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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| Potted Plant Newbie Ireland Joined 3452 days ago 27 posts - 32 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, French | Message 1 of 28 30 December 2014 at 1:44pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Hi all. I've been meaning to create a personal log ever since my first posts on this forum. Hopefully the fear of being publicly shamed will be great motivation for study. =P
I have been following the advice in my first thread (http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum/forum_posts.asp? TID=39669&PN=1&TPN=1#520404)), but I would like to use this log as a means to creating more structure for my learning. At the moment, the language I am focusing on is Japanese, however as I am also learning French, I will include any work I do in this log. My current medium term goals (30/1/14): Japanese: Improve my production -Confidence with language -Correct speech and writing(grammar) French: Upkeep Slowly work on grammar, with the aim to correct my speech. (Added on 6/1/15) Translation - One historical document (about 2 to 3 pages) in 2015. --- Short term language goals: Japanese: (Added on 6/1/15) - One Lang-8 post a day - Read two - NHK Easy Articles &nb sp; &nbs p; per day - History magazine articles French: (Added on 6/1/15) - Hugo: In Three Months: French - One lesson every two to three days. Edited by Potted Plant on 16 January 2015 at 2:04pm 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Potted Plant Newbie Ireland Joined 3452 days ago 27 posts - 32 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, French | Message 2 of 28 06 January 2015 at 2:00am | IP Logged | |||||
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30/12/14
Since my last post, I have read a number of comic books (about 10). Continued with Anki, causally read about a few points in grammar book (if one can do such a thing!!). Still listening to lots of podcasts. Had some occasion to speak Japanese in the last month, so my confidence is a bit higher than before. So some change, but not massive, in my current schedule since my first post. Today I revised 20 words through Anki and two lessons (level1) of Gloss (https://gloss.dliflc.edu), bringing the total gloss lessons done to 5 (4 level 1s, 1 level 2+). The level 1 lessons are a bit easy, but are good for revision and for finding good vocabulary/phrases. I will probably finish the day with reading some of 横山光輝's comics (usually historical comics, as the one I am reading now about the Three Kingdoms period in China, so its of interest for me =) ). With Japanese podcasts as background music. No Lang-8 today or R/L. Perhaps in a few days once all the celebrations are over. 31/12 Day to day Japanese as well as some manga. Too busy running about for anything else! 1/1/15 Did little else but read some manga. Some day to day Japanese. 2/1, 3/1, Very French days! I ended up listening to some French music, history podcasts and playing some computer games (in French strategy, lots of reading!). No formal structured study. 4/1 Did a little reading of the National Diet Library website (http://www.ndl.go.jp/scenery/kansai/e/index.htm), pretty interesting stuff for anyone interested in Japanese history. Large chunks of Japanese text is still terrifying though, that is something that must change! Day to day Japanese and finished the evening off with French music. 5/1 Regressed into French today. Same as above; podcasts, music, comics, games (I'm so cultured =P). Happily I find French to be quite relaxing to read and listen to, it doesn't take as much effort in comparison to Japanese. I do need to keep my English level at an academic standard due to my work, so removing it completely is not an option, however I will try to increase my exposure to French while relaxing. Two birds, one stone, and all that. Will add some structured French study into my schedule. I have two course books to hand; Hugo In Three Months: French and Oxford's Take Off in French. I prefer the former as an introduction to French grammar, yet the latter has more exercises. I will use Hugo In Three Months: French solely for the moment until I am more familiar with the grammar. Will return to Japanese tomorrow. Edited by Potted Plant on 07 January 2015 at 3:02am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Potted Plant Newbie Ireland Joined 3452 days ago 27 posts - 32 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, French | Message 3 of 28 07 January 2015 at 3:09am | IP Logged | |||||
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6/1
French: Did the first two lessons of twelve in Hugo In Three Months: French. Listened to an one hour history podcast. I will have to think how I am going to practice the grammar that I am learning or else it will be difficult to internalise it. Japanese: Unfortunately the Gloss website is down, so I was not able to work through any of the lessons. Read two magazine articles as well as my daily reading. Neither Anki or Lang-8 was possible as I ran out of time. Listened to some podcasts and the radio. (semi-passive listening) 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Potted Plant Newbie Ireland Joined 3452 days ago 27 posts - 32 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, French | Message 4 of 28 16 January 2015 at 1:53pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Wow, Its been two weeks! I have been quite busy and was unable to put the time aside for logging. However I did keep track of my work.
