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Never had classes but have reached a wall | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies |  | |
| rolf Senior Member United Kingdom improvingmydutch.blo Joined 6004 days ago 107 posts - 134 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Dutch | Message 1 of 77 14 December 2013 at 5:38pm | IP Logged | ||
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Hey all,
I have reached a wall with my Dutch. I have self-learned (though I also lived in Holland for almost two years) Dutch via Michel Thomas, listening daily to radio, watching some Dutch TV and movies, watching English broadcasts with Dutch subs, some reading. My problem is that although I am roughly lower intermediate level, I have holes peppered in my progress because I never took a formal class. My reading is pretty darned good. Even my listening is pretty good. My speaking is terrible and I really want to improve it. My writing is OK. I'm thinking of doing an evening course, there are many here in London, especially because my conversational "ad-libbing" skills are so deficient (beyond going to the store etc.). Yet I think a total beginners class will be a waste of time. I look at the second year instead and although I know much of it, I may be seriously behind on other aspects. Not sure if I should start right from the beginning or join in the second year or just not do classes at all. What do you think? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| patrickwilken Senior Member Germany radiant-flux.net Joined 4530 days ago 1546 posts - 3200 votes Studies: German | Message 2 of 77 14 December 2013 at 5:53pm | IP Logged | ||
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I am not exactly sure what you level is but I would have thought a beginner's class would be too easy from what you've said.
Reading skills are usually ahead of speaking skills so I wouldn't worry too much. I would keep reading alot, continue listening, and try to get some practice speaking. Perhaps you could get a tandem partner? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| g-bod Diglot Senior Member United KingdomRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5979 days ago 1485 posts - 2002 votes Speaks: English*, Japanese Studies: French, German | Message 3 of 77 14 December 2013 at 6:08pm | IP Logged | ||
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In my experience, a good class is better than no class, but a bad class is a lot worse than no class. Unfortunately, you won't know what you're getting until you've enrolled.
Since you specifically want to work on your speaking, have you thought about looking for a tutor? Assuming one is available for your language at the right price, you will probably find it a lot more beneficial than attending a class. If you do go ahead with the class, I would agree with patrickwilken that a beginners class is probably not appropriate for you. I enrolled in a class a couple of years ago at too low a level for Japanese, thanks to some bad advice provided by the person I spoke to at the centre (who wasn't even involved in the Japanese courses) and it turned out to be pretty uncomfortable both for me and the other students in the class. After speaking to the tutor I was able to move to a class at a more appropriate level and it all worked out fine. 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Stelle Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Canada tobefluent.com Joined 4141 days ago 949 posts - 1686 votes Speaks: French*, English*, Spanish Studies: Tagalog | Message 4 of 77 14 December 2013 at 6:51pm | IP Logged | ||
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I don't know that I would recommend classes in your case. (Although I'm pro-class in general, so long as it's a
*good* class.) In your situation, I think you'd be far better off with a language exchange partner or three to practice conversation. A good grammar book would also be helpful. 5 persons have voted this message useful | |||
 jeff_lindqvist Diglot Moderator SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6906 days ago 4250 posts - 5711 votes Speaks: Swedish*, English Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French Personal Language Map | Message 5 of 77 14 December 2013 at 7:04pm | IP Logged | ||
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You could do worse than joining the Dutch team:
TAC 2014 Team Dutch The second post in the thread has a lot of links to online resources. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| rolf Senior Member United Kingdom improvingmydutch.blo Joined 6004 days ago 107 posts - 134 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Dutch | Message 6 of 77 14 December 2013 at 7:12pm | IP Logged | ||
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Thanks all who replied so far.
I think you're right, a beginners class would be too easy for me. I'd rather struggle a little at the second year classes than find the first year ones boring. I should have added earlier that another reason I'm looking to do classes is because I never formally learned the rules of grammar, the tenses etc. I mean, I picked some of it up and I have read an entire textbook (Colloquial Dutch) from beginning to end. But I do feel there is that element of being forced to learn something and to use it at the expectation of someone else (the teacher and the class). I have very poor self- discipline you see. I think a language exchange partner would be good but I think I'd struggle to find a Dutch person in London with anything less than excellent English skills. There are some Meetup style meetings here, I suppose I should visit them but I find them kinda daunting, as daunting as throwing yourself in with the locals in Holland itself - something I was never confident enough in my skills to feel I could do comfortably in the first place. I might look for a one to one tutor, although I imagine it will be more expensive per hour than taking classes. I'm even thinking of taking two classes (from different schools) at the same time! For both practice and reinforcement. I wouldn't ordinarily do this for a language new to me but as I'm trying to fill in holes in my knowledge and understanding then maybe it would help. That TAC definitely can't hurt, I will join the challenge! edit: I should add that I've been on this site for six years and only ever tried to learn Dutch. I'm unhappy at my progress! :( Edited by rolf on 14 December 2013 at 7:33pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Stelle Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Canada tobefluent.com Joined 4141 days ago 949 posts - 1686 votes Speaks: French*, English*, Spanish Studies: Tagalog | Message 7 of 77 14 December 2013 at 7:28pm | IP Logged | ||
I do all of my language exchanges online, using Skype. I live in a tiny rural village - there isn't anyone to practice Spanish with here. Check out sites like www.italki.com and www.conversationexchange.com - you can probably find a language partner there. Good luck! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| rolf Senior Member United Kingdom improvingmydutch.blo Joined 6004 days ago 107 posts - 134 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Dutch | Message 8 of 77 14 December 2013 at 7:34pm | IP Logged | ||
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thanks Stelle, I should have added that unfortunately my internet connection has blocked
Skype. I can't even watch most streaming video :( 1 person has voted this message useful |
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