Bjorn TAC 2014 backup

Discussion in 'Language Learning Logs & Super Challenges' started by Bjorn, Apr 20, 2014.

  1. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German
    Holidays soon over now. Didn't do much language learning, but now I feel refreshed, ready for more studying.

    I dropped Busuu. I'm not paying to be a "beta tester".
    Babbel, not sure yet, we are like old friends and the apps are working fine now.
    LingQ, a keeper since the app is working fine now
    Readlang, I use this on my ebook reader, very nice on sonny days in the summer

    Flashcards Deluxe, my favorite now, after I found out it can synchronize via Dropbox
    Anki, number two

    I don't do much reviewing anymore for German, only if I feel for it and that is not often. But I'm not ready yet to drop flashcards completely. I think it is still useful as a beginner in a new language or for some special projects.
    Exception: Still trying out Supermemo app with its readymade vocabularies, a bit on and off with it, not sure if I like it yet, but I do like that it synchronize and seems to recalculate if I had a longer break.

    Ouino, the best desktop software I haver ever seen, so far for French, Spanish and Italien. Disadvantage only for Mac and Win, no mobile apps.

    A rudimentary plan:

    English
    Reading and watching TV, I have several BBC channels
    Grammar, maybe I do it the old fashioned way with a book, pencil and a eraser :)
    Speaking, perhaps some lessons at iTalki.com. Still looking for FSI like drill course for British English. Have found some for American English. Still not sure which dialect to choose. Well, London is closer to Norway then New York.
    Writing, this log :)

    German
    Watching TV, 3SAT
    LR, DaZPod, GEOaudio and books
    Grammar, time for new round with grammar
    Speaking, Language exchange once a week via Skype. Plus I will do some shadowing.
    I skype with very nice people, but for other languages I think I will pay a teacher at iTalki, making it more flexible regarding scheduling.
    Writing, try to write more

    French
    French suffer from my experimentation with different methods

    Pronunciation, The Pronunciation Trainer from Fluent Forever, well it doesn't hurt to try it out.

    Français Authentique 1, I have listen to it for a long time. It's only in French. I had to Google translate the user guide to find out that the author says it is allowed to look up some words if you are not able to find out by using French only. So now it is time for LR and perhaps some speaking.
    I will try it out for 1-2 months.
    Backup plan: Assimil Easy French and/or Ouino French.

    Watching TV5 Monde, they often have subtitles in English and French.
    And the TV series A la maison blance (The West Wing) with English subtitles when I'm bored.

    Spanish
    Just warming up by watching TVE Internacional from time to time. Just getting used to the sound of the language. TVE now often have subtitles in Spanish, that is nice.

    Study habits
    I will continue trying to studying every languages every day. Not easy for meg since I'm not good at multitasking.
    And I think I will take a pause of 15 minutes after every 45 minutes hardcore studying, like I did at university.
    Also thinking about having a day off every week from language learning. ;)

    Wanderlust
    Every summer I have wanderlust, but I have been a good boy .
  2. Peregrinus

    Peregrinus Active Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2014
    Messages:
    613
    Native Language:
    English
    Intermediate Languages:
    German
    Basic Languages:
    Spanish
  3. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German
    Thanks Peregrinus !

    Okei, once again I'm fixing the iTunes library. But this time I have a software so I can span the files to an external hard disk. Not much space left on my laptop.

    Nice British English podcasts her:
    http://teacherluke.co.uk/

    However I can't wait for someone to make a British English speaking course, so I went for an American English Course.
    In the end it doesn't matter, I'm not aiming for a perfect accent. As long as people understand med and I speak relative fluently, I will be happy.
  4. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German
    Slowly starting up the language studying, was a bit delayed since I had to fix the iTunes library. Also did do some "office work", but now all is set to go.
    The main thing now is to change my studying habits, since I'm incorporating speaking practices. And will also spending some time trying different speaking practices.
    I have mentioned shadowing before, but this is just a collective term for whatever speaking practices I do, have to call it something :D

    I do find skype lesson with a teacher useful, for corrections. But I don't want to be tied up with lessons everyday. So I believe a mix of lesson and shadowing will be a good thing.

    That's all for now. :)
  5. Big_Dog

    Big_Dog Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2014
    Messages:
    1,039
    Native Language:
    English
    Advanced Languages:
    Spanish
    Intermediate Languages:
    French, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Swahili, Thai
    Basic Languages:
    Korean
    It's actually a very broad term which can mean a variety of things in language learning, and it wasn't even invented by Prof. Arguelles, so there's a good chance that you are using it correctly ;)
  6. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German
    Thanks Big Dog :)

    Changing study habits are not easy. I'm quite singleminded, find it hard to study a bit in each language every day. I'm more used to study one language intensive for a longer period of time. But I will not give up so easily :D
  7. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German
    English
    As an preparation to read Stephen King's Under the Dome in German I'm watching the tv series. Am already bored, makes me wonder if I should read the book at all. Perhaps it's just the tv series that is bad. I hope so.
  8. Big_Dog

    Big_Dog Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2014
    Messages:
    1,039
    Native Language:
    English
    Advanced Languages:
    Spanish
    Intermediate Languages:
    French, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Swahili, Thai
    Basic Languages:
    Korean
    This is the same problem I have. If I watch the show first, I lose motivation for reading the book.
  9. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German
    Haha, I gave up after seeing Under the Dome, Season 2, Episode 1. This is just too stupid. :rolleyes:
  10. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German
    I gave up on studying a little bit in each language every day. To boring, now I just study whatever I want to study. More fun this way, after all it's just a hobby and should be fun and interesting.

    Haven't done much shadowing since I had a very social life lately. Nobody want to hear me shadowing. :D

    In German I have started to just read the books. I think I had done enough LR in this language for a while. Now I'm reading one book with readlang.com and another book on my Kindle.
    Still need to learn more grammar.

    French is a mess. I need to straight this up.
    biTsar likes this.
  11. Peregrinus

    Peregrinus Active Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2014
    Messages:
    613
    Native Language:
    English
    Intermediate Languages:
    German
    Basic Languages:
    Spanish

    It seems you have some inner conflicts. Perhaps you should seek therapy with a linguistic psychologist :).
    biTsar likes this.
  12. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German
    Sure, if you are paying ;)
    Big_Dog likes this.
  13. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German
    This blog has ended.

    Thank you.
  14. Bjorn

    Bjorn Active Member VIP member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2014
    Messages:
    165
    Native Language:
    Norwegian
    Intermediate Languages:
    English
    Basic Languages:
    French, German

Share This Page