Bex's Spanish log 2016/17

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Bex
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby Bex » Wed Jan 18, 2017 12:24 pm

Right plan B :roll:

I am going to try to recreate my previous course routine with my new materials and I am going to do it for 2 weeks straight with NO CHANGES to give me a chance to settle into it. I am logging the routine here so I am accountable and don't change it (again).

Every morning 5 days a week....
1. I am going to eat my frog...GSR Glossika level 2 - 1 lesson each morning before anything else because otherwise I'll never do it.
2. Podcast - listen/read and make notes exactly as I would have done with my Assimil lesson.
3. Assimil Active wave writing - exactly as I would have done after my Assimil lessons previously.
4. Whatever I like; reading, radio, TV, more Glossika, podcasts, writing, studying, anything I like but not until after I have completed 1-3.

That's it. Simples.
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Kwiziq
A0: 100 / 100
A1: 100 / 100
A2: 100 / 100
B1: 91 / 100
B2: 53 / 100

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Bex
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby Bex » Fri Jan 27, 2017 9:22 am

Quick update as I have two birthday cakes to make this afternoon.

New routine is much better, I am managing to sit down and do the Glossika each day before I listen/study 1 podcast and then do 1 lot of Assimil active wave writing.

I have noticed that my Assimil active wave writing appears to be getting worse not better, I log the number of errors for each lesson on a spreadsheet and so I can see how well I have done compared to the last time I did the active wave for that lesson and from lesson 27 onward I am making more mistakes than my last attempt.

For example:
Lesson 27 Oct 2016 = 10 errors.
Lesson 27 2 days ago = 22 errors :shock:

Lesson 28 Oct 2016 = 9 errors.
Lesson 28 today = 12 errors.

I am not sure why or what to do about it?
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Kwiziq
A0: 100 / 100
A1: 100 / 100
A2: 100 / 100
B1: 91 / 100
B2: 53 / 100

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Bex
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby Bex » Wed Feb 01, 2017 11:39 am

My thoughts for this week...or alternative title of "my ups and downs!"

Yesterday I was convinced after studying in the morning that it was all going terribly, why was I bothering studying anything and I'm not getting anywhere etc, etc.

However in the evening when I sat down to watch TV, I was watching the news and I suddenly realised that I could understand (mostly) what each segment was about. I understood the weather report, I could pretty easily translate the news captions and understand most of what they were saying, not word for word but I could follow the stories enough to make it enjoyable to watch and not just completely frustrating.

I then tried to watch a historical drama and I had no chance, I realised that I didn't know who anyone was or what they were talking about. Without context I cannot understand...so it is not so much that I am understanding what they are saying on the news but that I am piecing everything together, the images, the captions, the audio so that I can then understand each news report.

My second thought....

My writing is terrible, as I mentioned in my last post it appears to be getting worse. I find this interesting and although I am unsure why it is happening, the information is at least useful. I have decided that after I have reached a point where the Assimil Active Wave lessons are impossible for me to do anymore (appears to be around lesson 40) I shall stop and then go through all my writing and see exactly what it is I need to work on and work really hard on it for a month. I suspect it will will be a vast array of things I'll need to work on and I shall have to do some grammar studying and wordlists/srs of some sort.

My third though....

Glossika is really starting to make sense now, I am running sentences through my head as I wander around the house and also whilst I fall asleep. My brain is obviously trying to process the sentences I keep shoving into it each day. I am still listening to just 1 level 2 GSR file a day but I am going back and listening to the level 1 GMS files for 50 sentences of review each day now and I have to say they seem soooooooo slow. It's a lovely feeling, it's these small things that make you realise that you are improving.

My final thought....

Yesterday was a low day for me, I was struggling with my motivation, despite Glossika seeming easier and despite the sentences running around in my head. The podcasts seemed boring and my writing was worse for 3 lessons in a row this week. Today Glossika was hard but interesting, my podcast was understandable and my writing was much better. I have come to the conclusion that my Spanish does not get "worse" it's just a work in progress and me having a bad day. I need to start ignoring the bad days, work on improving my weak areas and start enjoying the small glimmers of my Spanish slowly improving.

