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PMs TAC 2015 crazy? French course mission | ||
Tags: TellMeMore | Fluenz | Linguaphone | Flash cards | Michel Thomas | Self-Study | Spaced Repetition (SRS) | Diploma/Certificate | Study Plan | Fluency | Dutch | Pimsleur | FSI | Total Annihilation Challenge (TAC) | Assimil | French | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5469 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 305 of 451 11 March 2015 at 12:43am | IP Logged | ||
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PeterMollenburg
Senior Member Australia Skype Me! Joined 1926 days ago 580 posts - 322 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 Send Private MessageAdd to Buddy List Message 304 of 310March 01 2015 at 4:06pm | IP Logged Suzie wrote: Hi PM, This is an interesting discussion that gave me quite some food for thought. Everyone seems to have a different learning practice here in the forum, and I also continuously question the efficiency of my learning habits. The following is just meant to add yet another example of how someone else thinks about FCs, and does not at all intend to question anything in your current decision-making on how to proceed. Even more so, as my overall learning habit is very, very different from yours. I do like flash cards, still use them, and use them moreover primarily for learning of single words. I would guess our level and vocabulary is about the same size, but I feel I benefit a lot from my FC sessions. However, my sessions are much shorter than yours (Anki tells me I spend around 20 min per learning day on my FCs), and beside Anki, I nearly exclusively do Super Challenge activities. Therefore, I currently spend less energy on repetition of old cards (the extensive reading/listening does this for me), but focus more on new (and try to learn those quickly after creation, so that I still remember the overall context (= the scene of the book or TV show) when seeing the card). I limit my Anki time to repetition of 100 cards and acquisition of 10 new ones per day (and often won’t even get there). I have not specific system when to create a new FC; I add a word when I feel it’s worth it, and when I am in the mood for adding new cards. This was first hard for me to accept, since I am a very analytical person, but I agree to what was already stated, that there are other ways to learn a new word. I now feel my system is working, and have a party in my head every time I see one of the words in a new book and new context, remembering that this is one of thoses in my FC backlog. I even have a desk for English words (though I don‘t touch it right now), but sensed an immense boost even at C2 level when I did English FCs for a couple of months a few years ago. Maybe I really need to hammer a word into my brain for proper activation? I hope you find your way to develop a learning technique you are happy with. It seems to me that FC strategy is depending on various factors (personal learning skills, learning style, language level) that no general conclusion can be drawn and advice can be given. What is good for us today may be a bad idea tomorrow. Jeffers wrote: P.S. David Cameron said hi, but then he denied that's what he really meant and said his words were taken out of context. LOL, Jeffers, I nearly spilled my morning coffee when reading this. How comes all politicians are the same? HI Suzie, Thanks for your input on the flashcard thingy. It is useful input for reflection too, as I think due to being fed up with FCs I decided to ditch them altogether. I've barely added a word since. Now I'm thinking of dipping my toes back in the hot water to see if it's cooled off a little. Although I'm not prepared to dive right back in I'm thinking perhaps I could at least dangle my feet in the water with a good French book, show, or course in hand. Thus I think i'm arriving at a 1 to 2 new cards limit per session of study. A session could be 30min to an hour of a single learning activity (course, show, book). I'm also thinking that perhaps doing (ie reviewing) of some cards each day won't kill me, I just need to be mindful of not letting it take over other activities and allowing it to bring my other activities to a screeching halt again as I start entering more cards than my proposed limit. So, I like the sound of your approach Suzie :) Thanks for sharing. J'espère que tout va bien pour toi là- bas en Belgique :) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5469 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 306 of 451 11 March 2015 at 12:44am | IP Logged | ||
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PeterMollenburg
