2024/25 Super Challenge Registration Thread

[Carl]

I am tracking my progress for both languages using a Google Sheet, which you can find here.

Nice progress sheet. I especially like the visualization of the progress.

I copied it and added some formulas on the first tab to automatically add up the pages or minutes from the other tabs. E.g., I changed the first challenge to German, changed the tab names appropriately, and in cell C6 of the first tab inserted this formula:
=sum('DE Books'!D2:D500)

I can use the sheet not only to record progress but also to list planned books and films--I just won't put anything in the pages or minutes columns until I actually start them.

I'm not yet ready to commit to the challenge. I've been planning to increase my production work in German and Spanish, so I'm hesitant to sign up for even a half-challenge based on comprehension. But now I have a tracking sheet, so I'm one step closer to committing!

[robokey]

:arrow: I am tracking my progress for both languages using a Google Sheet, which you can find here.

Nice progress sheet. I especially like the visualization of the progress.

I copied it and added some formulas on the first tab to automatically add up the pages or minutes from the other tabs. E.g., I changed the first challenge to German, changed the tab names appropriately, and in cell C6 of the first tab inserted this formula:
=sum('DE Books'!D2:D500)

I can use the sheet not only to record progress but also to list planned books and films--I just won't put anything in the pages or minutes columns until I actually start them.

I'm not yet ready to commit to the challenge. I've been planning to increase my production work in German and Spanish, so I'm hesitant to sign up for even a half-challenge based on comprehension. But now I have a tracking sheet, so I'm one step closer to committing!

Thank you! Adding a formula to automatically track pages/minutes is a great idea, I'll do some modifications to add that to my own. I also understand the hesitations to commit to the challenge; I almost didn't include French. My French is still very basic and I wonder if I can find books/films that are both interesting and comprehensible (it's a popular language so I'm sure there's material, I just have to go digging). If you do sign up, I would love to see what books and films you choose. German and Spanish are both on my radar of languages I would like to study more. Either way, glad you found the spreadsheet useful.

[Herodotean]

Language: Ancient Greek
Challenge: full
Current level: advanced
Comments, links: I'm taking the audio seriously this time (if only there were movies to watch in ancient Greek!). Also, perhaps this will spur me on to accomplish my goal of reading through Plato's works before the end of 2025. Additional comments at my log.

[squirrel]

Language: German
Challenge: full
Current level: A2
Comments, links: Hoping this will encourage me to get back into studying. Fell from B1ish to A2 after a bit of a break, so hoping to work back up to B1 and then hit B2.

[Ayrossi]

Language: Arabic
Challenge: full
Current level: B2
Comments, links: At the same level for way too long. I do procrastinate my reading a lot but have access to plenty of books. Hopefully I will finish this time.

[haziz]

Language: Spanish
Challenge: Half
Current Level: A2
Comments & Links: I have been in a rut and sliding down the wrong end of a plateau for a very long time. I am not sure this is the way out but it is worth a try. I hate social media and avoid it, so don't expect me to post my progress on social media, but posting to my log should be OK.

https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=19722

[garyb]

Language: Spanish
Challenge: Full
Current Level: I'd guess a weak-to-mid B2
Comments & Links: I'd like to finally move my Spanish past this intermediate plateau that it's been on for years, and I think a good dose of input would help with that. My listening is mostly native films, TV, and podcasts, and my reading is a mix of original and translated books.

[dabedu]

Language: Japanese
Challenge: Full
Current Level: C2

Language: French
Challenge: Full
Current Level: B1?
Comments: Estimating my level is difficult because I grew up speaking it as a kid but then moved and pretty much haven't used it for 20 years.

[Severine]

Language: French
Challenge: Double
Current level: Advanced
Comments, links: The French language is a fixation of mine, and I already take in a huge amount of French content (books and podcasts, and series to a lesser extent), so this is more about tracking something I'm already doing than changing my habits. I have never tracked pages read or hours viewed before, so I'm keen to see the data.

Language: Russian
Challenge: Half
Current level: Intermediate but getting rusty
Comments, links: A couple of years ago, I moved across the continent, and the resulting decreased exposure to my Russian-speaking in-laws is slowly undermining my previously serviceable Russian. My partner and I speak to each other in English; Russian is a heritage language for him and he only speaks it with his family. My main goal here is to keep in contact with the language and stop the degradation. Bonus points if it inspires my partner to get some exposure to Russian other than calling his mom, as he's worried he's going to lose it.

Language: Latin
Challenge: Full
Current level: Advanced
Comments, links: I have a BAH in Latin and Ancient Greek language and literature, and once upon a time I left a PhD program in Latin philology to go to law school. I still read (and translate) Latin works for fun, but I haven't done as much of this in the past few years as I wish I had. I would like to work my way through my to-read list. Not yet sure how I'll tackle the films requirement, but I'll figure that out as I go.

Language: Mandarin
Challenge: Half
Current level: Beginner
Comments, links: Mandarin is a delight, but I am still very much a beginner and have a long way to go. I am keeping it to a half challenge so that it feels less daunting. Even if I don't succeed numerically, any forward progress would be welcome.

I'm going to set up a language log to track my challenge progress, so I'll post the link to it once it exists.

UPDATE! Here is the link to my challenge log.

[stell]

Language: Spanish
Challenge: Full
Current Level: C1(ish)
Comments: I did a full Super Challenge in Spanish in 2014, and it supercharged my learning. My Spanish level is high enough that I can safely neglect it completely for a year or more and then pick up a novel and start reading. I haven't done much productive Spanish over the past several years, so my speaking and writing skills have deteriorated. I can't confidently say that I could successfully sit a C1 test without any preparation, although I do feel that it would be attainable with some targeted practice. My plan is to amp up listening, mainly with podcasts because I like to walk a lot (or at least I did before I sprained my stupid foot last week!). I would also like to watch some TV series. For the reading side of things, I plan on reading a variety of novels. I don't really care if they're translated or originally in Spanish.

Language: Russian
Challenge: half
Current Level: A1/A2?
Comments: This is honestly a bit silly of me. Starting a Super Challenge at an A2 level in Spanish felt pretty natural to me, but Russian is a whole other beast! I'm not even sure how to count the pages of things that I read, because I'm only reading short texts at this point. Oh well, can't hurt to try! I plan on reading graded readers with full audio so that I can internalize the stress and "music" of the words, reading the same text several times until it feels smooth. The listening component will almost certainly be mainly YouTube videos. I would like to be at a solid B1 level at the end of the Super Challenge. I also want to have more fun with the language, because I've gotten a bit bogged down in learning materials.

I may decide to start a new log for the Super Challenge. Undecided!