I was wondering if any advanced Japanese learners here have tried using high school 国語 textbooks for reading comprehension and specifically to get exposure to difficult grammar and kanji in context. If you have, what is your experience with this?
What I’ve been considering lately is while using books like Kanzen master, studying grammar points in isolation in the study guide list format cannot be optimal. Theoretically, it seems better to encounter them in texts while supplementing with a JLPT book as a kind of analysis/review. What do you all think?
I think they can be useful and interesting, but probably not advisable while you’re continuing to learn foundational phrases (even on the higher end, a la N2 or N1). The way Japanese grammar is taught differs greatfly from the way it’s taught as a foreign language, and at the level of high-school textbooks, what you would be dealing with on the grammar front would be niche analysis designed to provide closer inspection for lifelong native speakers.
That said, texts that are more reading-focused could be a benefit, but so would just reading whatever books interest you.
I’d finish off Kanzen Master, but keep up with other outside reading at the same time. If you’re interested, Japanese language books (on counter words, on keigo, Nihongo Kentei prep, etc.) aimed at a general audience may also have what you’re looking for in a way that’s a little more useful and engaging than jumping into an actual textbook. Though that could be interesting if you think you have all the basics you need out of the way, and it wouldn’t be your main source of learning. But my main advice would just be to pick up a novel, short story collection, etc. But basically no reading is bad, so if your heart is with jumping into a 国語 textbook, do it.
Instead of 国語 books have you considered reading novels? I’d imagine those would use more flowery language and thus more complicated grammar and uncommon kanji.
Hi thanks for the idea. I have been working through a novel along with reading the news. I’ve been trying to strike a balance between the two writing styles. I actually found a neat magazine called kotoba that I’m reading now as well. The issues are pretty long with different articles within all focusing on a particular topic. I really like the format. Maybe you and some others are interested?
I can’t since you quoted it… But, seriously, I wasn’t trying to give “condescending advice” — I figured OP would get that it was joking, especially given OP’s level, I am well aware they can read 漢字 and much harder things that even I can’t.