Senior Member Australia Skype Me! Joined 1926 days ago 580 posts - 322 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 Send Private MessageAdd to Buddy List Message 305 of 310March 01 2015 at 4:30pm | IP Logged Time for a February summary: Total hours of study during February: 74hrs 15min Feb breakdown Courses: 27hrs 11min Audio based courses: 18hrs 57min French TV with or without EN subtitles: 10hrs 53min Flashcard reviews: 7hrs 01min Extensive reading: 5hrs 46min Intensive reading: 1hr 09min Podcasts/Radio: 1hr 50min Feb daily average: 2hrs 39min Thoughts: A strange month in which I entered the 6WC and my ego expecteed to annihilate almost all the competetion. As with many things in my life - almost unattainable ideals met with reality has seen be do moderately well and have an ongoing internal war with ego vs sensible reality (extreme vs balance). I haven't really done any better than when not doing the 6WC in terms of daily study amounts, but it's been interesting and fun to take part. Given my level of French comprehension hasn't taken a giant leap I think i'm suitably elegible for the next 6WC as well. The intense start to the 6WC saw me hit a wall, back off completely and study rather sporadically. I think it has very little to do with the 6wc and more to do with self sabotage, deliberate distraction and deliberate breaking of my own strict rules. The flashcard dilemma that I found myself in was probably inevitable given my previous reoccuring frustration with them at times, coupled with the above factors in which I was almost looking for a reason to stop my intense flow and redesign and refresh my study plan and flow. Although I'm not entirely back in my flow I've kept study up most days (unfortunately not all) in some form or another and am very settled with my decision to dramatically cut back my flashcard use. Thanks everyone for following and thanks for those who assisted me with my FC dilemma in Feb. I must add also that during the last month or so I've been doing a lot more intense cycling as I try to build some fitness. Again being very idealistic I've done some crazy big kms and extremely hilly long rides (one ride included 1500 metres of climbing, another 92km long with 800m climbing). Also my diet has been very tumultous as I once again struggle with what I label sugar addiction as sugar is my drug of choice which I've allowed lately to weave its way back into my now very unhealthy diet. When I'm eating well I study much more effectively in terms of amount and focus. Perhaps I can get it all together again in March. I'm hoping for a strong run to the finish line over the 6WC as my idealism renews and I again look to (unrealistically?) high aspirations. At least the 6WC gets my competitive spirit going- although I'd argue with myself that that is not necessarily a good thing ;) Throw another snake on the barbie! PM (in case you didn't know who was writing this) 1 person has voted this message useful 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5469 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 307 of 451 11 March 2015 at 12:44am | IP Logged | ||
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Cavesa
Triglot Senior Member Czech Republic Joined 1459 days ago 2846 posts - 2888 votes Speaks: Czech*, FrenchC2, EnglishC1 Studies: Spanish, German Send Private MessageAdd to Buddy List Message 306 of 310March 02 2015 at 10:46am | IP Logged Hey, 74 hours, that is an admirable achievement! I've never had more than one third of that! 1 person has voted this message useful 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5469 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 308 of 451 11 March 2015 at 12:45am | IP Logged | ||
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PeterMollenburg
Senior Member Australia Skype Me! Joined 1926 days ago 580 posts - 322 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 Send Private MessageAdd to Buddy List Message 307 of 310March 02 2015 at 4:44pm | IP Logged Cavesa wrote: Hey, 74 hours, that is an admirable achievement! I've never had more than one third of that! Thanks for dropping by Cavesa. I think different people need different levels of exposure to a language while learning it. That's probably a matter of preference, perception of how much one feels they are advancing, learning techniques/strategies, materials used and environment. For me it turns out that I really feel like i'm progressing nicely with nice 'flow' so to speak if I can manage an average of 3 or more hours a day. In part I think I feel I need more than the average person because I'm over analytical, i'm a perfectionist, I'm using a large array of materials often targeted to a similar difficulty level, and I often study perhaps inefficiently. But yes, I can't complain about 74hrs really, it's still a good amount on the whole. I hope to remain as consistent as possible in the meantime on my way to the very goal you've just achieved yourself Cavesa - C2! That will be a while yet :) Must get back into my good flow now.. starting... starting.... now! ;) Edited by PeterMollenburg on March 02 2015 at 4:45pm 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5469 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 309 of 451 11 March 2015 at 12:53am | IP Logged | ||
