We actually talked about this matter in the audio lesson of Lower Intermediate season 6 Lesson 2. (around 6:00) Please check out that Audio too.

jack-san,
When you go to our forum, you’ll be able to hear more stories about how other listeners are studying Japanese.

I think it would be helpful or at least interesting to hear more about how the native English speakers on your program learned Japanese.

I like to study using a textbook (minna no nihongo) along with your program and lesson notes. I even mix your vocab into my textbook vocab cards. I find this really speeds up studying and cuts down on review time.

-Jack

Learning does not mean finding listening easy (at least not only), as it would be the case if one reads along, but something along the line of being able to use what learned, in different contexts, not just after ten seconds or minutes, but the next day, month, and so on.

So the question would be, who will learn more in the long run, somebody relaxed and reading along , or somebody working hard with dictionaries and, say, other computer tools, do discover the meaning of what spoken on their own, maybe after hours or days of painful work?

I am hinting at the distinction between deep and surface approaches to learning.
Deep:
a) Intention to understand material for oneself
b) Interacting vigorously and critically on content
c) Relating ideas to previous knowledge
d) Using organizing principles to integrate ideas

Surface:
a) Intention simply to reproduce parts of the content
b) Accepting ideas and information passively
c) Not reflecting on purpose or strategies in learning
d) Memorizing facts and procedures routinely
e) Failing to recognize guiding principles or patterns

(Entwistle & P., 1983)

I believe its a matter of engaging the brain, if reading along its an excuse not to make any effort, then it will slow down things, if its part of an organized effort than it should have a positive impact.

In this optic a great responsibility goes to the “teacher.” The way things are taught could encourage the wrong approach to learning. Let me give you an example. If jpod presents the Japanese Grammar as a list of disconnected bits
forgetting that the term grammar “refers to the logical and structural rules that govern the composition of sentences, phrases, and words,” then blind memorization will be the elicited response from learners. I would like to ask other listeners, weather anybody thinks that “-te kurenai” should be considered a grammar point. If presented separately, it’s easy to miss the guiding principles or patterns as one “can`t see the forest for the trees.”

仁居流さん＞
Thanks for letting us know Sounds like a good way to study!

デボンさん＞
機内食、おいしいですよね

最近、レッスンノットを読みながら聞いてない。free content membershipしかないから。
現在、アルバイトだけがあるので、お金が少ない。誰かbasic membershipを買ってくれない？ 　 　

I find that listening to the lesson before reading the new words and phrases is generally not as helpful. I don’t understand what I am hearing and find myself trying to listen over and over to figure out what is being said.

Lower intermediate S4 feels so natural to me. Just the right difficulty for my skills! Also, I love the Japanese explanations & the great acting. I’m so excited to keep up with this series.

こんなレッスンもっと作ってくれない？便利で勉強にいいから!　

ありがとう！

Mr Boogers -san

Alberto -san
Lower Intermediate へ、ようこそ。
Welcome to the Lower Intermediate Lesson!!