The concept of the app is simple: learn Japanese in Japanese.

 

This application introduces learners to kanji characters in a natural order, with the most frequently used characters appearing first. This same order is used in Japanese elementary schools, as well as the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, or JLPT. This app tests comprehension of the characters within environments that would be encountered in Japan, such as menus, maps, signs, and trip agendas. The developers based all of the learning materials on their own experiences living, traveling, and working in Japan.

 

The ideal learner for this application has the ability to read hiragana and katakana, and has completed approximately one year of Japanese language study. Upon mastering this content, a learner is prepared for the kanji portion of the JLPT level 5.

 

We chose to use exclusively Japanese language in this app for some of the following reasons:

 

- Children learn to communicate through exposure to natural language, and develop a framework for the language in a natural context.

 

- Without culture and context, language is irrelevant.

 

- This app can be used by any Japanese language learner, including Japanese children learning kanji.