Ani wrote:Which got me thinking about how we actually work in relation to our comfort zone and with regard to our needs, or the needs of the language, to progress.
With this in mind:
a) How often do you assess you level and weaknesses?
b) How often do you modify your study plan based on self assessment of need?
Further, what does it look like NOT to leave one's comfort zone? Where does the line between efficiency and sloppiness fall, in your opinion? How can we avoid errors on either side of the spectrum?
These are interesting questions, at least to me. Maybe as a first time learner I find them more relevant than perhaps others might? To answer the questions...
Ani wrote:How often do you assess you level and weaknesses?
Formally only occasionally, when I feel I may have levelled up and an exam might be in the offing. Informally, I guess I'm monitoring my level all the time. What things can I do or understand, what things can I not do or understand? By exposing myself to a range of material, both textbooks and native materials, engaging in reading, writing, speaking and listening I'm not only creating a balanced routine, I'm getting a feel for my ability in different areas.
Ani wrote:How often do you modify your study plan based on self assessment of need?
If it's exam prep rarely. Every couples of years (I've sat B1 and B2 exams so far). Usually either frustration or inspiration are my triggers for making a change. So if I feel a certain area is lagging behind and I'm feeling that I'm stuck in rut, I'll both invest more time and shake things up a little. If I read or hear about some study method that I'm not using and I'm drawn to it, I'll give it a whirl. Sometimes I just feel something has run it's course and I drop it. This a more organic and continuous process, I don't really have a regime for reviewing my study.
Ani wrote:Further, what does it look like NOT to leave one's comfort zone?
I think the answer is in the question, when everything is easy and comfortable. It's perhaps ok to stay like that for a while, but from time to time it's necessary to tackle something that's tough for you and makes you feel unconformable. For many people this might be leaving courses and jumping into native material. It might be that you've put off speaking or writing. Maybe it's moving on to more difficult materials where you struggle more to keep up.
Ani wrote:Where does the line between efficiency and sloppiness fall, in your opinion? How can we avoid errors on either side of the spectrum? How can we avoid errors on either side of the spectrum?
This doesn't seem to be a spectrum to me. You always want to be efficient, and never sloppy. Reading the quotes earlier in the thread I guess what is actually meant is a new material vs mastering old material tradeoff. For me as always, there's a happy medium. I make sure that revision and practice of old material is in my routine and that I work on any corrections I receive. At the same time I alway make sure I'm studying something new too. If you feel mistakes aren't being reduced or old material consolidated, devote more time to that. If you feel you're not really covering new stuff or that things are getting stale, then devote more time to tackling something new.
If you are thinking about the effectiveness of your study and whether you level of comfort/discomfort is in the right zone then you are already onto a winner. I think about making changes much more often than I actually implement them. iguanamon's multi-track approach combined with some reflection on what's working / not working is a good way to go.
