With our discussions of Using Multiple Beginner Courses and our old friend Progressor Arguelles' lectures on course typologies, learning preferences, etc, it seems we could use one more poll.
Here, "course", generally means "self study material", not "course with other students", but you're free to answer how you see fit.
Note that the question says, "challenging", which means different things to each of us, and may not mean "learning Italian" for a native Spanish speaker, but we all have different challenges. Myself, I count Spanish and French, category 1 languages for a native English speaker as "challenging".
You may choose 0 - 5 answers. The goal is to select those that you think most accurately reflect your preferred or normal approach, rather than what you may have tried and wouldn't do again.
Comments and written answers can be the most informative part of these things.
When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
- luke
- Brown Belt
- Posts: 1243
- Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2015 9:09 pm
- Languages: English (N). Spanish (intermediate), Esperanto (B1), French (intermediate but rusting)
- Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=16948
- x 3633
When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
Last edited by luke on Fri Jun 03, 2022 4:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1 x
: Cien años de soledad 20x
: 5500 pages - Reading
: FSI Basic Spanish 3x
: Camino a Macondo
: 5500 pages - Reading
: FSI Basic Spanish 3x
: Camino a Macondo
- księżycowy
- Blue Belt
- Posts: 659
- Joined: Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:26 pm
- Location: Earth
- Languages: *Native*
English
*Studying*
Biblical Greek, Hebrew, German (Arabic)
*Waiting List*
Irish, Polish, Lithuanian, Italian, Modern Greek, Latin, Old English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese), Vietnamese, Mongolian, Tibetan, Aramaic, Amharic, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Cayuga - Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=17499
- x 1505
Re: When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
First vote (or I guess first four votes)! Score!
I'd say that when available, I tend to favor comprehensive courses. But, in lieu of that I'm not afraid to dig into more than one beginning course, it just depends on what the course is like, and how much I like it's method.
I don't do very well doing more than one textbook/resource at once, so I chose sequencially. There are a few exceptions, such as Pimsleur, however. I can handle Pimsleur and a beginner course at the same time. Usually.
I'd say that when available, I tend to favor comprehensive courses. But, in lieu of that I'm not afraid to dig into more than one beginning course, it just depends on what the course is like, and how much I like it's method.
I don't do very well doing more than one textbook/resource at once, so I chose sequencially. There are a few exceptions, such as Pimsleur, however. I can handle Pimsleur and a beginner course at the same time. Usually.
1 x
Dead Log
Modern European Log
East Asian Log
Assimil German :
Modern German Pronunciation 2e (Hall) :
[Greek and Hebrew TBD]
Modern European Log
East Asian Log
Assimil German :
Modern German Pronunciation 2e (Hall) :
[Greek and Hebrew TBD]
-
- Brown Belt
- Posts: 1125
- Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 12:44 am
- Languages: English (N), Irish (Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge B2), French, dabbling elsewhere sometimes
- Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=757
- x 3364
Re: When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
I prefer comprehensive courses, though, depending on my goals and previous exposure to the language, I'll sometimes use multiple complementary ones (nature method and something like Assimil or Pimsleur, for instance). My main reason is that I suffer from resource paralysis. When I pick one comprehensive course, I can stick with it. If I've got multiple, I start to wonder if it's actually the best combination, and then start flitting back and forth, achieving nothing.
I also do courses sequentially, as I like having a specific order in which to learn things. It also helps to do this with a graded reader (or using graded texts in Nature Method-type stuff and/or in the textbook itself) as opposed to skipping around. This can be an issue though if things go too slowly, so I might learn verb tenses right away, then go back and review things in a more sequential matter, allowing me to at least do basic sentences (once I've gotten vocab down).
I also do courses sequentially, as I like having a specific order in which to learn things. It also helps to do this with a graded reader (or using graded texts in Nature Method-type stuff and/or in the textbook itself) as opposed to skipping around. This can be an issue though if things go too slowly, so I might learn verb tenses right away, then go back and review things in a more sequential matter, allowing me to at least do basic sentences (once I've gotten vocab down).
