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TAC 2011 Team Ж alex.stoma - En Sp Gm | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| Alexander.Stoma Bilingual Triglot Groupie Russian FederationRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6296 days ago 59 posts - 63 votes  Speaks: Russian*, Belarusian*, EnglishB2 Studies: Spanish | Message 1 of 38 08 February 2011 at 5:35am | IP Logged | ||
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Hello everyone!
I am pleased to accept the Cristin's invitation to join your team. This will be my first experiment to participate in a TAC, and I am looking forward to a fun and productive year with Team Ж. I say “Good luck!” to my teammates (Solfrid Cristin, nogoodnik, geordie and snovymgodom), and to everyone who is participating in this year's TAC. In TAC 2011 I’ll be focusing on English, Spanish and German. Some words about me and my goals in TAC 2011. I was born in the USSR in the Belarusian SSR (now Republic of Belarus). Thus I have 2 native languages: Russian and Byelorussian. ENGLISH Background and level: I studied English at school for 6 years, than I have done a 2years English course in the university and after that forgot it for 7 years until 2008. In 2008 I Decided going to get an MBA and restored my English by myself. I attended to the The Beat The GMAT 2008 Scholarships and was one of the winners. So I got a chance to have a free GMAT course and need to improved my English. As I result in January 2009 I quit my job and went to the USA to have an ESL course and after than my GMAT course. When I arrived in the USA i was like a fish - I couldn't say nothing in English, my writing was poor, listening - "What do you speak? Repeat it slowly, please" :) My strong area was reading because I read a lot in English for a work purpose. At the end of my voyage I took a TOEFL and my result was 78 (B2 level, near C1 - http://secure.vec.bc.ca/toefl-equivalency-table.cfm). I didn't take the GMAT yet but I hope to do it in 2011. Materials: Magazines (The Economist, Business week, etc), audio- and video-podcasts, TOEFL and GMAT preparation courses. Occasion to practice/trips: I need to take GMAT and TOEFL exam. Also I want to communicate with native speakers without problem :). SPANISH Background and level: I never learn it before but want to speak it because Spanish is a beautiful language! The Spanish friends of mine are open and optimistic and I wish to communicate with them in Spanish. Materials: I have FSI course, TY beginner Spanish, Assimil Using Spanish and other stuff. At the end of the year I want to mountain B1 level. Occasion to practice/trips: To speak with my friends and use for business needs. Also I like to read a Spanish literature, watch movies and so on. GERMAN Background and level: I never learn it and want to speak it because I like how German sounds! It's strange but I really enjoy listen the German conversation. Materials: I have TY German, TY Improve German, Assimil German course (for Russian) and other stuff. At the end of the year I want to mountain A2 level. Occasion to practice/trips: The language will help me to improve my career because company where I work just now have a main partner in Germany. Also I like to read a German literature, watch movies and so on. HOW I CAN HELP YOU? If you learn Russian or Byelorussian I'll like to help you. Also I’ll appreciate any comments, questions and/or suggestions. Good luck and keep in touch! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Solfrid Cristin Heptaglot Winner TAC 2011 & 2012 Senior Member Norway Joined 5327 days ago 4143 posts - 8864 votes Speaks: Norwegian*, Spanish, Swedish, French, English, German, Italian Studies: Russian | Message 2 of 38 08 February 2011 at 9:14am | IP Logged | ||
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Hi,and welcome to the team, Alex! I am sure we will all greatly benefit from eachother's knowledge in the various languages, and that you will be a great asset to the team.
How interesting that you have two mother tongues,is that because your parents are not originally from Russia? I look forward to seeing more posts from you, and will as your team mate of course follow it closely. Feel free to start writing Spanish in your log as soon as you feel ready, I'll make any corrections needed as you go along. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Alexander.Stoma Bilingual Triglot Groupie Russian FederationRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6296 days ago 59 posts - 63 votes Speaks: Russian*, Belarusian*, EnglishB2 Studies: Spanish | Message 3 of 38 08 February 2011 at 11:47am | IP Logged | ||
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Thank you for invitation, Cristin!
