🎙 📝 Speak/Write Every Day Challenge (Summer-to-Fall 2022) 🏖 🍂

Welcome to the “Speak/Write Every Single Day” Challenge! :beach_umbrella: :fallen_leaf:

I’ll start off by being blunt: speaking is probably my weakest skill when it comes to Japanese. This is a combination of not using it nearly as much as my other skills plus the fact that, for whatever reason, it is extremely intimidating for me to practice. I suspect I’m not alone in feeling this way.

Compared to the Reading or Listening Every Day challenges (started/continued by @Redglare, @windupbird [reading] and @KJules [listening]) I think trying to have a speaking, or even writing, challenge is a tougher sell. Plus, if you wanted to participate in all three, well, that’s a lot to have on your plate. :sweat_smile: Since both the reading and listening challenges last for two months (in this case, during July and August), this challenge will be for 30 days, running in September (during those challenges’ “off-season”).

The goal of this challenge is to get you out of your comfort zone in a positive and encouraging environment and put all of the vocab and grammar you’ve learned to use. There’s all sorts of ways you can go about participating:

:star2: Wanna try speaking for all 30 days? Go for it!
:star2: Itching to improve your writing skills? Awesome!
:star2: Dying to practice both skills at the same time or interchangeably? You do you!
:star2: Take a class/meet with a tutor and want that to count towards your goal? Excellent!
:star2: Just want to use this challenge to practice your pronunciation or handwriting? Cool!

You can talk or write about anything you like (within reason): you can speak/write about your day, a book you’re reading, a show you’re watching, your cat, your neighbor’s cat, a story about a tanuki that you made up, or simply practice using new vocabulary. The sky’s the limit! (But if you’re speaking/writing about a cute animal, the expectation is that pics/videos will be provided. Just kidding, of course, but we all could use more cute animals in our lives, so don’t be shy about sharing any. :blush:)

You can speak or write as much or as little as you desire (though maybe don’t go too overboard with it). Most of the recording tools listed below also have upper limits (5-10 minutes, depending), so there’s zero pressure to speak for any longer than that. You’re also free to adjust the challenge to your own needs: if you want to try speaking on-the-spot, that’s fantastic, but even if you’d prefer writing out what you want to say and then recording it, that’s great, too.

To quote KJules quoting windupbird quoting Redglare (that’s a lot of quoting):

This is a thread for people who:

:bookmark: want to spend more time speaking/writing
:bookmark: want to improve their output abilities
:bookmark: want to hold themselves accountable and have a place to document their progress
:bookmark: simply want to join in on the challenge!

Time Frame: September 1st to September 30th

You’re free to start earlier and jump on board later if you so wish! Late comers are always welcome. :smile:

Click for windupbird's amazing calendar template for tracking your progress!

To use, reply to this post, click the “quote whole post” button (little speech bubble), and copy/paste the part below into your post:

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Click here for a link to a prompt generator, courtesy of potatonaught!

Recording Tools (for those who want to share their speaking practice):
:studio_microphone: Vocaroo (can share via link / download recording)
:studio_microphone: Reverb (can share via link)
:studio_microphone: Voice Spice (can share via link)
:studio_microphone: Online Voice Recorder (can download recording)
:studio_microphone: TwistedWave (can download recording)
:star: For download-only tools, you can upload your recordings to a file sharing service and link to them using that, if you so wish. If there are other tools you’d like to share with everyone, let me know and I’ll add them to the list!

:star: There is no pressure to share a recording. Do so only if you feel comfortable. If all you want to do is post a calendar to track your own private speaking/writing practice, that’s 100% okay. What matters most is that you try your best at whatever goal you set for yourself during this challenge.

Would you like to participate?
  • Yes
  • Yes, but I might start late
  • Not sure
  • No
0 voters
13 Likes

Participants

Feel free to add your username to the list and link it to your home post!
Note: please try to keep this alphabetical

Username Date Joined Days Completed
Bakugames 1 Sep 2002 0
Dacia1917 1 Sep 2022 0
Hantsuki 1 Sep 2002 0
lucylavelle 1 Sep 2022 0
Mrs Diss 1 Sep 2022 0
pocketcat 1 Sep 2022 0
polv 1 Sep 2022 9
potatonaught 1 Sep 2022 5
pyr_3 1 Sep 2022 30
softlyraining 1 Sep 2022 30
8 Likes

I might join on langcorrect.com but oh how I’ve tried over and over to maintain output streaks and I’m so bad at it :hear_no_evil: :speak_no_evil:

Thanks for starting this challenge, @softlyraining, might be just what I need!

