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 Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies |  | |
| numerodix Trilingual Hexaglot Senior Member Netherlands Joined 6775 days ago 856 posts - 1226 votes  Speaks: EnglishC2*, Norwegian*, Polish*, Italian, Dutch, French Studies: Portuguese, Mandarin | Message 1 of 27 04 March 2010 at 2:27pm | IP Logged | ||
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Any commuters here? I've found that commuting is a blessing in disguise with respect to language learning. It is a hassle yes, but on the other hand it gives me a certain period everyday (so it's very regular) to implement a routine, and then once I get home it's not something I have to specifically make sure to do later. In a way it's helpful.
Here's what you do: 1. Any time you can read, it's reading time. 2. Any time you can't read, it's listening time. I say that because reading time is generally more precious. Btw, those of you driving a car have to pay attention to traffic, so you're probably out of luck. Here's what I'm doing at the moment: 1. Reading my Italian book du jour. 2. Basic audio courses in Dutch (Pimsleur, Michel Thomas). My morning looks like this. 1. Walk to the station - listening. 2. Wait for the train - listening. 3. On the train - reading (if I have a seat). 4. Walk to the tram - listening. 5. Wait for the tram - listening. 6. On the tram - reading (if I have a seat). 7. Walk to work - listening. And the same on the way back, I get a daily 2h of reading and 45min of listening out of it. There are two direct effects of this. To begin with, I barely notice the travel, because I'm consumed by my book. This is a great thing, because I don't have to live the experience of spending lots of time everyday in a place I'd never choose to spend it. It minimizes the mental strain of the travel and makes me happier. The other thing is that waiting for people and events isn't nearly as annoying, because it's a chance to do yet a little more of that audio course, or read yet a little more of that audiobook. Lemons and lemonade thing. 6 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| ruskivyetr Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5473 days ago 769 posts - 962 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: Spanish, Russian, Polish, Modern Hebrew | Message 2 of 27 04 March 2010 at 2:58pm | IP Logged | ||
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I do this all the time. Often I have to walk to school. I just do some Pimsleur or listen to a
German podcast (or watch one :D) on my way, and I feel a little less like it's a burden and more like I get to do something fun and interesting on my way. I actually kind of like walking now although it's not enough to finish a whole Pimsleur lesson or finish a whole audiobook. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
 Iversen Super Polyglot Moderator Denmark berejst.dk Joined 6695 days ago 9078 posts - 16473 votes Speaks: Danish*, French, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Esperanto, Romanian, Catalan Studies: Afrikaans, Greek, Norwegian, Russian, Serbian, Icelandic, Latin, Irish, Lowland Scots, Indonesian, Polish, Croatian Personal Language Map | Message 3 of 27 04 March 2010 at 5:14pm | IP Logged | ||
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I have written a lot in my log about my choice of "bus-back-from-work" reads. If the bus isn't too full it is half an hour that I can use for relevant studying. On the way to my job I read newspapers. One bright day sometime in the future I'll catch up with the the 21. century and buy an MP3 thing.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
 Fasulye Heptaglot Winner TAC 2012 Moderator Germany fasulyespolyglotblog Joined 5839 days ago 5460 posts - 6006 votes 1 sounds Speaks: German*, DutchC1, EnglishB2, French, Italian, Spanish, Esperanto Studies: Latin, Danish, Norwegian, Turkish Personal Language Map | Message 4 of 27 04 March 2010 at 6:37pm | IP Logged | ||
My MP3 language recordings are not so loud as music is. For me there is too much noise in busses and even in the metro to Düsseldorf. So I can only listen to this in trains. Fasulye 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Fasulye Heptaglot Winner TAC 2012 Moderator Germany fasulyespolyglotblog Joined 5839 days ago 5460 posts - 6006 votes 1 sounds Speaks: German*, DutchC1, EnglishB2, French, Italian, Spanish, Esperanto Studies: Latin, Danish, Norwegian, Turkish Personal Language Map | Message 5 of 27 04 March 2010 at 6:43pm | IP Logged | ||
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If I get a job finally, I will commute again with public transport. It depends on where the company is. I used to do intensive vocabulary learning in the tram / metro. If I have to use a train I may even listen to my MP3 language recordings. In the bakery where I have my breakfast before work I can do some vocabulary learning or listening exercises.
But let's first hope that I can put this into practise in a new job! Fasulye Edited by Fasulye on 04 March 2010 at 6:51pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Warp3 Senior Member United States forum_posts.asp?TID= Joined 5527 days ago 1419 posts - 1766 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Korean, Japanese | Message 6 of 27 04 March 2010 at 8:31pm | IP Logged | ||
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I commute via car, so reading is out, but it works great for Pimsleur. However, since I've already finished their Korean course (and my other study methods for Korean require the use of my eyes), I now do a Pimsleur Spanish lesson on the way to work and listen to something in Korean (music, dialogs, etc.) on the way home.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| OlafP Triglot Senior Member Germany Joined 5427 days ago 261 posts - 667 votes Speaks: German*, French, English | Message 7 of 27 04 March 2010 at 11:11pm | IP Logged | ||
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A funny thing happened to me last week. I was waiting for the bus after work, listening to some language recording. When the bus arrived I didn't even realise it, because I was so captured by the audio. Then I heard a loud noise and got angry, because I didn't understand the words anymore. I realised that this noise was my bus leaving -- and it was the last one! I had to walk to some other bus stop to get home. I knew this would take me about 30min, so I was happy that now I had a good reason to repeat each and every lesson.
3 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Johntm Senior Member United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5414 days ago 616 posts - 725 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 8 of 27 05 March 2010 at 5:24am | IP Logged | ||
[/LAME ATTEMPT AT HUMOR] I drive to school in a car, normally listening to music in English, but sometimes in Spanish. I used to ride the bus, but that was before I had language learning materials. And it would have been too loud. But I can listen to Michel Thomas or Pimsleur while I do math homework. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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