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I need help to start

  Tags: Beginner | FSI | German
 Language Learning Forum : Questions About Your Target Languages Post Reply
12 messages over 2 pages: 1 2 


jeff_lindqvist
Diglot
Moderator
SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 6908 days ago
4250 posts - 5711 votes 
Speaks: Swedish*, English
Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French
Personal Language Map

 
 Message 9 of 12
24 June 2008 at 4:14pm | IP Logged 
I don't remember exactly where I read about the actual study hours per day, but somehow it must have been in either FSI German vol 1 or 2 since German is the only language I've studied with the FSI method. From the FSI Units thread:

jeff_lindqvist wrote:
What one has to take into account is that the courses were developed for diplomats (right?), emphasize memorization, repetition (outside the class, se below) to the point of overlearning and so on. "The time required to cover each section in this way will differ widely depending on the size and the ability of the class."

So, originally it was assumed that you had access to a tutor, and studied with this material in class - possibly for several hours a day - to the point where you had fully internalized the material and could respond immediately, with the same ease and at the same speed as a native speaker. I think I read that the suggested time was one week per unit, i.e. 12 units in 12 weeks, and obviously 24 units in 24 weeks (about six months).


#1 Whether you read along as you listen or not is up to you. I haven't used the transcript at all, since my listening skills are already OK (i.e. I hear what they are saying in the lessons).
#2 Good idea.
#3 I don't find it necessary to memorize everything, although the instructions probably suggest it (i.e. "fully internalize")
#4 Yes. As soon as you feel somewhat comfortable with the dialogue(s) you can go on the exercises. For some of the drills it is a good idea to have the PDF in front of you, while for others it is sufficient to have skimmed through the grammar section.
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viking
Tetraglot
Newbie
Norway
viking-vocation
Joined 6140 days ago
10 posts - 10 votes
Speaks: Norwegian*, English, Swedish, Danish
Studies: German, Latin

 
 Message 10 of 12
25 June 2008 at 6:53am | IP Logged 
jeff_lindqvist wrote:
I don't remember exactly where I read about the actual study hours per day, but somehow it must have been in either FSI German vol 1 or 2 since German is the only language I've studied with the FSI method. From the FSI Units thread:

jeff_lindqvist wrote:
What one has to take into account is that the courses were developed for diplomats (right?), emphasize memorization, repetition (outside the class, se below) to the point of overlearning and so on. "The time required to cover each section in this way will differ widely depending on the size and the ability of the class."

So, originally it was assumed that you had access to a tutor, and studied with this material in class - possibly for several hours a day - to the point where you had fully internalized the material and could respond immediately, with the same ease and at the same speed as a native speaker. I think I read that the suggested time was one week per unit, i.e. 12 units in 12 weeks, and obviously 24 units in 24 weeks (about six months).


#1 Whether you read along as you listen or not is up to you. I haven't used the transcript at all, since my listening skills are already OK (i.e. I hear what they are saying in the lessons).
#2 Good idea.
#3 I don't find it necessary to memorize everything, although the instructions probably suggest it (i.e. "fully internalize")
#4 Yes. As soon as you feel somewhat comfortable with the dialogue(s) you can go on the exercises. For some of the drills it is a good idea to have the PDF in front of you, while for others it is sufficient to have skimmed through the grammar section.


Thanks Jeff, your posts have been very helpful. Today I listened to the Basic sentences, and repeated. I don't know them by heart. It seems like, learning them by heart is one of the goals of the course. I listened to them once, and then read about pronunciation, which isn't difficult to understand, since it resembles much of the Norwegian language. It takes me maximum half an hour, isn't this a bit short? Should I go back and repeat the tape, or should I do some other practices? Or is it simply enough if I practice like this each day?


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Sulpicius
Diglot
Groupie
United States
Joined 6026 days ago
89 posts - 91 votes 
Speaks: English*, Latin
Studies: French, Arabic (Written)

 
 Message 11 of 12
25 June 2008 at 7:05am | IP Logged 
Use this course for Latin:

Priceless:

Learn to Read Latin (Yale) Russel and Keller
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jeff_lindqvist
Diglot
Moderator
SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 6908 days ago
4250 posts - 5711 votes 
Speaks: Swedish*, English
Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French
Personal Language Map

 
 Message 12 of 12
25 June 2008 at 2:53pm | IP Logged 
Viking, yes, it seems as it is good to memorize everything. However, if you have previous knowledge of German I think it is "OK" to skip that part (at least if you want to finish it in time). As you say, pronunciation isn't to far off from Norwegian (or Swedish), and some grammar concepts are very similar to English or Norwegian/Swedish.

If you spend half an hour on the basic sentences lesson and feel that you "get" everything (as we all know, there is always room for improvement), I'd say it's OK to go on to the drills.

If you intend to spend a week on one unit, you could always warm up with the sentences (at least the part in the end, where everything is pronounced "up to speed").


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