A language learners’ forum

2016 Mini-Challenge is here!!!!

I'm leaving all the previous months as a recap, and don't forget you can see last years mini-challenges in this thread too.

The January Mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Write a short script between two characters which starts in a lift (elevator). The first line of dialogue in the script should be: "You didn't sit on the red chair did you?", and the last line of dialogue should be: "Are you kidding me? We're not 'fine'!"
Audio Challenge: Record this script reading for both characters. Bonus if you can record this twice with a native speaker, each of you doing one character then swapping.

The February mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Think up 10 Output mini-challenges for yourself!!! Email one to arrive on the first of each month for the rest of the year using FutureMe.org. Write out the challenge in your TL, and hopefully when you get the one in December you'll see how much you've improved!
Audio Challenge: Read / speak your Output mini-challenges, and attach them to an email to the future you! (although I think you'll have to embed a link in the email actually)

The March mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Each day in March (or as many as you can) write a summation of a news story. Doesn't have to be long, but shoot for longer than a tweet!
Audio Challenge: Each day in March (or as many as you can) record a summation of a news story with you speaking.

The April mini-challenge is:
Written Challenge: Think of as many uses as possible for an everyday object like a chair, coffee mug, or brick. Pick a different object each day. Write down your ideas!
Audio Challenge: Think of as many uses as possible for an everyday object like a chair, coffee mug, or brick. Pick a different object each day. Record your ideas, and describe the object at the beginning.


I'm sorry I didn't get around to doing a mini-challenge until mid-month. I hope you'll forgive me, and hopefully this mini-challenge will get you writing and speaking!

2016 Mini-Challenge is here!!!!

I'm leaving all the previous months as a recap, and don't forget you can see last years mini-challenges in this thread too.

The January Mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Write a short script between two characters which starts in a lift (elevator). The first line of dialogue in the script should be: "You didn't sit on the red chair did you?", and the last line of dialogue should be: "Are you kidding me? We're not 'fine'!"
Audio Challenge: Record this script reading for both characters. Bonus if you can record this twice with a native speaker, each of you doing one character then swapping.

The February mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Think up 10 Output mini-challenges for yourself!!! Email one to arrive on the first of each month for the rest of the year using FutureMe.org. Write out the challenge in your TL, and hopefully when you get the one in December you'll see how much you've improved!
Audio Challenge: Read / speak your Output mini-challenges, and attach them to an email to the future you! (although I think you'll have to embed a link in the email actually)

The March mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Each day in March (or as many as you can) write a summation of a news story. Doesn't have to be long, but shoot for longer than a tweet!
Audio Challenge: Each day in March (or as many as you can) record a summation of a news story with you speaking.

The April mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Think of as many uses as possible for an everyday object like a chair, coffee mug, or brick. Pick a different object each day. Write down your ideas!
Audio Challenge: Think of as many uses as possible for an everyday object like a chair, coffee mug, or brick. Pick a different object each day. Record your ideas, and describe the object at the beginning.

The March mini-challenge is:
Written Challenge: COMPLAIN! This month write at least one letter of complaint in your target language to a business, political leader, etc. Make the letter at least 1 page long, longer if you can.
Audio Challenge: COMPLAIN! Do a video or audio where you pretend you are standing at the customer service desk of a company and you have a complaint. Explain your complaint and what resolution you'd like.


Doing the mini-challenge a day early so it will not get lost in the flood of messages when the SC starts.

I bet this had been asked before, but I skimmed around and didn't find it. Do all of our recorded minutes need to be unique? I am working on a couple stories but once I hear my recording, I hear mistakes I want to fix so I record again. I'd like to even record the same thing in a couple months for comparison. Does only the first one count out do I get points for improvement?

Ani wrote:I bet this had been asked before, but I skimmed around and didn't find it. Do all of our recorded minutes need to be unique? I am working on a couple stories but once I hear my recording, I hear mistakes I want to fix so I record again. I'd like to even record the same thing in a couple months for comparison. Does only the first one count out do I get points for improvement?

You can repeat the same thing a million times if you want (although it would get boring very fast) so each recording counts.

2016 Mini-Challenge is here!!!!

I'm leaving all the previous months as a recap, and don't forget you can see last years mini-challenges in this thread too.

The January Mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Write a short script between two characters which starts in a lift (elevator). The first line of dialogue in the script should be: "You didn't sit on the red chair did you?", and the last line of dialogue should be: "Are you kidding me? We're not 'fine'!"
Audio Challenge: Record this script reading for both characters. Bonus if you can record this twice with a native speaker, each of you doing one character then swapping.

The February mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Think up 10 Output mini-challenges for yourself!!! Email one to arrive on the first of each month for the rest of the year using FutureMe.org. Write out the challenge in your TL, and hopefully when you get the one in December you'll see how much you've improved!
Audio Challenge: Read / speak your Output mini-challenges, and attach them to an email to the future you! (although I think you'll have to embed a link in the email actually)

The March mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Each day in March (or as many as you can) write a summation of a news story. Doesn't have to be long, but shoot for longer than a tweet!
Audio Challenge: Each day in March (or as many as you can) record a summation of a news story with you speaking.

The April mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: Think of as many uses as possible for an everyday object like a chair, coffee mug, or brick. Pick a different object each day. Write down your ideas!
Audio Challenge: Think of as many uses as possible for an everyday object like a chair, coffee mug, or brick. Pick a different object each day. Record your ideas, and describe the object at the beginning.

The May mini-challenge was:
Written Challenge: COMPLAIN! This month write at least one letter of complaint in your target language to a business, political leader, etc. Make the letter at least 1 page long, longer if you can.
Audio Challenge: COMPLAIN! Do a video or audio where you pretend you are standing at the customer service desk of a company and you have a complaint. Explain your complaint and what resolution you'd like.

The June mini-challenge is:
Written Challenge: You've been the victim of a crime! Describe the culprit in as much detail as possible to the policeman taking your statement, answer these questions about the person:

• Sex
• Race
• Age
• Height
• Weight
• Complexion
• Hair colour
• Eyes/colour of eyes
• Glasses
• Clothing : Colour of coat/shirt/pants/shoes
• Accessories: Hat, bracelet, etc.
• Tattoos
• Scars/Marks
• Additional information
• Vehicle Description
• Colour
• Make
• Model
• License Plate Number
• Direction of Travel
• Any damage to the vehicle
• Additional Information

Audio Challenge: Record yourself as both the police-officer and the victim.


EDIT: Corrected the month to June, talk about losing track of time!

I'm a bit confused about what month we're in now Have we had April and March twice?

Radioclare wrote:I'm a bit confused about what month we're in now Have we had April and March twice?

It was a test to see if anyone is still doing this challenge!

rdearman wrote:

Radioclare wrote:I'm a bit confused about what month we're in now Have we had April and March twice?

It was a test to see if anyone is still doing this challenge!

I... thought it was accidental and decided not to comment. I didn't do the mini-challenge, but it inspired me to write 285 words of something completely unrelated and completely fictional in Swedish, which I think counts as a win for you, our fearless leader!

Elenia wrote:

rdearman wrote:

Radioclare wrote:I'm a bit confused about what month we're in now Have we had April and March twice?

It was a test to see if anyone is still doing this challenge!

I... thought it was accidental and decided not to comment. I didn't do the mini-challenge, but it inspired me to write 285 words of something completely unrelated and completely fictional in Swedish, which I think counts as a win for you, our fearless leader!

I'll take what I can get.

So how are everyone doing? I went a bit overboard over the last few weeks and managed to finish the (writing only) challenge today. 50,000 words of German...