Should I self teach Japanese or take college classes for it?

3 comments

1. If you are already going to be at college anyway, I would recommend taking the classes.

   It’s true that there are a number of dedicated self-studiers who have accomplished much more than they would have been able to in a class. Especially now with all the great tools online, it can be done. But for every one of those who get great results, there are many many more who learned hiragana and did a few weeks of anki cards and then got bored and quit.

   If you are taking a full load of classes, it’s more than likely that you will not have the motivation to study another subject on your own in addition to all your classes. I think it’s a rare person who finds learning Japanese so fun that they will be eager to do it in addition to all the studying they already have to do for their actual classes.

   The big advantage of classes for many people is that they force you to study, they give you a structure you have to follow, and they give you people who are paid to give you feedback and answer your questions. You shouldn’t underestimate the benefits of these. You can also make use of the resources there, like study abroad opportunities and office hours with the professors.

   Self-study is much easier once you have a basis in the language — I started out with 2 years of bad classes and a good 4 month study abroad semester, and then after that I studied on my own. But I really benefited a lot from the basis I got even from those bad classes.

2. If you have the time and money, go for it. Taking a class is not mandatory as self taught is possible, but it is definitely going to help

3. I would say take the course. Even though you’re not going to become fluent from it you will have a more well rounded base if you decide to continue your studies. School will focus on reading, writing, listening, speaking, and culture. Many of the self study materials you’ll find will tend to focus only on reading or listening.