By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’ve been pretty consistently on TikTok for the last few months. I enjoy consuming the content, particularly content regarding updates about anime and what is going on in the larger anime/manga fan community.

Recently the app has been recommending a lot of “learn Japanese through anime” videos on my For You Page, and while I like the idea and regularly use anime to help test my understanding of the language, I also understand that trying to learn strictly through entertainment media is not going to bring the same kind of success as verbal practice, classroom learning, or studying. Still, from an instructional standpoint, I worry that other consumers of the same content may be led astray by the presentation of such an idea.

While watching TV in a foreign language can be helpful for language learning, it is not necessarily sufficient on its own. Passive exposure to a language through media can certainly help with language acquisition, particularly in terms of improving listening skills or “developing an ear for the language,” and may also increase familiarity with colloquial expressions and cultural references, but it can’t replace the success of study, research, and practice.

From experience, but also from researching what are the most common and successful ways to learn a language, I can tell you that language acquisition requires active engagement with the language–including speaking, writing, reading, and studying grammar/vocabulary. In much the same way we learn our native languages at home or through school, this kind of exposure to language is the best way to improve the skill rather than just relying on passive exposure through media.

Moreover, it is important to note that not all programs are equally effective for language learning. Some shows may use more complex vocabulary or slang, while others may speak more slowly and use simpler language. I often see the videos advertising the anime-learning method using a lot of action-packed, shonen stories or using popular anime releasing this season when a children’s show aimed at a 0-6 audience would likely be much better for those starting off.

While some may disagree with me, I think that passive learning can be beneficial, but if you are choosing to use it, then it is important to find programs that are appropriate for your language level and interests. Treat it like a supplement to language learning, not as a reliable source to form the foundation of your learning.

With that said, here is a website that lists some sources for learning Japanese that I think is all right to use: https://japantour.xyz/2021/07/26/learning-japanese

Happy studying, y’all!

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Copyedited by: Katherine Cañeba | @kcserinlee