Bakemono Flashcards

Why Design my Own Cards?

I can’t quite remember where my first Hiragana flashcards came from - most likely cobbled together from things I developed, borrowed, and inherited during my early teaching years. They did the job, but over time, they started feeling a bit worn out then I realized I’d been overlooking one of the first resources students encountered as they walked into my classroom.

Creating my own set of Hiragana flashcards felt like the natural next step to stand alongside my stories and illustrations. What started as a side project, quickly became one of my favorite things to work on. Now, there are over 100 flashcards, far beyond the basic 46. I may be in possession of the strangest, most eclectic, and maybe even slightly unhinged set of Hiragana mnemonics out there.

And if you’re wondering why develop so many, it’s simple: everyone learns and teaches differently (and I’m also indecisive). I believe every person has the potential to learn a language and there’s solid research supporting the importance of getting those first steps in learning right, especially for motivation and persistence. Which is why having engaging resources and modern mnemonics that bash your students over the head can be such a game-changer.

If you’ve seen my blog, you’ll know I’m also experimenting with storytelling and mnemonics to make Hiragana and Katakana (and Kanji?) more intuitive. I hope to keep expanding and refining these cards, whilst adding to the free Community Cards and collaborating with other teachers to create a resource that stands the test of time.