In this issue, we will introduce a study method that will enable you to solve reading comprehension.
Even if a teacher does his/her best to teach how to solve a puzzle, if the student does not understand and practice how to solve it, he/she will not be able to develop the ability.
There are two opportunities to develop reading comprehension skills: during class time and during study time at home. I think of the two in this way.
Answering problems in class is prep time for the real thing.
Homework and drills done at home are practice time for developing reading comprehension skills (practicing how to solve the problems).
The method I am going to show you is the one that I have done with most of my classes of non-Kanji students and has produced results. If students practice this 100% of the time, they will always gain strength and get results.
On the JLPT, if you score less than 19 in any one of the three subjects (Language Knowledge, Reading Comprehension, and Listening Comprehension), you will fail the test. And the most likely to get less than 19 points is in Reading Comprehension.
Just keep believing that you can always get more than a 19, depending on how you study!
Assumptions for reading comprehension measures
Before I show you how to study, I would like to discuss some prerequisites.
This is because studying without the following prerequisites will not improve your reading level.
More than studying grammar, Kanji, and vocabulary, preparation and review are important for reading comprehension, and the individual student’s effort will lead to a high score.
Students from Kanji-speaking countries often say that they can get the meaning of a sentence by the meaning of the Kanji characters, but the JLPT questions are getting more advanced every year, and the question writers are also making them with Kanji-speaking students in mind. Therefore, it is no longer acceptable to say that students from Kanji-speaking countries can get points in reading comprehension because they are from Kanji-speaking countries.
(1) There are regular reading comprehension homework assignments and reading comprehension problem books at home.
- If you don’t have homework every time you are in a reading comprehension class, or if you don’t have the opportunity to build up a small number of problems, you will not be able to build up your skills.
(2) I can study other subjects such as grammar, vocabulary, Kanji, etc. for a set amount of time in my school classes (and private lessons). Or, in other subjects, I am at a level where I can always get a score of 19 or higher on the JLPT.
- It is difficult to gain strength by studying only reading comprehension. Since reading comprehension requires comprehensive skills, we recommend that you study other subjects together.
- If you are going to study only reading comprehension, it is only if you have achieved considerable results in other subjects.
(3) There are textbooks and reference books for studying grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji characters. (Textbooks bought at school are acceptable.)
- It is not necessary to look them up on the Internet.
- Even if the results of online research are correct, it is not acceptable to keep them with you.
- Also, do not use the Internet because you cannot write notes on it.
A winning study method for JLPT reading comprehension questions
Now, let us explain how exactly students will proceed with their studies.
The flow of the study process is simple.
STEP1
Solve (at home or for homework)
STEP2
Research (home and homework)
STEP3
Listen to the explanation (school, class)
That’s all.
Solution.
［How to…]
1) Time your answers according to the problem.
When the time is up, it does not matter if you have not solved the problem, stop there.
*Make a notebook for your answers. Do not write the answers in the textbook or printouts.
2) Look at the answers and check if they are correct or incorrect.
→You only need to use X and O. You do not need to read the explanations.
［Point]
(1) To develop time allocation for each question, a time limit will be set.
→ Always time and answer one question at a time, not 5 questions in 15 minutes because there are 5 short sentences.
→ Doing 5 questions in 15 minutes as described above is not something you can get used to.
This is because it is impossible to do something like time allocation when you are not aware of the time limit in the first place.
［Supplementary information: Time allocation guidelines (Speed Master includes them.)
→ 3 minutes for one short text, 6-8 minutes for one medium text, and 10 minutes for one long text.
→ Although there is no time limit stated in the information retrieval, we would like to do it in 7 to 8 minutes.
Research
［How to]
(1) Look up everything you did not understand when answering the questions. Check all kanji, vocabulary, and grammar.
(2) Write down all the things you looked up in your answer notebook.
(3) Try to answer the questions again.
［Point]
(1) Write down what you have researched in an answer notebook or other notebook so that you can see what you didn’t understand.
→It is not necessary to organize the notebook neatly. It is important to take out what you did not understand.
(2) Why did I make a mistake? What is different from the correct answer? Think about it. In some cases, the reason for the correct answer may not be clear. Ask questions about it in class.
Listen to the explanation
Up to this point, “answer the questions → look them up” is what students do at home. Then, students ask the teacher during or after class if they do not understand the reason for a correct answer or the meaning of grammar or vocabulary in what they have investigated by themselves at home.
I would like to share with you all the secrets of how this study method continues.
“If you do it this way, you will pass the exam!” and say to yourself over and over again, “I am not going to do this.
If you are hard, bitter, spoiled, and cut corners, you will not pass the JLPT.
It is also important not to lose motivation until the exam itself.