7/1: Japanese: No notes. I'd say I read a bit though.Began to write some formal documents in Japanese. Unsurprisingly I found this to be quite difficult. French: Listening and some website reading. 8/1: Japanese: 3 articles (NHK Easy and a magazine), along with usual reading. Usual day to day speech. French: Listening and some website reading. 9/1: Japanese: 2 articles, plus a manga.Formal writing. French: Listening and some website reading. 10/1: Japanese: One article. Formal writing 13/1: Japanese: Reading, listening and day to day conversation. French: Listening and some website reading. 14/1: Japanese: Finished the last of four volumes, manga (can't remember went started it). Reading, speaking and listening on historical subjects. Day to day conversation. 15/1: Japanese: 1 article and 1 volume of manga. Day to day conversation. French: Listening, little reading. 16/1:Japanese: 1 volume of manga (quite easy.) Day to day Japanese and formal conversation regarding employment.(That was quite tough, have very little vocabulary related to it). 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Potted Plant Newbie Ireland Joined 3452 days ago 27 posts - 32 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, French | Message 5 of 28 16 January 2015 at 2:22pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Last week was a tough week as I hit one of those low motivation periods for Japanese. I had no issues with the tasks however. This week I noticed while reading some comics that my reading speed has markedly improved since the beginning of the month, and my new reading plan.I am quite surprised, and happy, to see some results so soon. It couldn't have happened at a better time and it definitely helped to pull me out of my slump.
I really haven't put the time aside for Lang-8, and I should as my understanding of grammar really must improve. However, I am really enjoying reading at the moment and I will pick up a Japanese text to read more often now, rather than having to push myself to do so. Rather than upsetting my building of a good habit, perhaps it would be best to follow the advice of Iversen for now and read more with an eye open for grammar patterns and work on them once I begin writing. Maybe I will try this for two weeks as a trial, and if it works well I shall extend it to one month before sitting down to Lang-8. As for my French, I will make some old fashioned flashcards (French to French) for the grammar I am working on. A combination of flashcards and listening/reading with mind to grammar will be my plan for getting the grammar into my head, for now. To increase my motivation for study/immersion, I have decided to volunteer for work in my target languages! This may seem like a recipe for disaster, however with some grammar study I am confident that my spoken French will be a good B1. As for Japanese, I have worked in the language before (although it feels like my ability to produce has disappeared over the last two years), and this should give me a concrete goal to work towards rather than `improve grammar'. EDIT: I had a look at the Super Challenge, and it looks like a lot of fun. I think I will give it a shot, officially or unofficially (if that's allowed!). 100 books seems quite doable! 100 movies, that is a bit different! Edited by Potted Plant on 16 January 2015 at 2:25pm 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Mohave Senior Member United States justpaste.it/Mohave1 Joined 3809 days ago 291 posts - 444 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: French | Message 6 of 28 16 January 2015 at 7:58pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Welcome to HTLAL! I am also studying French - we're probably close to the same level. I too am working on
cleaning up my Grammar - going through grammar exercises which is probably one of my least favorite things to do!!! I have really enjoyed the Super Challenge and can see quite a difference in my reading, and to a lesser extent, my listening. What podcast are you listening too? I look forward to following your progress! 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| yuhakko Tetraglot Senior Member FranceRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4434 days ago 414 posts - 582 votes Speaks: French*, EnglishB2, EnglishC2, Spanish, Japanese Studies: Korean, Norwegian, Mandarin | Message 7 of 28 16 January 2015 at 10:28pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Welcome to the world of logs on HTLAL Potted Plant! I'm also studying Japanese.
I saw that you are reading regulargly some NHK easy news. If the goal (as I guess it is) is to improve your understanding of news, try reading the real article after reading the easy version. There's a link on the page of each one. Reading the real version helps the new difficult words sink better and already knowing the topic and gist will help you understand it. I look forward to following your progress! 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Potted Plant Newbie Ireland Joined 3452 days ago 27 posts - 32 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, French | Message 8 of 28 19 January 2015 at 8:23am | IP Logged | |||||
Thank you for your welcome Mohave! I am trying to keep my own grammar study in French to be as simple as possible as, like you, it is not something I wish to focus on in detail. To practice I am just reading, and hunting for grammar points, at the moment. However, I might just be kicking the can (of horrible grammar study =P) down the road I'll find out either way I'm sure! The history podcast I am listing to the most at the moment is on Europe 1 (if any French read this, please don't judge!). http://www.europe1.fr/emissions/au-coeur-de-l-histoire There is a wide range of topics and each show can last for about 50 minutes, which is good.The speaking speed of the presenter is quite fast though, and he is not very good at interviewing his guests (he keeps cutting across them). If neither of these issues bothers you, give it a try.
Thank you very much yuhakko. That's quite good advice, I will give it a shot. I always found newspaper articles to be a bit daunting, and reading the normal article after the simple one is an excellent idea. I hope my log will continue to hold your interest! :D 1 person has voted this message useful |
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