Tomorrow I am going to take KanKen level 5. Kanken is a test of Kanji ability designed for Japanese students. There are ten levels, starting with the most basic Kanji in level 10, to all the kanji that ever existed, with all their etymologies and irregular readings, in level 1. Level 5 consists of the 1006 kanji that everyone should have learned by the end of elementary school. I have been studying hard for it, although I don't feel like I am really prepared yet, and if I pass it will be just because I happened to get the questions I know the answers to. I have been doing the training programs that they sell for the Nintendo DS, and I think that they are really helpful.
I really want to pass this test, because next month my current students are going to graduate, and I will become a first grade teacher. So my students will be about on the same level as me kanji-wise. Of course, my school's level is a good bit higher than the average school, so most of those kids should be able to pass level 4 I think. And they already know all the Japanese words, and just have to learn how to write them, while I am studying both together. But it'll be cool if I can do it together with my new kids.
Donkeymon
