Achieving Unconscious Recall of Kanji: Can Rote Learning Help?

Abstract

This study suggests guided rote-learning strategies can help the beginning learner of Japanese kanji overcome frustration when attempting to master the multi-faceted, multi-item writing system. Rote-learning practices can build and strengthen neural pathways to the Procedural memory, a memory system that is implicated in automatic performance of habit or unconscious learning. Traditionally the simpler kanji characters are introduced as isolated visuals related to the learners' prior world-knowledge thus encouraging a tendency to process kanji in the Declarative memory as learned facts. Each kanji character has semantic as well as phonemic and graphemic components therefore the Declarative memory will at some stage necessarily be involved in kanji learning but self-efficacy issues and high rates of failure early in the kanji learning process point towards the need for targeted early development of a body of kanji characters able to be recalled without conscious effort. Preliminary results of an exploratory classroom action research project show that learners respond positively to three guided rote-learning methods.