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Super Challenge Update thread 2014-15

  Tags: Super Challenge
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198 messages over 25 pages: << Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 8 ... 24 25 Next >>
Serpent
Octoglot
Senior Member
Russian Federation
serpent-849.livejour
Joined 6385 days ago

9753 posts - 15779 votes 
4 sounds
Speaks: Russian*, English, FinnishC1, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Studies: Danish, Romanian, Polish, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Slovenian, Catalan, Czech, Galician, Dutch, Swedish

 
 Message 57 of 198
31 May 2014 at 6:18pm | IP Logged 
You're one of the few who don't discourage me :D I'm so impressed how much you can read in Croatian, and a bit embarrassed that I've read much less despite being a native speaker of Russian.
1 person has voted this message useful



g-bod
Diglot
Senior Member
United KingdomRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5770 days ago

1485 posts - 2002 votes 
Speaks: English*, Japanese
Studies: French, German

 
 Message 58 of 198
31 May 2014 at 6:39pm | IP Logged 
So our top two readers so far have both been hooked on Twilight? Interesting!
1 person has voted this message useful



Jeffers
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 4697 days ago

2151 posts - 3960 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Hindi, Ancient Greek, French, Sanskrit, German

 
 Message 59 of 198
31 May 2014 at 6:43pm | IP Logged 
I can understand why people might be a bit discouraged by looking at the top people on the leaderboard. But I don't think we should be making an issue of it. People often get a bid discouraged when they encounter someone who is better at their L2 than they are. You have two choices when this happens: you can give up and say the path is too long. Or you can look at their success and say to yourself, "Yes! It is possible to learn this language!" The latter isn't possible if we hide the success of those who are reading and watching the most.

I know people will look and say that I am in the top 5 or 6, so it's easy for me to say that. But last Super Challenge I was nowhere near the top. I just kept plugging away at it, and got better at reading French. So here's a piece of encouragement: if you're not at the top end of the leaderboard this time, keep working at it, and you'll be able to achieve like that next time!
1 person has voted this message useful



Kerrie
Senior Member
United States
justpaste.it/Kerrie2
Joined 5183 days ago

1232 posts - 1740 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 60 of 198
31 May 2014 at 6:51pm | IP Logged 
Serpent wrote:
Well, saying "you only compete with yourself" is not enough. Just look at any other challenge.


Um, this is not a competition. It never was, and it was never meant to be one. Maybe to you, but the purpose of the challenge is to focus on one or two languages and make progress in those. That has never changed.

There is no challenge that is even remotely comparable to the Super Challenge. The SC is a long-term marathon, and most folks who run marathons will tell you that the goal is to finish. That is how you win: by finishing.. If you goal is a half SC, then you win by reaching your goal. It doesn't matter what the next person does.

Serpent wrote:
The single easiest way to get me to sign up with just a couple of languages would've been to discuss the ranking change in advance, by the way.


The rankings don't matter. And if they really matter to you, then you have 19 months left of the challenge to change your strategy. If it matters so much to you, change your strategy.

Personally, I'm tired of listening to you argue about your rank. The only person who cares is you. For me (and I think I can safely speak for the majority of people who signed up for this challenge), I care about what I do, and the progress that I make in my chosen languages. I have a tremendous respect for your language abilities, but your competitive nature (and your whining about ranking) is detrimental to the whole challenge for many people, and I wish you would stop.

Edited by Kerrie on 31 May 2014 at 6:52pm

8 persons have voted this message useful



Serpent
Octoglot
Senior Member
Russian Federation
serpent-849.livejour
Joined 6385 days ago

9753 posts - 15779 votes 
4 sounds
Speaks: Russian*, English, FinnishC1, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Studies: Danish, Romanian, Polish, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Slovenian, Catalan, Czech, Galician, Dutch, Swedish

 
 Message 61 of 198
31 May 2014 at 6:53pm | IP Logged 
Jeffers, at least for me it's less about the level and more about the language, availability of materials and acknowledging combined achievements. The current challenge is not like a marathon at all.

Kerrie, it's too late to change my goals now, so I'll keep the ones I set with the old ranking in mind. You can't give me these 4 months back anymore and changing would equal neglecting.

If you don't want me to say this, then just don't bring it up. Because it's ridiculous to pretend that this ranking doesn't provide motivation, especially after you asked for it to be changed so that you didn't have to scroll past my many languages.

Edited by Serpent on 31 May 2014 at 6:59pm

1 person has voted this message useful



VivianJ5
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 4050 days ago

81 posts - 133 votes 
Speaks: English*, French

 
 Message 62 of 198
31 May 2014 at 7:10pm | IP Logged 
Serpent wrote:
Well, saying "you only compete with yourself" is not enough. Just look at any other challenge.
Telling people to ignore the ranking is about as useless as telling them to
">ignore what they read online. (emk posted this link at some point) It also sounds hypocritical when coming
from people high on the list.


Sorry you feel this way. But if I'm supposed to feel bad for doing well in this particular challenge at this particular
time, well, sorry to disappoint you. I admit to being happy that this challenge works well for my way of learning.

The point isn't to "ignore the ranking," it's to use the ranking as a personal challenge, and push yourself just that
much harder. If I was an A2, I would never compare myself to a B2 - C1 in this type of challenge; I'd compare myself
to other A2s ... have to use common sense in this as in anything else.

External acknowledgement is nice - as in ranking in a challenge - but personal satisfaction is WAY more motivating,
in my book. You know if you've done well, even if there's no prize at the end. It's what I've always taught my
children, and my students. No one needs to tell me if I've done a good job or not, or if I've reached my goals.
4 persons have voted this message useful



VivianJ5
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 4050 days ago

81 posts - 133 votes 
Speaks: English*, French

 
 Message 63 of 198
31 May 2014 at 7:14pm | IP Logged 
g-bod wrote:
So our top two readers so far have both been hooked on Twilight? Interesting!


Yeah, you're either a Twilight lover or a hater; there's no in-between ;-). I was in the latter category (especially as an
English teacher) until I got hooked. What can I say - I'm a sucker for young angtsy-filled love stories!
2 persons have voted this message useful



Serpent
Octoglot
Senior Member
Russian Federation
serpent-849.livejour
Joined 6385 days ago

9753 posts - 15779 votes 
4 sounds
Speaks: Russian*, English, FinnishC1, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Studies: Danish, Romanian, Polish, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Slovenian, Catalan, Czech, Galician, Dutch, Swedish

 
 Message 64 of 198
31 May 2014 at 7:38pm | IP Logged 
VivianJ5 wrote:
Serpent wrote:
Well, saying "you only compete with yourself" is not enough. Just look at any other challenge.
Telling people to ignore the ranking is about as useless as telling them to
">ignore what they read online. (emk posted this link at some point) It also sounds hypocritical when coming
from people high on the list.


Sorry you feel this way. But if I'm supposed to feel bad for doing well in this particular challenge at this particular
time, well, sorry to disappoint you. I admit to being happy that this challenge works well for my way of learning.

The point isn't to "ignore the ranking," it's to use the ranking as a personal challenge, and push yourself just that
much harder. If I was an A2, I would never compare myself to a B2 - C1 in this type of challenge; I'd compare myself
to other A2s ... have to use common sense in this as in anything else.

External acknowledgement is nice - as in ranking in a challenge - but personal satisfaction is WAY more motivating,
in my book. You know if you've done well, even if there's no prize at the end. It's what I've always taught my
children, and my students. No one needs to tell me if I've done a good job or not, or if I've reached my goals.

No, I certainly don't want you to feel bad!

But just because it works like that for you, doesn't mean everyone is the same. I have enough internal motivation without challenges, what they give me is external validation, a visible reflection of my progress. I'm actually not as competitive as I might seem, for me it's more similar to getting compliments and praise.


1 person has voted this message useful



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