한국어 수첩

Thursday, 14 February 2013

시험 학습 계획 posted at 08:07

One of the most common questions I get is how I plan out my studying before an important test to make sure that everything possible is covered in the available study time. I am not saying my method is the correct way when planning, I have to admit I am my own worse enemy when it comes to studying and numerous times I have over done it to the extent my brain instead dissolves the information than take it in. Of course as a University student I have the great resource of the library study spaces but the most important thing I suggest first is that you find a quiet area that has minimum distractions i.e. no laptop, no television, no mobile phone. When studying in my own bedroom I am always looking out the window, looking at my posters, going to get food every five minutes, so being in a place like the library really holds you back from being totally distracted from your work.

Before I start to study to get the main idea of what I need to cover I make a vague plan of every point I have to review. As I have said before in my classes, every five chapters in my textbook is the point where we have to begin studying for our next review test. Mine is in just another two weeks and I have been studying bit by bit in the last week, but here I will show you how I divide the topics chapter by chapter (in this test we are covering chapters 16-20 of 'Continuing Korean' - please look at my earlier textbook post to refer to this book).

Chapter Sixteen

Review -고 sentence pattern meaning "and..." including how to use with negative form.
Read the section Grammar Note 16.2 for more on Infinite Form -아/어 including -서 which has two meanings of 1) Cause and Result and 2) Sequence, stating it's difference with -(으) 니까.
Review -어서 좋아요 meaning "I am glad that..." or "It's good that...".
Make sure to remember the copula form as well of -(이)라서.
Learn the unfinished sentences and afterthoughts with -서요 and -고요 as they weren't covered in your class notes.
Review the sentence pattern of descriptive verb + -어서 죽겠어요 meaning "I am so....I could die".
Review the sentence pattern of both noun + 에 대해서- and noun + 에 관해서- which means "about" or "concerning".
Study the sentence ending of -거든요? meaning "can't you see....?".

Chapter Seventeen

Review turning descriptive into processive verbs with the pattern -아/어 해요 for 3rd person.
Review how to create compound verbs such as compound with 가다 and 오다 and also the resultant state sentence pattern of -있 whilst stating differences with the form -고 있어요.
Look over the exploratory pattern of -어 보다 referring back to class notes as more notes were made than in the textbook.
Review how to ask for favors using the sentence pattern verb + 줍다 including humble form of 드리다.
Go over the nominalizer form of -기 which is "the act of doing" and the "state of doing" including it's many uses stated in this chapter:
- its uses with sensory verbs to describe the state of actions
- plain verb base + -기 시작하- meaning "to begin to..."
- any base + -기 때문에 meaning "because of...."
- plain verb base + -기 전에- meaning "before..."

Chapter Eighteen

Review form verb infinitive form + 야 which means "only if..." or "must..." followed mostly by 하다.
Review form verb infinitive form + 도 meaning "even though..." including the copula form of -(이)라도 and the asking permission form with -어도 + 좋다 or -괜찮다 and lastly the negative form of -지 않아도 meaning "doesn't have to...".
Quickly go over the idiomatic -어도 expressions in grammar note 18.3.
Review the form infinitive form + 지다 meaning "to become/to get...".
Review the form -(으) ㄹ 수 있다/없다 which means "can/cannot do...".
Go over the new connection of -(으) 며 for "and" as not many class notes were made.
Review the sentence pattern of noun (을) + 통해(서) which means "through the /noun/...".
Learn the sentence pattern of -기로 하- meaning "decides/agrees to do..." as wasn't covered in class notes - make sure to understand the differences between "promise" and "decide".

Chapter Nineteen

Review the modifiers post I had collected from class notes and wrote up on blog but also make extensive notes from the textbook include grammar notes 19.1, 19.2 and 19.3.
Have yet to cover grammar notes 19.4 , 19. 7, and 19.8 in class so make sure that once it has been taught in lessons to review these topics.
Review again the use of particle 보다 meaning "than..." and it's extra uses when added to other previously learnt particles.

Chapter Twenty

Quickly review the form notes in this chapter as they are very useful but make sure to not rely on them as need more extensive practice and examples.
Complete all the English to Korean Translation and Korean to English Translation for practice and memorize them.

Additional Studying

Study all dialogues from chapters 5-20 and make sure to know them off by heart as this was what the translation questions were based on last time.
Cover all vocabulary in chapters making sure that any additional verbs have been learnt.
Go through Elementary Korean II extra vocabulary and make vocab lists to learn for listening test.
Listen to all dialogues and extra listening practice online for listening test practice.

☆☆☆

There you have what my typical study plan looks for the review tests. I like including all the forms and meanings because I can just review this plan quickly without extensive grammar notes to check I remember their meanings. Don't be put off about how complex it seems as I am at a elementary level and beginners shouldn't be frightened by the Korean they don't recognize just yet! This can also give a little taster of how much a Korean language degree student has to learn in the span of about 2 months in classes. It doesn't seem much written down in note form but there is about 100+ pages of textbook notes I have to cover ^^;;

One of my last tips is to make sure to plan early!!! The earlier you plan and the smaller chunks of studying you can fit in means you have less to cram the few days before an exam. It takes less strain and stress on your temperament as well if you're like me and get easily distracted. My favourite method of study breaks is every time I need to fill up my water bottle I go on a little ten minute walk around my University building so I can relax a little and stretch my legs so maybe some of you could try that? ^^

Remember to comment if you have any further questions or queries!

Labels: korean help, korean progress, study plan, test