9 Likes

I 100% know the feeling. I used to be good about practicing output. Unfortunately, it’s been a long time since I’ve spoken Japanese, though I’ve been trying to write more lately. My translation course is also sometimes taught in Japanese, and I’d like to be able to ask questions and form coherent responses without feeling like I have to plan what I’m going to say in advance. Hoping this challenge helps me get all the grammar and vocab I’ve studied out of my brain outside of seeing them on flashcards. :crossed_fingers:

5 Likes

:studio_microphone: :desert_island: softlyraining’s radio show :maple_leaf: :microphone:

My main goal for this challenge will be to incorporate more vocabulary and grammar into my working memory when it comes to output. There are so many words that I understand when I read them on the page, but then when I want to get them out of my head, it’s like I never learned them. :sob: I’m going to mainly focus on speaking practice, but if I’m too busy/tired/etc., I’ll focus on writing or maybe shadowing. Basically, I’m using this challenge to jump back in the saddle when it comes to speaking/writing regularly.

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Broadcast Log

Day 1 - 自己紹介
Day 2 - 間違いを犯しちゃった
Day 3 - 日記みたいな作文
Day 4 - 眠りの問題
Day 5 - 謝りたいこと
Day 6 - 日本語の勉強の理由
Day 7 - 新しい表現
Day 8 - 自分のモチベーション
Day 9 -
Day 10 - 気分が悪い
Day 11 - 今学期の最後の宿題
Day 12 - 俳句
Day 13 - わざわざ辛いこの世で、生きる必要性
Day 14 - 日本に行ったことある?
Day 15 - 耳をすませば
Day 16 - 果たして翻訳家になるだろう?
Day 17 - 一生懸命に勉強する
Day 18 - クラスメートに会う
Day 19 -
Day 20 - 悪い癖
Day 21 - 昨日の面談
Day 22 - 昨夜の夢
Day 23 - 次のチャレンジ
Day 24 - 眠すぎる
Day 25 - ハイキングの話
Day 26 - 自信
Day 27 - 整頓
Day 28 - 木星
Day 29 - ハリケーン
Day 30 - チャレンジ

9 Likes

Now a wiki :+1:

2 Likes

I keep a daily diary in Japanese anyway, so it makes sense for me to come and join you all for this challenge. :slight_smile:
I’ll probably stick to just writing every day rather than speaking - I might just share a snippet of what I’ve written each day rather than the whole diary entry though because otherwise it might get a bit boring for you guys to have to read what I had for dinner every night :grin:

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Progress Report
九月
10 Likes

I wouldn’t object to pics of a delicious dinner now and then (or every post; good food’s good food). :yum:

4 Likes

How cool! I’ll try to join in. I want to focus on speaking so this will be a good kick in the pants.

:ear_of_rice: 九月 :fallen_leaf:
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9 Likes

Will try this out! Planning on buying a new notebook for my jp diary, and I need some more speech practice in general for class.

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9 Likes

Love the output idea! Since I do plenty of speaking and typing in Japanese on a daily basis, I’ll challenge myself to only mark a challenge complete if I speak to someone other than family and / or physically write in Japanese.

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9 Likes

Aww, I love this idea :heart: Especially with it being on the off month of the other challenges. I wish I weren’t so busy and burned out, I would join otherwise. I’m an absolute beginner when it comes to any form of production but I feel like this would be a comfy place to start. Maybe if I feel more on top of things later in the month, I’ll join. (Or hopefully there will be enough interest that there will be a second round of the challenge later? :crossed_fingers:)

9 Likes

By all means, take a break! :heart: You’re more than welcome to join us later on if you feel up to it, but there’s no need to push yourself if you’re feeling burned out. (I’m also hoping there’ll be enough interest for a second challenge during the fall-into-winter “off-season.” :crossed_fingers:)

2 Likes

I’ve been keeping a diary, but it would be fun to try and do it every day. I’ll focus on writing for this one!

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9 Likes

There is only 1 more month in Summer, but I’ll join. Thanks OP very much for creating this thread.

八月
夏の9 22   23   24   25   26 ・ 27 :memo: 28 ・
夏の10 29 :memo: 30 ・ 31 :memo:
九月
夏の10 01 ・ 02 :memo: 03 ・ 04 :memo:
夏の11 05 :memo: 06 :memo: 07 :memo: 08 ・ 09 ・ 10 :memo: 11 ・
夏の12 12 :memo: 13 ・ 14 :memo: 15 ・ 16 ・ 17 ・ 18 ・
夏の13 19 :memo: 20 :memo: 21 ・ 22 :studio_microphone: 23 :studio_microphone: 24 :studio_microphone: 25 ・
秋の初 26 :studio_microphone: 27 :studio_microphone: 28 :studio_microphone: 29 :studio_microphone: 30 :studio_microphone: 01 :studio_microphone: 02 :studio_microphone:

I think the trick is consistency, and a calendar is good way to track. I think of doing once per week first (but I might do more on a good environment). Since I plan to be consistent and count, Days Completed would make a lot of sense now. As I might not qualify for doing everyday makes even more sense for keeping a calendar ticked.

