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      USING THE CARDS

      As has been previously mentioned, the cards in Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 will most effectively be used when incorporated with a systematic approach to learning Chinese characters. The cards themselves use the characters from Jōyō Kanji with the occasional so-called ‘advanced kanji’, so it would be beneficial for the student of Japanese to try and learn to write the particular vocabulary item as soon as possible.

      Of course, this presents the student with one of the difficult aspects of the acquisition of the language. Trying to learn how to use a particular vocabulary item is quite a different matter from learning how to write it. For this reason, the romanized forms of the vocabulary items have been provided. However, it should be said that students would be encouraged to learn to recognize a word in at least its hiragana form, without becoming too reliant upon the use of romanization.

      Setting a target of a number of items per week is often an effective way of approaching the problem of learning vocabulary. The cards are compact and can be carried easily and thus can be used in any number of situations, where time allows. Recognizing a particular word or phrase is really only one part of the process of learning. Vocabulary items need to be written as well—constant repetition and practice will ensure that the particular term is stored away in the memory for future use, or at least, recognition. As new items are memorized, older ones become less familiar and may be forgotten, so review should play an important part in the use of the cards.

      The Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 card set is designed to be readily used by the individual, but of course, the applications for use with a friend or a number of people are also clear. Who knows? It may even come to the point of having to strategically mount certain cards so that constant exposure to the cards facilitates memorization.

      Finally, allow me to wish you luck in your study of the Japanese language. May the Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 set of cards prove to be an effective memorization tool in your studies.

      John Millen