With 30+ degree weather here in Taiwan (that’s 90+ for those using Fahrenheit) it would appear that summer is finally here. For lots of Skritter users that means classes are over and the next exam is too far away to think about. The Skritter team hopes you all did well and learned a lot in the process!
Now that summer is in full swing it’s time to take it easy, to relax, and soak up the sun… or you could use that extra time to join Round 2 of the Read More of Die challenge (多読コンテスト)! Never heard of Read More or Die? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. I just found out about it four days ago via a friend on Twitter, but after two days of intense competition I’m hooked and looking to find some more Skritter users to join in on the fun! The great this is that all you need to participate is a Twitter account, a desire for reading, and tons and tons of reading material to help you crush fellow competitors (read: increase your own reading level fast).
The entire premise for the challenge comes from the simple concept of using extensive reading as a language learning tool. According to the challenge’s website:
“Extensive reading, to be exact, refers to learning large volumes of material at or very slightly above one’s comprehension level, aiming for overall understanding of the work instead of worrying about every detailed twist of grammar or every word. This approach stresses learning from context and getting used to the language by massive exposure instead of understanding things point by point.”
If you’ve read any of my previous entries on the topic, you’ll know that I’m all for anything that comes even remotely close to the idea massive input of anything that is near your language level.
Round 2 of RMoD started June 1st, but registration is still open for those looking to participate. To join simply hop onto your Twitter account (or create one) and send a tweet to @TadokuBot with the hashtag #reg (if you’re studying Japanese) or #reg #zh for those studying Chinese. To really make things interesting you can also set a target for the month by tweeting the same bot with the hashtag #target and the number of pages you’re looking to read. I’ve set the bar at 2000 pages for my first time in the challenge, and cannot wait to crush it!
Probably the coolest part about RMoD is that just about everything can be counted as part of the reading challenge. Books, manga, games, subs, lyrics–you name it and they’ve got it. While not all reading sources give you the same point structure, it does allow you to track everything you’re reading during a given day in your target language… even sentences you’re studying on Anki! Mix in the fact that every update gives you a global ranking against others in the challenge and you’ve got a pretty wicked recipe for awesomeness.
So what the heck are you waiting for? Come join the challenge today! If you’ve already joined the challenge, let us know your username and your goal in the comments below. Best of luck and happy reading to all!
For more information and links, please check the following sources: