Looking to join a study group or

So, I’ve been using Wanikani almost daily since January 2023. I’m at level 9. And I only get around 70-75% correct in every review session. I have to be doing something wrong. Or maybe I’m too old (53 soon) for the spaced repetition system to work for my old brain? I have no clue, but what I DO know is this is starting to drag me down and I have to change something up or admit defeat and tap out.

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Definitely not too old to learn!! Spaced repetition only kind of works on its own. However, it becomes incredibly effective when you pair it with outside exposure to what you’re learning.

For example, at level 9 you should be learning the kanji and vocabulary for winning and losing, and for shops and clothes and new things. To me, this sounds like the perfect opportunity to dive into either a TV show or easy book/manga that covers those topics - a sports series, perhaps? Reading and/or listening will reinforce those new terms by giving them context, it’ll sprinkle in some new related vocab that Wanikani might not have yet covered, and it’ll also engage you with a storyline. Then the next time you go to do your reviews, you’ll find that your accuracy improves and the memory of those terms in context is recalled quite a bit easier. Then you’ll be flying through Wanikani levels.

If you’re not yet ready to read a manga or book, try flipping through the free graded readers from Tadoku – they start at basic introductory writing with starter words and grammar, and then increase gradually with each new book level.

You can also seek out a textbook. I recommend Genki I for new learners, it gave me a very solid basis for grammar, vocab, and reading comprehension. There are also myriad youtube video lessons that go hand-in-hand with each chapter of the text, so you can hear from teachers and learners while you learn.

Not too old!! I promise! :slightly_smiling_face:

EDIT: Sorry, to address the thread title, a study group is actually a very helpful way to learn and group problem-solving does wonders for answering questions that you might not have even thought of. You can find teachers and group lessons online on websites like iTalki (a big favorite on this forum), or you can check your local colleges and universities for class auditing or non-class study groups.

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I second @taiyousea this isn’t about age, it’s about needing something (or more things) in Japanese to engage with and see all of these words in a different context. Maybe something in @taiyousea 's list looks relevant to you, or just write a bit more about your goals, what you want to do with the language, what kind of things you enjoy and someone will probably have even more ideas for you.

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I generally think it’s hard to learn anything out of context. So if you can find a way to apply your WK studies, you’ll probably have more more success and more fun. I think Satori Reader is an excellent way to start reading:

  • you can sync it to your WK level (so you get to practise the kanji you already know).
  • Each sentence is translated into English
  • Each sentence has audio
  • You can click on words you don’t know to get a translation
  • comes with handy grammar & culture notes
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I’m older than you (55) and a bit behind you in wanikani! I think it is definitely slower to learn when you are older, but I like to think it’s because my brain is already quite full :slight_smile:

Perhaps you can look on the bright side. Your Level 9 achievement is really great! For example, you already know enough to read simple books and news articles.

My plan is to finish level 10 and then to focus on reenforcing what I’ve learnt by doing other Japanese studying, such as reading more while just doing wanikani reviews for a while.

I hope you keep going and it’s nice to meet another over-50 here :slight_smile:

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or-what-bean

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