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Cavesa
Triglot Senior Member Czech Republic Joined 1459 days ago 2846 posts - 2888 votes Speaks: Czech*, FrenchC2, EnglishC1 Studies: Spanish, German Send Private MessageAdd to Buddy List Message 308 of 310March 02 2015 at 5:07pm | IP Logged Well, it took me many years. It was like driving from point A to point B and getting lost so much I accidentally got back to point A several times. You are obviously on a much straighter road. I can't speak of efficiency of your methods, even though I think you may underestimate your learning skills, but you surely are a perfectionist. :-) I'm sure all your efforts will sum up in the end and you'll get to all your goals. It's very inspiring that you get to three hours a day, that is consistency I would like to get close to as well, even though I am utterly failing at it. But I need to get better as German is quite difficult for me and I am still in the beginnings. 1 person has voted this message useful 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5469 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 310 of 451 11 March 2015 at 12:55am | IP Logged | ||
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PeterMollenburg
Senior Member Australia Skype Me! Joined 1926 days ago 580 posts - 322 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 Send Private MessageAdd to Buddy List Message 309 of 310March 02 2015 at 5:53pm | IP Logged Cavesa wrote: Well, it took me many years. It was like driving from point A to point B and getting lost so much I accidentally got back to point A several times. You are obviously on a much straighter road. I can't speak of efficiency of your methods, even though I think you may underestimate your learning skills, but you surely are a perfectionist. :-) I'm sure all your efforts will sum up in the end and you'll get to all your goals. It's very inspiring that you get to three hours a day, that is consistency I would like to get close to as well, even though I am utterly failing at it. But I need to get better as German is quite difficult for me and I am still in the beginnings. Thanks again for your positive feedback Cavesa. Not to argue ;) but despite perhaps being on a straighter road nowadays bear in mind I actually begain learning French with the intention to reach fluency in 1998! So I was on many wrong roads, dead ends, one way streets and even driving in the complete opposite direction until around late 2012. How time flies! I must be careful tho as lately it feels as tho I've put the wrong fuel in the tank or something. I would love to be learning German (and Spanish and Dutch) now too but since I went down the wrong road for too long I want to make sure I stay on the right road for some time yet. I sincerely hope your German mission picks up quickly for you soon. Nonetheless you're still doing well by remaining consistent! Remember the time you saw a person? That was amazing, those were the days 1 person has voted this message useful 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5469 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 311 of 451 11 March 2015 at 12:56am | IP Logged | ||
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fortheo
Senior Member United States Joined 1486 days ago 163 posts - 29 votes Studies: French Send Private MessageAdd to Buddy List Message 310 of 310March 03 2015 at 11:31am | IP Logged Was this your first 6wc? I'm sure if you do another one in the future you will approach it a little differently and learn from your past experiences. Oh, and good luck with your sugar addiction. I've tried to cut sugar out so many times, but it's in pretty much everything and it's so damn good. My real weakness is soda (I forget what you Aussies call it). I use to drink 2 cans or so of soda a day, then I stopped and lost 5kg in a week. I still crave it though. Anyways, good luck with your studies and your diet. Edited by fortheo on March 03 2015 at 11:32am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5469 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 312 of 451 11 March 2015 at 1:44am | IP Logged | ||
Thanks fortheo. Yeah this was my first 6WC, so I can't complain. We call soda 'soft drink' here in Australia. As for sugar... I have done more reading on nutrition than the average dietitian/nutritionist over the years I am sure. I have come to the conclusion that the state of our food is absolutely disgusting. And we wonder why we are getting sicker- research looks for bogus cures for cancer- and we wonder why we are sick. The state of our food, so called medical-pharmaceutical 'machine', water, air and so in is disgusting. Sorry to rant but this is the only conclusion I can arrive at when you've read as much as I have on these topics. Our governments do NOT care about human health or life. As long as we keep following like mice to sugar cubes all is well in their world. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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