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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| stola Newbie United Kingdom Joined 6094 days ago 11 posts - 11 votes Studies: Spanish | Message 1 of 9 16 February 2008 at 6:14am | IP Logged |
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This forum is dangerous, since finding it I seem to have spent hours reading past messages and not doing any study for my own languages! So to keep myself on track I'm going to try to keep a language learning log though I suspect that I will be sporadic with keeping it updated. I will start with a bit of background information.
I have always wanted to be able to speak a foreign language. I can still remember how excited I was when I finally started learning French (later followed by German) at school only to be disappointed and bored with the whole learning process within a few weeks. I have tried to revisit both of these languages as an adult by studying at home only to find that other commitments push them to one side until eventually I realise that I haven’t touched my books for several months and give up in frustration. My current enthusiasm was kick started whilst on holiday a year ago when we unexpectedly had to drive through France (ferry cancellation) for the south of Spain. In preparation for our holiday I had spent a couple of weeks using the BBC's online course, Spanish Steps for basic phrases. Bizarrely this seemed to have unlocked my understanding of French as, for the first time in my life, I could clearly identify the separate words and felt confident speaking. I came back really wanting to polish my French only to, yet again, let my studies lapse after a few weeks. I think that I have finally broken out of this pattern :-) In September I signed up for a Spanish beginners evening class. I chose to learn Spanish as I didn’t really know where to pitch my level with French. This has been such a help! Whilst the classes themselves started off at an incredibly slow pace they have provided me with the kick up the bum I need to maintain a study schedule at home using my own materials, I feel as if I am finally getting somewhere. The classes are also becoming useful in their own right. Now that all the people who wanted to learn with no effort have dropped out we are moving at a good rate and our native Spanish teacher covers things as they come up rather than rigidly following a textbook schedule. I think that I have been lucky enough to hit gold here. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| stola Newbie United Kingdom Joined 6094 days ago 11 posts - 11 votes Studies: Spanish | Message 2 of 9 17 February 2008 at 5:51am | IP Logged |
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Over the years I've accumulated various bits and pieces for learning French and German but nothing for Spanish. However, on signing up to my evening class I was offered a variety of resources from Muzzy to an old 1970's linguaphone set. I seem to have very quickly built up a library of starter materials without spending too much money - a good thing since I've spent enough money on the class I attend!
So far I've completed the Michel Thomas foundation course. I've found this a great way to start, it is very motivating to be making up my own phrases from the word go. However, I don't think that I've retained much information from the last two CD's so I intend to review this course again before moving on to the advanced. I am currently listening to Pimsleur Spanish that I found in my local library. This is the UK edition that only covers the first stage. I've tried reserving level II and III of the Latin American version from the library but it looks as if I will have a long wait, assuming they become available at all - somebody hasn't returned them yet. I've enjoyed listening to these as I can follow them whilst doing other tasks unlike the Michel Thomas CD's that I found needed far more attention. I don't plan on buying them though because of the price, especially whilst I still have other resources sat on the shelf. Assimil Spanish with Ease is my latest acquisition. I am currently playing with this but it is not yet part of my routine. I enjoy being able to dip into different things but at the same time I feel that it is important to have one course that I am specifically focusing on, this is currently Pimsleur. Plan for the next few weeks: Finish Pimsleur I. Review Michel Thomas Foundation Make new flashcards from class notes Record Suenos - I've not yet looked at this BBC course (from another friend) but it makes sense to record the programmes when they are on next week. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| stola Newbie United Kingdom Joined 6094 days ago 11 posts - 11 votes Studies: Spanish | Message 3 of 9 19 February 2008 at 4:40pm | IP Logged |
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The last couple of days I've managed to average about three hours of study a day so I'm feeling quite chuffed at the moment. This is not possible long term but I'm enjoying it whilst the going is good. Pimsleur is ticking over nicely at one lesson a day, I'm in no hurry to rush this as I have only the one level to play with. My flashcards are up to date and I even remembered to record Sueños yesterday.
