- By Susumu Nagara-
Japanese for Everyone: A Functional Approach to Daily Communication
Japanese for Everyone: Kanji Book
Japanese for Everyone: Workbook
I included the image of the main book as there are other Japanese courses with a similar title. I am also quite fortunate to have the audio for the main textbook!
I also have both levels of Michel Thomas Japanese:
Foundation
Advanced
Reading Japanese by Eleanor Harz Jorden
Japanese Hiragana & Katakana for Beginners
A Lonely Planet Phrasebook
The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course
The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary: Revised and Expanded
I have some electronic resources, but missed out on Japanese Linguaphone, and I generally prefer physical resources, at least when beginning study.
While I acknowledge the need to engage with the actual culture outside of textbooks, I also recognize the monumental task that Japanese is, and I am comfortable focusing solely on study at the start for longer than I would with an "easy" language. This leaves the question of what to study with, and in what order.
First, I think I should start with the Michel Thomas Foundation course and the Hiragana & Katakana for Beginners course. This gets me speaking, teaches me the two syllabaries of kana, and some basic grammar. Decision/Advice Point: Has anyone used both levels of MT Japanese? Would it make sense to do Advanced immediately, or do it later on?
Next, I think I should set aside Reading Japanese. The introduction states that, "For the student who is just starting out in Japanese, this has been carefully coordinated with Beginning Japanese." Since I already have the Japanese for Everyone (JfE) course, I am not interested in buying another course simply so I can use this one along with it. Additionally, there are many disparaging comments around about Jorden's self-created romaji system, and it seems like it may be more trouble than it is worth to include this.
After MT and learning hiragana and katakana, I'd start working with the main JfE book with the audio, as well as the workbook. A review of the workbook makes me think it is a great addition as it can really help drive home each grammar point in a given lesson. The intro to the main text even mentions keeping romaji to a minimum and not using it at all after lesson 3. It also spends the first few lessons teaching hiragana & katakana, so I will get a good review right away of what I learned in the standalone book.
The next great challenge will be the kanji!
As far as JfE goes, it breaks down like this:
The main text teaches 477 kanji (464 Educational Kanji, 13 Everyday Use Kanji)
The JfE kanji book reviews/teaches those, 48 additional educational kanji, and one more Everyday Use Kanji, so 526 total.
My first inclination would be to use the kanji book since I already have it, to act as general review. Synergy is good, no?
Then, I have the Kodanshi courses. The reviews on Amazon linked above pretty much tell the story, so I don't think I need to here. In the same way the intro to JfE will review the kana I already saw in a different course, saving this until after I complete JfE will allow for me to review those 526 kanji I learned in a new context as well.
To summarize, for those who know or have studied Japanese, does it make sense generally to do the following in terms of coursework:
1) Michel Thomas Japanese (both levels) at the same time as learning Hiragana/Katakana while using something like Foreign Numbers when out and about.
2) Work all three Japanese for Everyone books at the same time and start introducing native materials (or at least things like listening to the NHK Japanese news daily)
3) Begin working through the Kanji Learner's Course, try to find a penpal or tutor for conversation practice, begin trying to read basic/simple Japanese, and possibly pick up the Writing Practice Book designed to go with the book I already have so my writing skills extend beyond the kana I practice in the earlier workbooks and since there seems to be a solid connection between writing and remembering.
What am I missing? Is JfE a solid enough course I don't need outside grammar help? Or will I need to look into something like A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar as a supplement? I am happy to spend what I need to set myself up for success, but have no interest in drowning in resources or buying superfluous things. If I am good to go to get started with what is listed in numbers 1-3 above, that is just fine by me!
Thanks in advance for any and all help or suggestions.
edit: Removed some personal details.