Reading in Chinese: Choosing Materials and Tackling Unknown Vocabulary

Pages from the popular Japanese comic Card Captor Sakura translated into Chinese.
Source

Last month, I finished teaching a summer Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) course. At the end of the course, I asked students if they had any general questions for me regarding English learning. Some asked pretty much the question many other English language learners I meet in my daily life ask:

"How should I study vocabulary? Should I memorize? I heard memorization is the best method."

Indeed, in China and other Asian countries, rote memorization is used not only to cram for tests, but to tackle any content thrown at students in the variety of classes they take. I believe there is a time and place for rote memorization (i.e., math formulas), but if you want language to be memorable, memorization is the wrong road to take. 

As an English teacher who loves to use the principals of cognitive linguistics or logic to tackle language, I believe vocabulary, grammar, or any other facet of language is only retained when it's contextualized, and/or when we know the etymology or background. Whether you're learning English, or Chinese and Japanese in my case, this rings true. I remember words and phrases from memorable conversations or interesting books. Naturally, when words and phrases are heard or read in context, they make more sense. 

I'll make a post about listening to Chinese in the future; this one concerns Chinese reading. (I don't know enough Japanese yet to read books, only short comics and signs!) Again, no matter the language you're learning, I think these tips will help you. 

Record five unknown vocabulary words per page

Recently, an employee at my local Walmart (yes, they're here in China!) struck up a conversation with me. He asked the typical memorization question, and I told him a better way to brush up on English is to read and write down about five words per page that you don't understand to check the definition later. 

"But what if there's more than five words I don't understand on a page?" he asked.

I replied, "Ignore them!"

Black Women Thrive: Interview with English Teacher Ayana Wyse

English teacher Ayana Wyse

Whether you're facing uncertainty or simply a little nervous, sometimes in life you have to just go for it like Ayana Wyse did when she made the decision to move to Osaka, Japan nearly five years ago after she started learning Japanese on her own while still living in Brooklyn, New York.

"I decided to live [in Japan] after months of studying because I wanted to try a new life, learn the language in the country and was inspired by my friend who lived in Japan for a few months."

Actually, before moving to Japan, Wyse had some experience being out of her element and changing her scenery stateside in New York. After growing up in a predominately White area in the county of Westchester, New York, she was happy to move White Plains, the more diverse area of the county. Nonetheless, her Black peers were well aware of her less divergent background. 

"I was excited to...experience a new [high school] with new people and more diversity. When I went there though, many of the Black people teased the way I talked...I still made an effort to befriend mostly Black people so I didn't have to stick out so much any more although now I'm back to being one of the few Black again [in Japan]."

Although Wyse's peers might've felt she was not in touch with Black culture, in reality, Wyse and her older brother—five years her senior—grew up being educated about her Caribbean and by extension African roots as her father is from Grenada.

Like other kids of the 90s, Wyse and her older brother also enjoyed Japanese pop culture in the form of anime. Rouroni Kenshin; Tenchi Muyo; Pokemon; Digimon; and Yu-Gi-Oh! were a few of their favorites.

"My brother was interested in anime first with Dragon Ball and I with Sailor Moon. At the time, I didn't know it was from Japan." 

Later, Wyse began to learn about other aspects of Japanese culture, and became particularly interested in geisha and samurai. Eventually, she studied at two colleges. However, she majored in Communications rather than Japanese. 

"First I went to Seton Hall...[which] had a good track and field team which [I] entered in...I transferred to University of North Carolina in Charlotte after two years for a better track team."

At UNC Charlotte, Wyse majored in Communications since there was no Japanese major. However, she changed her mind about working in media after she graduated. Two years after graduation, she took inspiration from her childhood best friend who worked as an ALT (assistant language teacher) in Japan for six months, and from her brother who was studying Brazilian Portuguese when she began to teach herself Japanese after college.

"It was the year 2010 in January [that] I made a New Year's resolution to study a new language because I saw my brother learn Brazilian Portuguese and I worked at a cafe in NYC where the owners spoke English and Hebrew, and the cooks were Spanish. Everyone being able to speak more than one language made me jealous, so...I tried to fix that by learning Japanese on my own."

Black Women Thrive: Interview with English Teacher Melissa Da Costa

Da Costa (left) at the summit of Mt. Fuji with friends.

Without a doubt, Fujisan （富士山）or Mount Fuji is the most salient symbol of Japan. It dominates a large area of Honshu, the nation's "Main Island", and at 12,888 ft (3,776 m) it is the highest point in the country. Unsurprisingly, the majestic mountain was designated a UNESCO Worth Heritage Site in 2013.

Many dream of climbing Mt. Fuji and reaching its summit, and the Japanese believe reaching the top of Fujisan will bring the climber good luck. But despite the sacred nature of the climb and its popularity, Melissa Da Costa, an expat English teacher in Japan, wasn't that interested in the climb, "It was never something that I considered doing."

Nevertheless, she went on the trip to Fuji, and despite the difficulties on the way, made it to the top.

The climb to the summit of Mt. Fuji is just one of many adventures Da Costa has experienced since moving from the UK to Japan. She come to Japan in 2013 since she was interested in the culture. Like many, her introduction to Japan came through anime; however, her interests eventually began to revolve around Japanese history rather than pop culture. 

The majestic Fujisan with vibrant flowers.
Source

"I like my [H]istory; I've been to various sites in Japan and do like my castles...Nagoya Castle was pretty nice."

After visiting the blogs of people who have taught English abroad, Da Costa decided relocate to Japan and do the same. She is currently based in the small city of Odawara, yet previously lived in Hiroshima.

"My favorite city will always be Hiroshima. I lived there for one year. I like that [al]though it was a city, it wasn't crazy like Tokyo. It's a kind of charming place and if I could go back I would."

During her Hiroshima days, she used to travel to a different prefecture nearly every month. So far, she's been to several places in Kyushu (i.e., Kagoshima, Oita, Fukuoka) and Chugoku (i.e., Yamaguchi, Okayama).

"I realise that I've travelled to more places in Japan than I have in England," Da Costa says.

Welcome 2014

Some of the New Year's cards my students made.

新年快樂！

(That is, Happy New Year!)

I can't believe it's already 2014! Time certainly goes fast, I'm quickly heading toward my second year in Taiwan. These days my schedule is packed, so because I was exhausted I decided not to venture far from my apartment this year. Therefore, I didn't go any where near Taipei 101.  My prediction last year was right; I didn't want to brave the crowds again.  Nonetheless, I fun making new years cards with my students and enjoying myself close to home.

Jingle bells! Jingle bells!

聖誕節快樂！

(That is, Merry Christmas!)

The Christmas tree and snowman at the school where
I work.

Me at the end of Christmas.
I hate surgical masks, but I was coughing
and would have felt uncomfortable on
public transport without it.

I have not posted since Thanksgiving, so I think it's quite evident that I have been busy, busy, busy!  I'm so busy that I would periodically forget that Christmas was coming, but the lights and Christmas trees here are a constant reminder, although I didn't make an effort to see the big displays like I did last year (I think Taiwanese people enjoy Christmas as much as Americans!) But I enjoy being busy; after all, idle minds breed idle thoughts. In fact, my schedule is so full that I had to work on Christmas. But honestly, I wouldn't have had it any other way as I've grown to love my children.

Unfortunately for me, I had to go through my commute and work day with a cold and terrible sore throat, but it was worth it.