To answer to your question I need explain some history. In the USSR was one official language - Russian but every republic (Belorussian SSR, Ukranian SSR, etc. - more info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union) also had own language. Every citizen of the USSR must learn 2 languages: Russian and republican one. The education in the school was in Russian and our republican language and literature we learned as subjects. Thus I know Russian and Byelorussian but Russian better :), because I don't really speak and read Byelorussian. When I go to my home in Republic of Belarus I speak Byelorussian with the people around, watch TV and read newspapers in this language. I understand and can explain maybe 98% of what I read and want to say. I think it enough to be fluent in language :). Edited by Alexander.Stoma on 08 February 2011 at 11:50am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Alexander.Stoma Bilingual Triglot Groupie Russian FederationRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6296 days ago 59 posts - 63 votes Speaks: Russian*, Belarusian*, EnglishB2 Studies: Spanish | Message 4 of 38 08 February 2011 at 1:01pm | IP Logged | ||
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2011-02-08
ENGLISH R: Read a 2 stories from the The Polyglot Project book (p. 360-427). It was a long experiment (~ 14'500 words) and I understand most of all. I write down near 150 new words from the text and in few days add them to Anki. W: I write some posts at the HTLAL forum and didn't get any correction. Am I so strong in writing? May be I should ask people to correct me :) L: I listen a first lesson of TY beginners Spanish and understand all what they talked about in English. I don't listen anything specific but tomorrow I'll want to listen few TED podcasts. S: I cann't speak English because noone native speacker in my neighborhood. Do anyone can help me? SPANISH R: Some basic phrases from the TY beginner Spanish book and first pronuciation lesson from the FSI course. W: Nothing yet. L: First lesson from the TY beginner Spanish and first lesson from the FSI course. Also I try and listen for 15 minutes a last News in Slow Spanish podcast. I'm understand nothing :) may be some names (Barack Obama, for example). S: I don't know many phrases but want to speak few sentences in Spanish. Any suggestion with whom I can do it? Edited by Alexander.Stoma on 08 February 2011 at 1:23pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| nogoodnik Senior Member United States Joined 5562 days ago 372 posts - 461 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Modern Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Russian, French | Message 5 of 38 09 February 2011 at 6:24pm | IP Logged | ||
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Welcome to our team Alex! I'd be happy to help you with English. Do you want me to correct your posts here, or are you also posting somewhere else? I look forward to working with you this year!
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| Alexander.Stoma Bilingual Triglot Groupie Russian FederationRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6296 days ago 59 posts - 63 votes Speaks: Russian*, Belarusian*, EnglishB2 Studies: Spanish | Message 6 of 38 09 February 2011 at 6:34pm | IP Logged | ||
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Hi nogoodnik!
I'll really appreciate if you correct my text. I think I'm going to write down many posts so you can help me with my spelling just now!
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| nogoodnik Senior Member United States Joined 5562 days ago 372 posts - 461 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Modern Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Russian, French | Message 7 of 38 09 February 2011 at 9:14pm | IP Logged | ||
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no problem. I'm always happy to help a fellow language-learner
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| Alexander.Stoma Bilingual Triglot Groupie Russian FederationRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6296 days ago 59 posts - 63 votes Speaks: Russian*, Belarusian*, EnglishB2 Studies: Spanish | Message 8 of 38 10 February 2011 at 12:20pm | IP Logged | ||
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Hi guys!
For today I want to explain what I did in few days and why I didn't update my log :) First off all, I read a lot of English texts and have a list of maybe 1'200 words whose meaning I don't know or can’t remember clearly. So I must write down those words in Anki and then learn and review it every day. Second thing is that I try to understand the Goldlist Method. I read an author explanation of it and a lot of reviews on the forum. At first glance the method seems very powerful and useful. I’m going to try this method in nearest weekend. Third, I listened 2 TED’s podcasts and understand that I must devote must time to save and improve my listening skills in English. What I’m doing now? I'm working on developing a convenient schedule to study three languages at once. It’s not easy for me but I want to give a clear result until Monday. Do you have any suggestion how it best to do? 1 person has voted this message useful |
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