Exercise options...

This menu item allows you to change flashcard exercise settings.

Selecting this menu item will bring up the Exercise options dialog shown in Figure 1 below. This dialog controls a number of aspects of the flashcard exercise system.

Figure 1. The Exercise options dialog

If play sounds is checked, each word's sound is automatically played when both the Japanese and English parts of the word have been displayed. If the sound attached to the word is its Japanese pronunciation, this helps reinforce the pronunciation of the Japanese characters shown on the screen.

If show pictures is checked, each word's picture is drawn when the English section of a word is displayed. This provides an additional aid in memorising words by providing a graphical link - this is especially important for younger students. In the special case where the word type is marked as 'Kanj' or 'Kana', the picture is drawn when the whole word is displayed - this allows special information about Kanji or Kana (ie. a linking graphic, stroke order, meanings, etc) to assist with their memorisation, without providing a cue.

If you check the vocal encouragement checkbox, then encouragement will be played during flashcard exercises. The encouragement given (there are 12 different expressions) depends on your general progress. For example, if you are clicking the Right button often then it may say 'Excellent' whilst if you are having a bad day, then 'Ganbare' may be used.

Speedkeys can be set by clicking an answer button on the Exercise options dialog and then pressing a key on the keyboard (see Figure 2 below). The key character will be printed beneath its respective answer button. You can set any keys which feel comfortable, but try to make them correspond to the order of the answer buttons. Special control keys (such as option and ctrl) cannot be assigned as speedkeys.

Figure 2. Exercise button mapping

The answer mode controls how word parts and user prompts are combined during exercises. For example, in the superquick mode, the whole word is displayed after a single prompt. In normal mode, each component of a word is displayed in sequence. Most students prefer superquick mode.

Learning emphasis sets the degree of emphasis placed on each word before its status is automatically changed from Learning to Mastered. (this only applies to words whose status is subsequently changed by you to Learning). For example, if you wish to closely focus on a particular weeks vocabulary, you might like to change the emphasis level to more.

The minimum number of sessions required for a word to change from Learning to Mastered status depends on the emphasis level: normal means at least 2 sessions, less means at least 1 session and more means at least 3 sessions.

Notes:


The Exercise options dialog is also accessible during exercises. The only option you can't change during exercises is the proportion of mastered words used in exercises. This can only be set outside of a flashcard exercise session.