stevesayskanpai wrote:

Hi all,

I thought I'd write this post after a disappointing exam result in Japanese module I received. Not disappointing in that I failed, but disappointing in that I didn't do really well. I've been studying Japanese on and off for 4 years, although with proper tuition only for one. I can have conversations, and my ability in JLPT terms in somewhere between 2 and 3 kyuu, although probably closer to 2.

The problem I have is that I feel like I've hit a wall with Japanese- that however much new vocab or grammar points I try to learn, I don't USE them when I speak to language! I'm looking for tips on how to motivate myself to improve both my comprehension and speaking. It seems like reading is just leg-work with compounds and example sentences, but actually using what you learn is a lot more difficult.

Any advice for people who've been in a similar situation much appreciated.

Read out loud.  Its like talking but..not.