Endorsement of Satori Reader
あけおめ！ Happy new year!
I’ve been reflecting on what to set as my Japanese self-study goals this year, and have one clear one in mind. I want to read a book in Japanese. I’ve tried reading books in Japanese before. Certainly, I can understand some beginner manga and have read some short stories but have never had enough success to read a whole book. Why? Put simply, it’s hard.
When we read in another language, depending on the level of the text, we understand a portion of what’s written. If you’re reading something that’s at your sweet spot of comprehensible input—maybe about 80% understandable and 20% new content—then you can fill in the unknown stuff with context with minimal slowdown. You’ll learn some new words from the 20% but you’ll still get enough of the content to stay engaged.
When starting out, though, it’s hard to find content that is in that sweet spot. Early in your Japanese learning journey you can either try to read easier content (like graded readers—more on that to come), or spend more time looking up unknown words. I’ve tried both. For me, I have learned my sweet spot is somewhere in the middle. I need content that will engage me, so kids books don’t quite do it. But, if I have to put the book down and look something up, I get pulled out and it doesn’t feel like reading anymore.
Enter Satori Reader! I learned about this tool from the r/learnjapanese subreddit a long time ago and recently decided to buy a lifetime membership and commit. Satori blends both strategies with content that is written specifically for Japanese learners at various levels, and a platform that makes it easier to learn on the fly. Stories on Satori have audio to listen to, or can just be read. If you tap on a word, you see a definition and can even save it to a study list for review. There are multiple options, including changing speed so you can fine-tune to your level. And, you can export from Satori’s built in study list and SRS system to Anki, to keep all of your flash cards in one place!
Here’s my strategy for using Satori reader so that I can enjoy even stories that are a little bit above my level:
Listen to the first chapter of a story, focusing and seeing how well you understand.
If you understand most of the story, just listen to the rest of the chapters! This story is likely at your level, and is great comprehensible input for you.
Read the story, tapping on words I didn’t understand and adding them to my study list
I usually repeat this for a few chapters at once
Export study list to anki, and study the new words
There is an excellent community template for Satori exports to Anki, along with instructions on this process. Find it here: https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1941232915
After a day or two, go back and listen to the same chapter again, listening for the new words I’ve learned.
I listened to all of Kiki-mimi Radio and had little trouble understanding. Now I have been reading Fujiki Consulting Services, which is a little bit more difficult and has given me some good new words to practice. As we know, input in the target language is key to acquisition. So, to get to my goal of reading a full book in Japanese, I’m adding Satori reader into my routine alongside my other studying. I also hope that reading more native material will give me another boost to shoot for N2 or higher this year.
I’ve left comments on this one open, so if you have any tips for integrating Satori into your study routine, let me know! 今年も頑張りましょう！