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Spanish learning log

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nowneverends
Newbie
United States
Joined 5247 days ago

26 posts - 38 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 1 of 6
13 July 2014 at 8:36am | IP Logged 
After having some problems with motivation despite loving my language of choice and having immediate use for
it, I've decided that I should start logging my progress. First a little background.

I didn't take any Spanish in school. My background is 2 years of HS Latin, 2 years in HS + 3 semesters of college
German, and independent study of other languages (French, most extensively) that never made it far. For
example, in French, I got partway through Pimsleur level 2 before I fell off the wagon.

Spanish has been a bit different this time around. I finished Duolingo in a bit over 3 months over the winter. I
also did a lot of work with an Anki deck that I don't plan to go back to. It was very inefficient.

I'm using Assimil right now. The first lessons are very easy, so I'm attempting to get through them as quickly as
possible while strengthening any weaknesses they cover. I've edited the early lessons to make them close to
normal speech speed. So now I'll get to my current method.
  1. Create a parallel text using the scriptorium method.
  2. Enter words/phrases that are
    new/interesting into Anki as cloze deletion cards.
  3. Listen to lesson, read nothing.
  4. Listen to lesson,
    read L1
  5. Read L2, checking L1 translation
  6. Read L2
  7. Listen, read L1
  8. Listen, read L2

  9. Listen, no reading. Check comprehension and repeat steps if it is not sufficient.
  10. Listen, pause and
    repeat sentences.
  11. Translate L1>L2>L1, a la Luca.


My reason for creating a parallel text is that I want something that I can carry with me easily. The dialogues only
(without notes, pictures, and exercises), from an Assimil book can fit on 20-30 pages in a reasonable font. So
creating my parallel text is functional and a useful learning exercise. I've already done 5 lessons and I plan to
keep getting further ahead. This lets me prelearn the lesson, to some extent. I'm putting the items into Anki at
the same time.

I think my cloze deletion cards will be much more functional than other methods that I've attempted on Anki. The
words/phrases are in context, and I can break them down however I need to scaffold my learning.

The Assimil method is taken almost exactly from the Dutch course instructions that are floating around on the
web. I finish off with an exercise based in Luca's method.

It seems like this technique only takes about 20-30 mins per lesson right now. I did 2 lessons today, and I feel
that I know them very well. The parts that I don't know well will keep coming back on Anki.

Edited by nowneverends on 13 July 2014 at 5:42pm

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nowneverends
Newbie
United States
Joined 5247 days ago

26 posts - 38 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 2 of 6
13 July 2014 at 6:12pm | IP Logged 
As I alluded to in my first post, I'm not planning on doing the first 2 steps with a lesson on the same day that I do
3-11 with the lesson. I started my day by doing steps 1 and 2 with Assimil lesson 6. I'd like to do at least up to
lesson 10 today (made easier since that includes a practice). I timed myself out of curiosity and it took around 12
mins to do one lesson (scriptorium + Anki). As I get better and do more than one lesson at once, my rate will
increase, but there will probably be an increase in the number of items I need to enter into Anki that will keep it
from taking much less time. The scriptorium method also requires you to be very deliberate, so you can't do it
very quickly.

So, my log for this morning:
Anki, 3 min (all due cards)
Lección 6, scriptorium plus entering into Anki, 12 mins.
Lección 3, L-R procedure, under 5 mins + Luca in under 10

Around 25 mins of study this morning. I want to get in the habit of starting my days off like this. I have a
tendency to wait until close to bed time and then only study for a few mins because I'm tired.

1 person has voted this message useful



nowneverends
Newbie
United States
Joined 5247 days ago

26 posts - 38 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 3 of 6
14 July 2014 at 7:44am | IP Logged 
Got through Lesson 11 on my transcript/scriptorium/Anki.
Lesson 4 w/ LR and Luca.
Read the first chapter of El Principito on Lingocracy. I've read that chapter before, so I knew or could very easily
figure out from context 189/201 words. We'll see how that 95% comprehension holds up as I get into the later
chapters that I don't think I've ever read (and definitely haven't read in Spanish).
1 person has voted this message useful



nowneverends
Newbie
United States
Joined 5247 days ago

26 posts - 38 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 4 of 6
15 July 2014 at 3:38pm | IP Logged 
LR and Luca on Lesson 5.
Read chapter 2 of El Principito. At 354/391 words (90.5%).
Lesson 12 Scriptorium
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nowneverends
Newbie
United States
Joined 5247 days ago

26 posts - 38 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 5 of 6
17 July 2014 at 7:22am | IP Logged 
Log for 2 days:
El Principito 3, 4, and half of 5
Through lesson 8 w/ L-R
Lesson 13 and 14 Scriptorium

Also decided I would rather study Spanish in my car than listen to the radio, so I
grabbed Pimsleur level 2. The first couple lessons were really easy. Studying Spanish
in the morning was definitely a good thing though. Maybe it's just that I've been
immersing myself more recently, but the last couple days at school I've been much more
apt to use Spanish with students.

I'm thinking instead of Pimsleur I might put the FSI Basic audio on CDs and use that in
the car. It's Pimsleur at least for the next couple days though.
1 person has voted this message useful



nowneverends
Newbie
United States
Joined 5247 days ago

26 posts - 38 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 6 of 6
19 July 2014 at 6:50am | IP Logged 
Through Lesson 17 w/ Scriptorium
Finished 9 w/ L-R

I've taken a few shortcuts on the recent L-R lessons. These lessons are still really easy
for me, so I don't think there's much use to working on receptive skills. I can
understand 95% the first time I listen, and if there's anything I'm not sure about, I put
it into Anki as a cloze deletion card.

I'm finding the cloze deletion cards much more useful and manageable than my old
technique of putting everything in and testing productively and receptively. I have much
better retention using cloze deletion and typing the answers.


1 person has voted this message useful



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