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The Road to Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1

Interviewer: Yoshi Mineyama (April 2011)

We are interviewing Mrs. NS.  She is the mother of GS (10th grade), who passed JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) Level 1, and MS (8th grade), who passed JLPT Level 2 in the last December’s JLPT international examination.  We also have Mrs. SN joining this interview.  She is the mother of CN (Master in Nursing Science), who passed JLPT Level 1 two years ago.  GS, MS, and CN, were all born and grew up in the United States.  They essentially accomplished their success in JLPT by studying Japanese language only in the United States.  They visited Japan during the summer, but they did not have a chance to stay there for few years in order to study the language.  As a Japanese language teacher, I believe that their experience would give us very valuable lesson.

Mineyama: I think everyone wants to know how your children studied for JLPT.

SN: We studied Kanji a lot.  GS passed Kanken Level 3 and MS passed Kanken Level 5.

Mineyama: How did you and your children studied Kanji?

SN: I had them study Kanji Kentei preparation book three times before tests.

CN: My daughter studied Kanji very hard also.

Mineyama: Wasn’t it very hard to study Kanji?

SN: We went over one Step section every time we studied.

Mineyama: Do you mean the “Step” section in “Kanji Study Step” by Kanken publishing?

SN: Yes exactly.  I had GS and MS look up the meaning of Kanji first, then, they practiced writing.

Mineyama: Did they use dictionary book or computer to look up the meaning?

SN: They used the electronic dictionary.  When it did not show what they were looking for, they used the big dictionary book.

Mineyama: There are quizzes in each Step of the study book.  Did you use those?

SN: Yes, we studied them extensively.  I had my children write the answers in the separate notebook.  Next time we studied, before going to the next Step, I had them check the notebook and practice what they missed.  Before Kanji Kentei, it was ideal to go over the study book three times in one year, but when we did not have enough time, I had them review the notebook and practice what they missed before.

Mineyama: Didn’t they say, they hate studying Kanji anymore?

SN: When my children were small, I could just have them study, but when they get older, it was important that they were interested in studying Kanji.  As they became older, GS wanted to read Japanese newspaper on the internet and Manga.  MS became interested in using Face Book on the internet with her Japanese friends.  There seem to be many Japanese language related activities that children can be interested.

Mineyama: I see.

SN: I believe it is important to use the materials, which teenagers can be interested.

Mineyama: Thank you very much.

(continue…)