Amazon ("Memory Foundations for Reading: Visual Mnemonics for Sound/Symbol Relationships") seems to say that in fact, visual mnemonics as well as memory associations for sounds can significantly help children with learning disabilities:

Since the article mentions the children self-image and self-confidence, I thought I'd mention that finishing RtK does give you a great boost in confidence with your memory, with or without learning disability.

Perhaps you may even find later success in applying the visual mnemonics system of RtK in other areas (at least according to the book above it looks very likely).

As to your questions I am a bit short on time, but generally look at learning at least 10 a day, and don't push yourself too much over 20. And always remember that the method IS CHALLENGING for everybody, regardless of learning disability.


Question 7 : if my memory serves well, there IS at least one member here who mentioned they have dyslexia, who may be able to share some insights with you, a forum search reveals it was "AmberUK" but maybe there was another person?


ps: take advantage of every imagined "sense" in your RtK stories : imagine smell, color, touch.. you may find one of these works great for you.

i see so i shouldnt put a time limit on myself but instead let myself just learn at the most comfortable pace.. can do!

nope dyslexia is not an intellectual disability.. (aka a form of retardation) ..even though my decoding letters score on my IQ test was by the retarded end my verbal scores were up by genius.. so i still even out as "high excellence range" or whatever they are calling it this week.. according to the test my brain processes all information much slower than the average person.. i learn very slowly and work out problems slowly but i still learn.. just not as fast.. i do my best through video or really loud excited teacher's lectures.. because my verbal/ listening skills took up the slack from my difficulty with reading no one knew i was dyslexic until highschool.. they assumed i was just lazy when i refused to do written assignments or take notes in class..

im really excited that these mnemonics might help me..

Jarvik7 Wrote:

squiggyflop Wrote:7: do any of you have dyslexia? or dysgraphia and how much harder does it make remembering the kanji you have to learn to finish the book?..

I remember reading accounts of some people with the condition and it seems like it can be language (or rather, character set) dependent. Some people who were dyslexic in English had no problems with it in Japanese.

im having problems already.. there are different types of dyslexia and different degrees of it so its not surprising to me that some other people may not have trouble.. i tend to while trying to write the kanji from memory write them backward or sometimes even upside down just like i do with english.. and i have extreme difficulty with similar characters.. the hiragana (chi) and (sa) look exactly the same to me just like the english letters (p,b,d,q) all look the same to me when they are lower case.. my mind will literally flip them around.. also (i) and (ko) look the same to me.. again my brain turns them and flips them.. sadly im not one of those people who's dyslexia is language/character set dependant