Assimil Spanish with ease is back on the shelf. I found it really hard to get into though I will probably try again at some point. In the meantime I've transferred the old Spanish linguaphone tapes to mp3 and I'm giving this a go. So far I'm really enjoying linguaphone - I'm pleasantly surprised by how much. I just hope that the language in it isn't too dated. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| cothromóid Triglot Groupie Ireland Joined 6089 days ago 77 posts - 78 votes  Speaks: English*, French, Irish Studies: Spanish, Italian | Message 4 of 9 20 February 2008 at 12:32pm | IP Logged |
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Do yourself a huge favour and use flash card software instead of paper flash cards. I started yesterday and it's
already working wonders! Edited by cothromóid on 21 February 2008 at 11:14am 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| stola Newbie United Kingdom Joined 6094 days ago 11 posts - 11 votes Studies: Spanish | Message 5 of 9 20 February 2008 at 4:13pm | IP Logged |
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Thanks for the advice regarding flashcards. I've been tempted enough to look at some of the software available as I love shortcuts but have decided to give it a miss for the moment, I already spend too long in front of the computer as it is! Another plus for me is that I retain information far better if I write it out by hand. I'm glad it's working out for you.
1 person has voted this message useful | |
| stola Newbie United Kingdom Joined 6094 days ago 11 posts - 11 votes Studies: Spanish | Message 6 of 9 27 February 2008 at 5:25pm | IP Logged |
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I've not had as much time free to study this week so have generally only been able to do a Pimsleur lesson and flashcards each day. It's pretty frustrating as I seem to have caught the language bug and want to get on with things.
Pimsleur I is nearly finished, just a couple of lessons left. When it is complete (I've pretty much given up hope of seeing II & III from the library) I will be reviewing the Michel Thomas Foundation course, I have the review CD's so thankfully it won't mean listening to hours of pueeeeeee-deh though I will certainly have to revisit some sections of the course. I also need to do some work from my class notes as I'm not feeling comfortable with where I am at the moment mainly due to tiredness during my evening lessons. I usually like to use the classes to practice speaking but I find it hard to volunteer when there is only a thick fog in my brain instead of the answer. Need more sleep! 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| stola Newbie United Kingdom Joined 6094 days ago 11 posts - 11 votes Studies: Spanish | Message 7 of 9 01 March 2008 at 6:20pm | IP Logged |
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Pimsleur I is finished, hurray! I feel as if I've gone through this too rapidly for my liking but as a failed perfectionist I feel that this is what I need to do to keep going forward. If I didn't I could happily review the same material for months and never get anywhere. In the past I've memorised many a unit/lesson 1 but not felt ready for the next lesson. In forcing myself to work just outside my comfort zone I hope to may better use of my time even if I don't know the material inside out.
But what to do now? I think that I will focus on my Spanish linguaphone course now that Pimsleur is complete. I want to get through it at a fairly rapid pace though how long that will actually be I depends on how much time I can find which is currently not much. I also want to review Michel Thomas Foundation (not yet done). I may dip into other resources as and when I need a change of pace. I am currently trying to ignore a little voice in my head that is saying, "Give French another try." The sensible bit of me knows that I don't yet know enough Spanish to try to tackle another language at the same time. Maybe in a few months... On another note my 6yr old son has decided that he wants to learn Italian. He loves his history, especially the Romans. Thankfully I've recorded the BBC Talk Italian progam in the past which he is currently 'studying'. I'm intrigued as to how far he will go with this as he can get quite fixated on things, but then he also wants me to record 'Talk Greek' that is on next week so it will probably fizzle out into nothing. As an aside I've been pleasantly surprised by how much of the Italian I already understand. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| stola Newbie United Kingdom Joined 6094 days ago 11 posts - 11 votes Studies: Spanish | Message 8 of 9 15 March 2008 at 6:23pm | IP Logged |
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I've had a really frustrating two weeks where I've barely been able to do any study. I've managed to keep up with my flashcards but everything else has had to fall by the wayside. Thankfully now the children are no longer ill and visitors have gone home so I should be able to pick up steam again. Unfortunately I have also had to miss my Spanish classes so this is another area where I have to play catch up.
The one thing I have achieved is to finish reading How to learn any language by Barry Farber. I really enjoyed this book and found it highly motivating and plan to review it again to highlight ideas that I think would work for me. Another positive note is that I am beginning to feel more comfortable with Spanish. I've been listening to an audiobook of pride and prejudice/Orgullo y prejuicio and I am pleased with how much I understand already despite my Spanish being at a very basic level. Admittedly alot of the comprehension is down to the fact that I read this book countless times as a teen but regardless I find that I am listening with interest which quite frankly amazes me. Unfortunately this audiobook is abridged and comes across more like a radio play than a book but I'm enjoying it none the less. Now it's time for me to get on with some work, I won't progress far by just reading this forum ;-) 1 person has voted this message useful |
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