Self-Study Plan for JLPT2

[Neil_sama]

Minasama, is there anybody doing self study for JLPT 2 and plan to take it at the end of this year? Any tips or recommended self-study plans to share?

As for me I'm currently using 2 textbooks; An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese and テーマ別中級から学ぶ日本語。　After which I'll focus more on listening and reading practice in preparation for JLPT 2008.

[kcsega]

I'm not really sure what to tell you, but I'll try anyway.

If you find that listening is your strong point, don't waste too much time on it.
I would say that where a lot of native English speakers trip up on 2-kyu is the reading section.
Work on building your speed there, looking for clues in the text to answer questions quickly, who or what the author of the text is referring to in particular sections, things of that nature.

I can't really know what you need to study, but for me, I found that working with the reading section a lot helped me to improve my Kanji and Grammar at the same time, since both are included in the texts.

I could recommend some books, but they're all in Japanese, unless you're ok with that.

[mrkaeru]

I just passed the 2kyuu for 2007 doing self study.

I wrote about my approach on my website, which you'll have to visit via my profile since the filter is preventing me from linking to it here. (Follow the link under the heading "Supermemo").

I relied on some flash card software called SuperMemo but of course since you have a lot more time than I had (I started studying in late August) you might not need to study as hard with as many tools. On the website is also a complete list of all the books I used.

[Andresito]

I am doing self study as well for level two, after 10 months of self study.

It will be interesting to exchange some tips, I will contact you in the meantime today I am busy.

mrkaeru, interesting site, it has many things I have come along; naruhodo nintendo ds, jap101 marketing, etc... I would like to eventually contact you through skype or email. Please let me know if it is alright to do so.

[mrkaeru]

Certainly, you can contact me via Skype or e-mail.

[annie]

I'd recommend getting through An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese as soon as you can. JLPT2 covers a lot more than what that textbook does.

Work on your reading. And as much as I hate to advise it, study to the test. Buy the test prep guides and study from those.

All that I used to study was the Kanzen Master grammar book. (I had finished An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese about 6 years earlier though.

[mikemiller]

Is it possible to master all the jlpt2 vocabulary within a year if i know chinese well? What approaches/books/materials do u guys take to master JLPT2 vocabulary?

[takonoma]

I'm slightly anti-flashcard, when it comes to learning. I've just posted a ramble on this, plus other thoughts on taking the 2級 (again) this year in the thread JLPT 2008.

However, I totally agree that any language test requires preparing for the test itself, and knowing its format inside-out. I'm an English language teacher by profession, and have taught many students on how to prepare for the various exams purported to measure English ability. All the exams unavoidably have flaws, in that you can learn techniques to help you pass them. The test-makers know this, and take it into account in determining marks. I have seen students with truly excellent real-life English ability perform poorly in the exam because they did it 'cold', with no test-taking practice, believing their ability would see them through. Even native-speakers when taking such tests for the first time make mistakes through misinterpreting questions, and not being used to sustaining the level of concentration required throughout the test. So, getting old tests and doing them under 'test conditions' is the way to go.
But, you still have to know the basic stuff you are being tested on first! There is no shortcut for learning grammar and vocabulary, etc. And learning this from a test paper is a horrible way to do it, I think. Tests by their nature offer no support. There are far more useful and fun resources for learning the language. Like JapanesePod, for one!

[tiger]

mrkaeru,
I had a brief look at your site and it looks great. I will try and get those DS software in preparation for 2kyu later this year.

Might try a few other vocab boosting book mentioned in this thread. Thanks.

I really have to sort out a weekly study plan though and to keep it interesting, have to try and mix it up a little.

[yuzzo]

皆さん、こんばんわ！

I'm also studying for the JLPT Nikkyuu level. But I must admit that up until now I've been just reviewing what I've already learned... Grammar-wise, I'm reviewing 'Japanese for Busy People 2', which I used when I had nihongo classes. And as to Kanji, I'm using KingKanji in my Palmtop, currently reviewing Sankkyuu level kanji. Besides that, almost every week I gather a small group of friends who are aiming at the Nikkyuu level, and we discuss nihongo-related topics. Sometimes we use Jpod stuff, heh.

Not much, really. I just hope next semester I'll have more time to study japanese. And oh, thanks for the tips, everybody! I'll definetely pay more attention reading from now one.

[samihu]

I was originally going to take the 3kyuu this year but I realized that that would be way to easy. So I decided I'll try for the 2kyuu. I've got the White Rabbit Press Kanji Flashcards and I use a lot of online things like Jpod(of course) and the Genki books' website among other things. I also get my hands on as much 'real' Japanese as I can- manga, magazines, dramas, etc. I can memorize stuff like vocab and kanji pretty well, but grammar is another story. I should really get something to help me with that a bit more...

[purikku22]

waaaahhhh, as i read these post, everybody's fired up to take level2... eventhough i passed level3 last year, i still dont have the confidence to advance to the next level.. and i know level 2 is far away from level 3.. anyways, thanks to these post somehow i have the reason to continue my learning in japanese langauge (right now im in japan for 6 mos training but still i cant converse very well).... goodluck to everyone aiming for level2! kore kara yoroshiku onegaishimasu.