  • Less than everyday? That would be twice a week (e.g. 1/weekday, 1/weekend), or once per week.
  • More than everyday, like 1 in the morning, 1 in the evening?
  • It’s about being all along with the marathon, rather than keeping up with others.

Another thing is about the form. I think first about writing and being expressive, but being in a communication is probably different. What about editing old writings?

When I feel ready, LangCorrect seems like a nice place. Historically, I used Lang-8, then I dropped out after a while.

8 Likes

I’ve only ever used Lang-8, so I’m curious how LangCorrect fairs in comparison. Not sure if you’ve used Lang-8 previously or not pocketcat, and if you end up switching over to LangCorrect, polv, I’d love to hear your thoughts on both sites.

2 Likes

I don’t think I’ve used lang8, but their site is basically dead now (you can’t sign up) so LangCorrect seems to be the new thing. It works pretty well, the only downside so far for me is that because people earn their “ratio” by correcting other people’s posts (this is to encourage people to not be greedy and take without giving) I sometimes get multiple corrections on one post when I’d honestly be happy with just one. There’s also somewhat of a lack of English entries on some days so keeping my own ratio up can be trying when I’m getting corrected by multiple people on one entry.

That said, the interface is nice and the creator is very open on the forums about what features are under development and so on.

2 Likes

I barely touched LangCorrect, but they have Discord, and I asked them to remove English from my native languages. Also, no-one ever write in my native language, so I can’t correct anyone. My native language isn’t a popular one (and that isn’t English)…

At least, the prompt is nice, and Discord is replied relatively quickly.

Lang-8 is long ago, and I can’t recall having any prompt. I wrote my journal / diary, there.

2 Likes

i’ll be joining this ^^

i’ve had very little practice with production, whether written or spoken, and feel like i really should work on that a bit. and i’ve been eyeing the Japanese Sentence a Day challenge. so here’s a post to keep me accountable.

as i feel quite a bit of anxiety about actually using all the japanese i’ve learned, my aim will be to just write something every day. even just a sentence or two will be enough, in an attempt to break through this “i can’t do this” barrier.

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8 Likes

I’m currently revisiting N5 grammar after taking a break for a month or so. My goal is to either write or say a few sentences every day to really get comfortable with using the grammar points again. Let’s see how it goes.

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Please feel free to correct errors and share your knowledge and advice with me. :slight_smile:

九月一日【自己紹介】Self-introduction

without furigana

はじめまして。マリーです。子供の時、オーストリアに住んでいましたが、今ドイツに住んでいます。二十七歳で、会社員です。一年間半ぐらい日本語を勉強していましたが、まだ日本語が上手じゃないです。難しいと思いますから。暇の時、よくゲームをしたり、映画を見たり、友達に会いに行ったりします。このチャレンジはとても楽しいと思います。みんなさん、頑張って。よろしくお願いします。

with furigana

はじめまして。マリーです。子供こどもとき、オーストリアにんでいましたが、いまドイツにんでいます。二十七にじゅうななさいで、会社員かいしゃいんです。一年間半いちねんかんはんぐらい日本語にほんご勉強べんきょうしていましたが、まだ日本語にほんご上手じょうずじゃないです。むずかしいとおもいますから。ひまとき、よくゲームをしたり、映画えいがたり、友達ともだちいにったりします。このチャレンジはとてもたのしいとおもいます。みんなさん、頑張がんばって。よろしくおねがいします。

九月二日【私の金曜日】Informal Speech
九月三日【マックで】
九月四日【好きな音楽】Informal Speech
九月五日【クレタ島の旅行】
九月六日【日本語の勉強のモチベーション】
九月七日【面白い思い出】Informal Speech
九月八日【子供の時】
九月九日【一番好きな食べ物】
九月十日【来週の週末と再来週の】
九月十一日【9・11テロ事件】
九月十二日【日記】Informal Speech
九月十三日【クリスマス】
九月十四日【日本に行きたいです】
九月十五日【レコード】
九月十六日【日記】
九月十七日【テレビゲーム】Informal Speech
九月十八日【夢】
九月十九日【電子機器】
九月二十日【日本語能力試験】
九月二十一日【悪い癖】
九月二十二日【天気】
九月二十三日【借りたまま返してない物の話】
九月二十四日【日記】Informal Speech
九月二十五日【楽器】
九月二十六日【エスケープルーム】
九月二十七日【美術館】
九月二十八日【ワニカニの統計】
九月二十九日【植物】
九月三十日【チャレンジ】Informal Speech

9 Likes