Oh and I love this log, I love being able to write all of my stupid ideas, thoughts and achievements here so I will be able to laugh at myself (lots) in years to come :oops:
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Kwiziq
A0: 100 / 100
A1: 100 / 100
A2: 100 / 100
B1: 91 / 100
B2: 53 / 100

DaveBee
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby DaveBee » Wed Feb 01, 2017 12:11 pm

Bex wrote:However in the evening when I sat down to watch TV, I was watching the news and I suddenly realised that I could understand (mostly) what each segment was about. I understood the weather report, I could pretty easily translate the news captions and understand most of what they were saying, not word for word but I could follow the stories enough to make it enjoyable to watch and not just completely frustrating.

I then tried to watch a historical drama and I had no chance, I realised that I didn't know who anyone was or what they were talking about. Without context I cannot understand...so it is not so much that I am understanding what they are saying on the news but that I am piecing everything together, the images, the captions, the audio so that I can then understand each news report.
Have you considered turning on your TV's sub-title option?
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iguanamon
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby iguanamon » Wed Feb 01, 2017 12:19 pm

We all have "good days" and "bad days", Bex. Even at advanced levels, I still have bad days. It's part of the process. What happens is that gradually, over time, the good days start to outnumber the bad days. Then, the bad days are much fewer and not as bad and the good days are more consistent and better.

When you start to transition out of courses, it will be good to start reading more (along with listening, speaking, writing) and going through a good grammar series like Gramática de uso del español- when that time comes and you feel you're ready. ¡Pa' adelante!
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Bex
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby Bex » Wed Feb 01, 2017 2:55 pm

DaveBee wrote:Have you considered turning on your TV's sub-title option?


Good idea, I think I might start watching an actual series at some point soon. Although my Internet data is limited so I may have to go old school and actually buy a DVD!

iguanamon wrote:When you start to transition out of courses, it will be good to start reading more (along with listening, speaking, writing) and going through a good grammar series like Gramática de uso del español- when that time comes and you feel you're ready. ¡Pa' adelante!


Hmm I do think it would be really good idea to start reading now, but I'm not a reader and I don't really read in my native language and so I am yet to find a way to incorporate reading into my day.
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Kwiziq
A0: 100 / 100
A1: 100 / 100
A2: 100 / 100
B1: 91 / 100
B2: 53 / 100

DaveBee
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby DaveBee » Wed Feb 01, 2017 3:14 pm

Bex wrote:I think I might start watching an actual series at some point soon. Although my Internet data is limited so I may have to go old school and actually buy a DVD!
From the comments on this forum I get the impression that spanish language TV has perfected addictive melodrama. Don't wait, start today!
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Bex
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby Bex » Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:33 am

Friday update......

This week:
Podcastsinspanish level 1: finished listening to podcast 14 today.
Assimil Active Wave: Finished lesson 33 Active wave.
Glossika GSR 2: Up to GSR level 2 day 10
TV: at least 30 mins every evening.

Managed to do 1 podcast, 1 GSR & 1 Assimil active wave lesson every day this week...I'm happy with that, it's taking at least 2 hours a day.

I am starting to enjoy the podcasts, I am using them for intensive listening and using the transcripts for reading/studying, they are just recordings of short conversations between two native Spanish speakers about what appears to be random topics. I am finding it very useful to listen to natural conversational Spanish.

Assimil active wave seems to be highlighting all of my weak areas nicely :roll:

Glossika is definitely my favourite resource at the moment. I am finding the GSR level 2 sentences really hard but I am forcing myself to try and repeat every sentence aloud as best I can and also trying hard to notice all the little nuances and subtleties of Spanish along the way.
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Kwiziq
A0: 100 / 100
A1: 100 / 100
A2: 100 / 100
B1: 91 / 100
B2: 53 / 100

AndyMeg
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby AndyMeg » Fri Feb 03, 2017 7:19 pm

¡Me gusta mucho tu bitácora! :D Es un placer leerla y me da ánimos para mis propios estudios.

Yo estoy empezando con "Glossika Korean". A ver cómo me va.

¡Muchos ánimos y pa' delante! ;)
1 x
Beyond The Story 10 Year Record of BTS Korean version: 36 / 522

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Bex
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Posts: 562
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Re: Bex's Spanish log 2016

Postby Bex » Sat Feb 04, 2017 7:40 am

Muchas gracias por tus amables palabras, es bueno saber que mi bitácora es útil para alguien y buena suerte con tu Glossika!
1 x
Kwiziq
A0: 100 / 100
A1: 100 / 100
A2: 100 / 100
B1: 91 / 100
B2: 53 / 100


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