Norman
Member
From: Japan
Registered: 2012-02-19
Posts: 146
I'm nearly finished with RTK 1. I'm trying to decide on which book to work on next. I know that Core Cards are a supplementary option, and I may certainly use them, but I want to stay on path with Heisig. I'm just more comfortable with the routine of it. I have read the backlog of postings on this matter, but there seems to be no conclusive answer. Well, should I go with RTK 2 or RTK 3? I'd like to hear some feedback, or even regrets, from those who gave either book a try. Thanks!
Savii
Member
From: Netherlands
Registered: 2012-08-13
Posts: 107
You definitely need to know more kanji than the RTK1 set, but RTK3 includes many kanji with little practical value. I think doing RTK3 right after RTK1 would be an inefficient investment of time and effort for most people. Currently I add RTK3 (and even non-RTK) kanji when I encounter them in the stuff I read and that works well. After you've progressed further into Japanese and feel like completing the whole set you can always still do so.
RTK2 can be useful (well, parts of it actually; the learning efficiently varies wildly per chapter), but it's not a priority. In my opinion it's pretty useless right after RTK1 (assuming little experience with vocab and grammar), but works well to learn and reinforce on'yomi readings after you've gotten a bit more familiar with Japanese and know a basic amount of common readings already. It's not for everyone though; just try it and see whether it works for you.
Heisig doesn't teach you Japanese, so I would strongly advise against doing either RTK2 or RTK3 as a primary study method after RTK1. They're fine as a complement, but they just don't have the same significance as RTK1, and as such don't deserve the same special "shove everything else aside" type of treatment.
Last edited by Savii (2013 February 15, 2:12 am)
Norman
Member
From: Japan
Registered: 2012-02-19
Posts: 146
Thanks for the replies. It seems the consensus is that RTK 3 would be the better of the two, if I wanted to continue with the textbook format. Although I have been working on RTK 1 exclusively, I would like to share time between studying CORE CARDS and RTK 3. As mentioned, I am comfortably following a study routine with RTK at the center of things. I understand Betelgeuzah's concern that exclusively studying RTK isn't advisable when there are more mounting concerns, such as listening and speaking skills, and certainly being about to read kanji in Japanese.
I am also interested in the time that it would take to complete RTK 3. We have all seen the recent thread with people claiming to finish RTK 1 within 2 weeks, and although I am certainly not one of those who claims to have completed it in such a short time, I could see that a devoted effort could result in finishing RTK 1 within a few months or so. Considering the sheer number of kanji in RTK 1 (2200) and the smaller number in RTK 3 (800?), does it not seem possible that completing the book would take less than half the amount of time?
