I attempted to do RTK Volume 1 before going to Japan, so I wouldn't sit here learning Kanji. Didn't make it. About 1 month before my departure I made it to about 800 frames, and then stopped learning + reviewing entirely. Now I'm in Japan since 3 weeks, so I haven't done reviews for quite a while.

The stories are almost all gone. But I do remember about half of the kanji. Having their appearance in mind, I can reconstruct them quite accurately.
So what should I do?
- Go through the book again?
- Keep reviewing and just re-learning the stories?
- Abandon the stories if I can recall the kanji?

I'm getting doubts about the efficiency of the Heisig method, really.

Just start from the beginning, redoing everything. The things you already did will come back to you very quickly.

If you want to be sure that they stay in your mind when you're not exposed to Japanese as much, I think working on the site here would be very useful. It has been in my case. I quit for a long time, too, and went through the pain of getting back up to speed. It went fairly rapidly, and it seems to be worth it. I can read more again.

You could just start learning to read and forget about writing. A decent knowledge of the components is all you need to be able to look stuff up that you can't yet read and then once you've learned a few vocab words that you use you will be able to look it up no problems cos you know a reading.

Really, learning to read will bring you huge benefits. Just offering an alternative viewpoint.

See also

I kind of agree with mezbup; go ahead and start actually learning Japanese. If you find you're consistently thinking "I wish I'd learned this character with RTK" all the time, you'll have more motivation when you go back to RTK. At that point you could try doing RTK Lite instead, so at least next time you get up to 800 characters they're more likely to be useful ones.

pm215 Wrote:I kind of agree with mezbup; go ahead and start actually learning Japanese. If you find you're consistently thinking "I wish I'd learned this character with RTK" all the time, you'll have more motivation when you go back to RTK. At that point you could try doing RTK Lite instead, so at least next time you get up to 800 characters they're more likely to be useful ones.

Exactly. Do the Lite and get out there as quick as you can.
I mean, you're in JAPAN, man!

pm215 Wrote:I kind of agree with mezbup; go ahead and start actually learning Japanese. If you find you're consistently thinking "I wish I'd learned this character with RTK" all the time, you'll have more motivation when you go back to RTK. At that point you could try doing RTK Lite instead, so at least next time you get up to 800 characters they're more likely to be useful ones.

This is pretty much what I did and am doing. I learnt to read about 600 kanji, but now I'm doing rtk lite to get me up to the JLPT2 1000ish mark. I kind of hit a wall at about 600 where it was getting too hard to remember them. I am learning the readings as I go as well though.

Thank you all for the advice so far. Something interesting happened: The older the cards were, the better I remembered them. While the most recent 400 kanji were almost all gone, the first 400 I could find in some remote place of my mind
I now reviewed most of them, and I think by doing this from time to time they will eventually stick.

pm215 Wrote:I am learning the readings as I go as well though.

This is my main issue right now. I find myself wanting to learn readings and words connected to a kanji - so I can actually use it. But the whole premise of Heisig is that you shouldn't overload your brain with all that extra weight.

One peculiar thing I have noticed: Those kanji which stick, didn't do so because of a story. I just had their image in mind once I saw the keyword. Nevertheless, I think I benefit from Heisigs order. Is there anyone else like me, just making up *some* stories, but remembering most kanji visually?

Quote:I'm getting doubts about the efficiency of the Heisig method, really.

The doubt shouldn't be in its efficiency. Instead the doubt lies in the areas of intent and focus. If you intend to finish, no matter what, then you will. If you're just dabbling to see if you like it, or if it is what people claim it to be, then of course you'll lose interest and motivation.

Chaze Wrote:Nevertheless, I think I benefit from Heisigs order.

Some would say that's the single greatest quality of the book.

Quote:Is there anyone else like me, just making up *some* stories, but remembering most kanji visually?

That'd be me... for about 500 kanji. The next 200+ kanji abused me. I quit.

I started over a few months later and did things the right way.

If you can visualize the kanji then you should have no problem visualizing a story. The key is not to make a the story as dull as Heisig writes them. I found replacing primitives with familiar characters helped when making stories. You have to add color, emotion, and sensation to the stories. You have to see it as if you are actually there. Don't hesitate to stand up and act a few out yourself. No one's watching and I won't tell.

If you're not involved with the imaginary process then you are just remembering more words.