Technique: Super-Literal Translation (SLT)

Have you spent time with other programs, learning lots of Japanese words....and yet still find yourself unable to put the words together into useful phrases, much less hold down a normal conversation? Part of the problem is, you've been learning the *English equivalents* for each Japanese word or phrase. Do any of the following ring a bell?

• "Douzo" translated as "Here you go." or "Here you are." when giving something to somebody.
• "Sumimasen" = Translated as "Sorry" or "Excuse me." Ok, but what about the common usage "Thank you."??

Sure, those are the English equivalents, but that's not what you're actually *saying* in Japanese. That's why you feel so confused, because no one explained to you what those things actually mean. And if you're not sure what you're really saying, the reason why words are used in some situations but not in others remains unclear.

For example, "Douzo" has a deeper Super-Literal-Translation, "Please do the implied action." Douzo... as you gesture to please go through the door before me... Douzo, as you gesture to please take this plate. Douzo...as you gesture to take this seat on the train. "Please do the implied action.", covers all of the English situational translations.

Sumimasen, has a deeper Super-Literal-Translation as well. "I'm sorry to have bothered you in some way." It can translate in English as "Sorry." "Excuse me." or "Thank you." but neither of those works universally. Sumimasen, after stepping on someone's toe. Sumimasen... if wanting to get somebody's attention. Sumimasen, if somebody does something nice for you. The Super Literal Translation that works for all situations. "I'm sorry to have bothered you in some way."

By discovering the actual, literal translation of every Japanese word and phrase you encounter, you'll start thinking like a Japanese person. And the bottom line? You'll learn in months what takes other people years. Ask any polyglot: Figuring out the SLT is a cornerstone of efficient language acquisition.

Technique: Grammar via Pattern Recognition

Have you ever taken a Japanese lesson—maybe from a private tutor, maybe from a YouTube video or a free website—and been told that wa or ga are subject or topic markers? That "ni" is "on" or "at", etc.

Being told is the least effective way of learning Japanese grammar. Why? Because you're forcing your brain to do something it's not very good at, which is to remember rules. The superior way to learn grammar is to leverage your brain's innate ability at spotting patterns. This is how and why we all learned our first languages naturally.

The bottom line? You can either memorize a complicated list of rules for verbs, adjectives and particles, or, you can use a course which helps you spot the patterns of the language. One method is slow, painful, and frustrating. The other is effortless, efficient...even fun!

Technique: Learning From Context

If I just tell you the meaning of a new word, it'd be like being introduced to someone at a party. In under a minute, as you walk away and move on to something else, you've already forgotten their name. But if I show you the word in context, a whole different part of your brain is activated. It's almost like solving a puzzle. Your brain immediately, automatically, tries to figure it out. Like this...

The things we wear to correct our vision are called "megane". Not contact lenses, though. Only the kind made of wire frames that rest on your ears and nose, where the corrective lenses are in front of your eye...those are called "megane"... My grandma wears megane for reading. Megane, don't have to be just for correcting your vision.

Interesting, isn't it? You know exactly what megane are, and yet I never actually told you the meaning. Your brain (quite easily) figured it out from context. That's the power of Contextual Learning. It activates the "puzzle solving" region of your brain, allowing you to learn quickly and deeply. And even though we've moved on in this discussion, you still remember our new word. Tell me: What are the two main things an optometrist sells? Contact lenses, and what?

Technique: Novel Usage

If you've been studying languages for a while, you've probably heard about spaced repetition—the idea that timing plays a big part in developing your memory. That's certainly true. Timing is definitely important. Still, it's one thing to be able to recall a random word. But making that word a part of your everyday Japanese vocabulary requires a technique known as Novel Usage. In essence, every time you're asked to recall a word, it needs to be in a unique phrase—one you've never spoken before.

In a typical spaced repetition app, you are simply prompted: How do you say glasses in Japanese? Then: What is the Japanese word for city? After a few more random words, the app again asks you: How do you say glasses in Japanese? And that's fine for developing word recall.

But it does very little to build your Japanese conversational skills—unless you think conversations consist of one word exchanges. In a language course aimed at making you conversational, spaced repetition needs to be done more carefully. Each prompt should get you to recall the target word in a new, useful phrase:

• Do you wear glasses?
• How far is the city from the airport?
• Your glasses are on the table.
• Osaka is my favorite city.
• I bought these glasses in the city.

...and so on. Always using your target words in unique phrases, you quickly gain control over them. The adjustments that need to be made become automatic. Again, if your goal is to recall Japanese words at random, then stick with one of the spaced rep apps. But if you're trying to quickly and efficiently become conversational in Japanese, you need a course that incorporates Novel Usage.

Technique: Controlled Immersion

What exactly is immersion? Simply, it's a targeted learning environment where those around you only speak Japanese, and where your only option is to respond in Japanese. But immersion does not mean "living in a Japanese speaking country." Unless you're already an advanced speaker, that kind of in-country immersion is overkill. Too much, too soon. Still, some amount of immersion is useful, even for beginners.

How can a language course achieve this? By including carefully scripted, interactive listening sessions entirely in Japanese. You might listen to someone speak about their day in Japanese, and then be asked questions by another native speaker about what the person said. Or you might listen in on a conversation between native speakers, and again be prompted to answer in Japanese about what they were discussing. By listening to audios featuring Controlled Immersion environments, students can develop their conversational skills without the pressure (and expense) of being in-country. They're a quick, safe, and highly efficient way to hone your language skills.