As I have mentioned in some previous posts, I have been wanting to sit for the JLPT exam for a long time - in fact, I have wanted to sit for it ever since I studied Japanese at university. I remember after first year, some of my teachers said it would be a great exam for us to do to test our Japanese and also to gain a certificate. When my classmates sat for it and passed, I felt a little upset with myself that I hadn't also, but in those early days, my Japanese was quite weak compared to my classmates, so I probably would have failed.
What is the JLPT, you may ask? It's the Japanese Language Proficiency Test - an exam which anyone can do to check ones level of Japanese proficiency and to gain an internationally recognised certificate which may help when finding work in and out of Japan.
My main reason for wanting to sit the test was to prove to myself what level I had achieved since my time at university. After uni, I took a break from studying Japanese as I felt it was too hard and that I wasn't getting anywhere with it. I would study so hard, and then at the end of the day, I would get so upset that I could barely string a proper sentence together.
Little by little, my enthusiasm for learning Japanese increased. I became re-inspired by watching Japanese films, by listening to Japanese music, and also by watching YouTube videos of other people practicing their Japanese. Some of the vloggers were so good at Japanese, I felt as though improving my fluency was actually a possibility.
After deciding that I might be able to sit for the N3 exam, I bought the nihongo no somatome text books and spent one year studying. Nothing was sticking in my memory as I desperately tried to hold on to the week-by-week structure of the textbooks. I almost gave up, thinking that N3 may have been too advanced for me.
Then, I stumbled across the JET Programme on the net, and realising I may actually be eligible to apply, I got my papers together, sent them off, and WHAM! I was asked to an interview. Off I went - a year's adventure in Japan began - not just for me, but for my Japanese!
I knuckled down before I left, revising and studying Japanese as much as I could. I noticed I had improved a little, until I arrived in Japan and realised how much of a learning curve was awaiting me. When people spoke to me, I found it so hard to understand them. It was like I had been thrown into a forest of foreign words.
A few weeks later, something clicked. I could understand quite a lot of what was being said. I could read more than I thought I would be able to. I could pick up words and phrases quite quickly. However, I could barely speak with others, and my frustration continued to grow. This frustration made me want to stop studying altogether.
I decided I needed to push myself. Me and some of my friends decided we should all sit for the JLPT. Before we could get out of it, we sent off our money - 6,000 yen - or something like that. From that moment on, I spent whatever free time I had studying Japanese.
On the day of the test, I was so nervous. I wasn't sure if I had studied enough. I remember feeling as though I had concentrated mostly on vocabulary and kanji and had neglected grammar and listening practice.
I sat down at my desk. My test sheet arrived. The clock started. I recognised most of the kanji! I knew or figured out the vocabulary questions! I understood the majority of the listening section - or so I thought... Then, grammar and reading came. The last three sections were so difficult.
As I left the exam room, I was not so confident that I had passed. I had studied so hard and spent such a long time believing that I would be able to pass N3. Had I studied in vain? You find out if I passed if you read a previous entry.
What would I do if I could go back?
I would buy the practice test to find out which sections I needed to work on. I thought I had studied vocabulary too much, but it turns out my vocabulary was still lacking somewhat. I also really should have focussed more on reading practice.
Has the JLPT exam helped me?
I needed to know what level I was at, and once I knew, I felt much better. Studying a language on your own is great, but after a while, you need some kind of proof that you have learned things and improved your knowledge of the language. I am so glad I did the JLPT to give myself some closure.
I wrote this to remind myself of my experience. If anyone reading this finds it interesting, or wants to know more about my experience, let me know. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment