Best Japanese Resources for Hiragana & Katakana

[TeachingMyToddlers]

This is a question for the Mommies teaching Japanese. Of course we are going to be using LR for Japanese but we are looking for additional materials as well. On youtube, there is GenkiJapan.net videos and some workbooks on their website. I also found this link- http://hiraganamama.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/dvds-i-recommend/

Also, some people recommend teaching Hiragana first and others Katakana, but since they don't take too long to learn I am guessing that it doesn't really matter. Opinions?

Please share any resources you have for a non-native speaker to teach Japanese. Thanks!

[Mandabplus3]

Hiragana first simply because this is what all the Japanese childrens story books are all written in. It is slightly harder to learn than katakana as it its curvy and less angular BUT this is only relevant if you are teaching it as handwriting at the same time. Then teach katakana , which has the same sounds but different written symbols then kanji which is more like Chinese mandarin characters and quite complex and soooooo many to learn.
Yes it won't take long to teach each set of 46 letters, especially as they are taught in logical groups. I would just do it this way so that they are most familiar with the alphabet that they will get the most immediate use from. I am no expert.
I want to teach my kids all Japanese but am struggling to find the right resource for them. Either too young or too complex for kids.  Thinking of just doing it on my own. Will need to refresh a bit first it's been years since I have needed any of it. would love to know of any resources you find good for 4-8 year olds. If we get stuck I have a Japanese friend, but as her family is fluent she doenst know what to recommend! Lol

[TeachingMyToddlers]

Okay, I definitely appreciate the recommendation to teach hiragana first. We'll go with that, this is all new territory for me. Many thanks.

[A_BC]

Hi TMT,

You mentioned you gonna teach Japanese with LR. Do you have any idea when it will be available? Thanks

[TeachingMyToddlers]

HI A_BC,

There are currently a limited number of Japanese files available for download in the Little Reader Library  (accessed on the gray bar above). That was what I meant, I was not referring to an officially translated curriculum. Sorry for any confusion! To the best of my knowledge, that is not one of the languages currently on the works. I'm sure in the distant future it will be considered. Hope that helps!

[A_BC]

Thanks a lot TMT. It would be great if there was a LR japanese curriculum. For the moment, I have been using the files you mentioned and will be considering Speak & Read Japanese from Wink to Learn...hmmm, need to think about it 

[TeachingMyToddlers]

I just wanted to share that I found a really great App to teach Hiragana & Katakana in a non-intimidating "right brain" kind of way. You can DL on iphone or android or on your computer. (and just a heads up for the conservative parents, the mnemonic device for mu is a cow, ahem..."breaking wind" to put it delicately. Super crude, but I won't forget it and my son cracks up when he sees it, so whatever works, right?  )

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/EdJdRwjPVkM&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/EdJdRwjPVkM&rel=1</a>

website: http://drmoku.com/

[A_BC]

LOL, that's kinda... a very effective mnemonic trick. Thanks for sharing TMT. BTW, I am currently using Speak & Read Japanese from WTL for RB and another LB program called "Japanese for Kids" from Language Tree in addition to Little Pim. I think the 3 programs complement each other nicely. My son prefers WTL though, he's still very RB. You may try them if you haven't yet

[Korrale4kq]

I learnt romaji then hiragana. With common kanji alongside it. Things like numbers and words like Japanese (日本語) were learnt in kanji from the start.

Katakana is only applicable with what are called "borrowed words".  Words that are not traditionally Japanese words. In this case I would teach the katakana as needed initially. Mainly for names. Lilly リリー
 and Owen  オーウェン  would be written in katana.

I studied Japanese for 8 years. And we learnt from this amazing little series of books. They were pink and the lessons were advanced around a manga, a comic book style. I will do a search for the series and see if I can figure out what it was.

[Korrale4kq]

Oh and this site had very similar mnemonics to the ones I learnt. I remember the chart around the top of our room.

http://quizlet.com/1863193/hiragana-with-clues-flash-cards/

[Mandabplus3]

Awesome thanks! My kids like the wink to learn Japanese too. I am always surprised at how much they remember with each viewing. We just need to remember to review more often so we don't forget.

[mario]

Hello everyone!

For those teaching a language you don't speak, I have a question: do you try to create an environment for the child to receive that language? Do you think this is not necessary?

For example: if you are going to show a video in Youtube for Hiragana, but you never speak those letters. I wonder if it's necessary to create a routine.

Although I have this question, my opinion is that this is not needed, although it may help.

I'd like to read what you guys think.

Have a nice weekend!

Mario

[mario]

By the way, I agree with Mandabplus3, although I have no experience in Japanese language. But my father, who is Brazilian but is son of Japaneses, learned Hiragana when he was a child with my grandmother teaching him using "manga". So, Hiragana is easier to start with.

[Mandabplus3]

I don't create an environment for the language. It would be nice but I just don't have the time.
The girls are learning vocabulary words quite well. My oldest is learning the alphabet well using an app. i cant rememebr which one. i have just added the one above to the ipad for my younger two and me to try out.
My 7 year old had a few goes at Rosetta Stone but the voice recording doesn't recognise her voice well enough so we usually have to turn that section off. She can do the beginning section with 70 % accuracy now, after just a few tries at it. Speaking the language is really difficult for her this way. She needs to learn the vocabulary words separately first and then build sentences. I don't think immersion programs will work with her.
I am using Rosetta Stone myself and find it perfect for me. It's an adults program and maybe 9 years old and up. It's very comprehensive but moves fast. I repeat lessons until I get 100% ( aiming for mastery here! ) before I move on. The big problems is my Rosetta Stone time cuts into our softmozart time! Only one laptop  this house. But I can see this program will work. The speech componant ensures you end up with a near perfect accent. It doesn't have any writing so I will need to add that in somewhere. You can also choose to have Japanese alphabet on screen or English phonics. I chose Japanese alphabets of course but el a quick crash course in hiragana would be very beneficial before I started! Hence the app!
D we have any Japanese forum members who can contribute to the LR collections? An entire curriculum of basic words, greeting, verbs and national customs would be awesome! 
Korrale please tell us more about the Japanese for kids and Little Pim in Japanese please. I need at least one more digital thing. Thinking DVD for the car rides will work.

[mario]

Thanks Mandabplus3,

I've been hearing too much about Rosetta Stone. Your opinion made me want this for me. It's been more than 12 years that I'm learning German at a very slow pace.

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