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Mind maps do help. Is it true? Maybe you have used it before for other things but PROBABLY not for language. It might produce different results to every person but they can be used to note whatever you want in a way that represents how things are stored in your mind. I would assume that you know some of the information and our FOCUS is on how to use them in effectively in language learning.

Learning your mother tongue is already hard so you could imagine how difficult it is to conquer another foreign language. It is scary and so complex. Firstly, you need to split all the complexities into easier chunks and subjects so your brain will not be overloaded.

Here are ideas for few different mind maps and their subjects.

1. Moving and physical activities

List out the entire basic everyday verb that you use in your daily life. In here you will place all the words that are somehow connected with move. You could draw some of the body parts and put colors to spark your interest and sight. Including moving objects, going under them, on top of them, asking where they are at the moment and why you need to go so far to get that delicious sushi.

2. Basic conversation.

Survival phrases do help especially when you intend to travel alone. Put up all the words that may be helpful in speaking with someone. Write down ‘ohayou’ and ‘konnichiwa’ drawing here and there in kanji and hiragana. Typical greetings, good wishes, saying how happy something made you and everything else that you can think of. After the basic, draw another mind map for a more complex one.

3. Grammar and pronunciation

This is really important. You can’t speak the language if you don’t know the grammar. List down all the words that you are unable to pronounce and put more of the romaji words a first if you find it easier to memorize. Say the words loudly

whenever you are at home but don’t do it in public. They might think that you are a wacko.

4. Words.

Even if grammar is important what you need the most to bring that language to a higher level is definitely a big fat vocabulary at your finger tips. You may want to create different mind maps for multiple word groups. Groups can contain related subjects and activities. Other than that, you could put in those that sound similar. For easier memorization, you could group it to be noun, verb, adjective and adverbs. Group it in between 50 to 100 words per mind map. You will be surprised how this could exponentially improve your learning.

Finally don’t forget to put your creativity hat in the mind map – colors, drawings, patterns and symbols.

Good luck!

To learn more on mind mapping you could visit – MindMappingTechniques

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Kanzaki Hiroto

The beginning of love is
always like a baby
Very simple and beautiful
No matter
how difficult and terrible
the love grows into.
I, cannot avoid the faith.

Koi no hajimari ha
itsu datta akachan no mamotte ki  mitai ni
sasaeka de sukushin da
Sore ga sono ho
Dore hodo zankoku de
kurushii koi ni sodatte iku to shite mo
Boku ha
sono unmei ha nogarerarenai

こい　の　はじまり　は
いつ　だった　あかちゃん　の　まもって　き　みたい　に
ささえか　で　すくしん　だ
それ　が　その　ほう
どれ　ほど　ざんこく　で
くるしい　こい　に　そだって　いく　と　して　も
ぼく　は
その　うんめい　は　のがれられない

恋　の　始まり　は
いつ　だった　赤ちゃん　の　守って　気　見たい　い
支えか　で　つくしん　だ
それ　が　その　ほう
どれ　ほど　残酷　で
苦しい　恋　に　育って　行く　と　して　も
僕　は
その　運命　は　逃れられない

Hiroto and Nao

H: You are always so honest
N: Really?
H: Like..Living like that..were you ever hurt?
N: Yeah, but i decided
I’ll say everything I feel
to others and to myself and others live truthfully
H: Why?
N: When you lie, you can’t tell the truth anymore
I don’t want that
I don’t want to confuse things.
I want to know the truth
feel the truth.

H: Anta itsumo soujiki sugiru yo.
N: Sou ka na?
H: Nanka..sonna fuu ni ikite kite kizutsuku koto nakatta ka?
N: Atta yo, demo kimetan da watashi
omotta koto ha narubeku ite aite ni tsutaete
jibun ni mo , hito ni mo usotsukanai dekite ikou to
H: Nande?
N: Usotsuiteiru to honto no koto wakanaku naru sou de
Sore ga iya datta no
komakashitakunai
Honto no koto wakattetaitte iu ka
Honto no koto kanji teta

H: あんた　いつも　しょうじき　すぎる　よ
N: そう　か　な？
H: なんか。。　そんな　ふう　に　いきて　きて　きずつく　こと　なかった　か？
N: あった　よ　でも　きめたん　だ　わたし
おもった　こと　は　なるべく　いって　あいて　に　つたえて
じぶん　に　も、　ひと　に　も　うそつかない　できて　いこう　と
H: なんで？
N: うそついてる　と　ほんと　の　こと　わかなく　なる　そう　で
それ　が　いや　だった　の
こましたくない
ほんと　の　こと　わかってたいって　いう　か
ほんと　の　こと　かんじ　てた

H: あんた　いつも　正直　過ぎる　よ
N: そう　か　な？
H: 何か。。　そんな　風　に　生きて　来て　傷つく　事　なかった　か？
N: あった　よ。　でも　決めたん　だ　私
思った　事　は　成るべく　言って　相手　に　伝えて
自分　に　も、　人　に　も　嘘　付かない　出来て　行こう　と
H: 何で？
N: 嘘　付いている　と　本当　の　事　分からなく　なる　そう　で
それ　が　嫌　だった　の
こましたくない
本当　の　事　分かってたいって　いう　か
本当　の　事　感じ　てた