4 x
- zenmonkey
- Black Belt - 2nd Dan
- Posts: 2528
- Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
- Location: California, Germany and France
- Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl - Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
- x 7032
- Contact:
Re: When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
Is Assimil or Pimsleur a comprehensive course?
2 x
I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar
-
- Green Belt
- Posts: 405
- Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2021 8:18 am
- Languages: Hungarian (N), English, German, Spanish, French, Italian
- x 1990
Re: When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
My experience tells me that for me the best option is to use one comprehensive course and complement it with native materials. Learning a textbook thoroughly improves speaking and writing, native materials improve reading and listening. But it's usually only a theory, because I don't know at the beginning which course to choose. I start one, I'm not satisfied for some reason, I start a second one and so on. I can choose the best textbook only when I've already learned a language.
4 x
- sporedandroid
- Blue Belt
- Posts: 674
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 6:54 am
- Languages: English (N), Spanish (heritage/intermediate), Hebrew (A2-B1)
- x 1423
Re: When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
Right now I’m “starting” Finnish by messing around on Duolingo, watching some learner videos on YouTube and looking up words on wiktionary to get familiar with high frequency vocabulary and get a very rough idea of how Finnish grammar works. I’d consider this more pre-studying than true studying. I only really do this once in a while when I feel like it and I don’t make fast progress at all. I just find I learn better if I have a rough idea of how something works and a bit of intuition. I really don’t like intensive beginner courses.
1 x
- einzelne
- Blue Belt
- Posts: 804
- Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:33 pm
- Languages: Russan (N), English (Working knowledge), French (Reading), German (Reading), Italian (Reading on Kindle)
- x 2884
Re: When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
I don't see the option "... I open a textbook, look at the first page, immediately close it, and kiss the language goodbye for good."
6 x
- IronMike
- Black Belt - 2nd Dan
- Posts: 2554
- Joined: Thu May 12, 2016 6:13 am
- Location: Northern Virginia
- Languages: Studying: Esperanto
Maintaining: nada
Tested:
BCS, 1+L/1+R (DLPT5, 2022)
Russian, 3/3 (DLPT5, 2022) 2+ (OPI, 2022)
German, 2L/1+R (DLPT5, 2021)
Italian, 1L/2R (DLPT IV, 2019)
Esperanto, C1 (KER skriba ekzameno, 2017)
Slovene, 2+L/3R (DLPT II in, yes, 1999) - Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5189
- x 7266
- Contact:
Re: When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
Until this poll, I didn't know a beginner course couldn't be a comprehensive course.
Seriously, though, I think I'm using two comprehensive courses to revive my BCS, but they're also beginner courses. So I chose all three.
Seriously, though, I think I'm using two comprehensive courses to revive my BCS, but they're also beginner courses. So I chose all three.
2 x
You're not a C1 (or B1 or whatever) if you haven't tested.
CEFR --> ILR/DLPT equivalencies
My swimming life.
My reading life.
CEFR --> ILR/DLPT equivalencies
My swimming life.
My reading life.
- dedalus66
- Yellow Belt
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2015 11:08 am
- Location: Μελβούρνη, Αυστραλία
- Languages: English (N), French (C1), Italian (B2), Greek (B1), Spanish (A2 - currently learning)
- x 142
Re: When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
... I like to make sure that my language learning material is always nearby. So, on the coffee table where I can pick it up and peruse without it feeling like "study" - or of course, the mighty throne room. It's all about allowing opportunities to practice!
4 x
"To have another language is to possess a second soul." - Charlemagne
- zenmonkey
- Black Belt - 2nd Dan
- Posts: 2528
- Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
- Location: California, Germany and France
- Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl - Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
- x 7032
- Contact:
Re: When learning a new and challenging language, I ...
IronMike wrote:Until this poll, I didn't know a beginner course couldn't be a comprehensive course.
Seriously, though, I think I'm using two comprehensive courses to revive my BCS, but they're also beginner courses. So I chose all three.
I still don’t know what comprehensive means in this context.
2 x
I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar