Le Baron wrote:It actually mirrors a lot of other threads on here. Most of them run out of steam or run aground and isn't it because (as alluded to by Cavesa above, though with the opposite intention) that the beginning always looks a lot less steep than the middle and end?
It's only my personal opinion, but people at A0/A1 hoping to make a huge leap to B1 in a short amount of time are, on the whole, setting themselves up for misery and disappointment. I can't imagine why anyone would waste money on an exam in order to set a target they likely won't achieve and won't enjoy striving for under those stresses.
As such threads like this just get on my nerves and advertise falsehoods to people.
I must disagree. I've proven several times, that it is possible to make a huge progress in a few weeks. Most recently, I've described such a thing done with my teen sister in my log. It was "just" from A0 to A2, but in four weeks, and the result was pretty spectacular. It is far from impossible, but it is also very far from enjoyable.
You cannot imagine "why", but only because of your situation. You probably never needed this, otherwise you'd understand. Some of us need this. In order to keep a place in a school, or prepare for a solid study/work opportunity, to integrate in a country asap and so on. Right now, I am trying this, even though I have a bad probability of success (I am not really in shape for this psychologically), because it might be the fastest way to a much more stable situation in my life
If I learn at a "reasonable" pace, I will never get the future I want. I cannot waste several years of my life on a stupid worthless job far away from my dreams (that I have sacrificed my youth for), while learning a language at a "reasonable" pace. I am obviously too worthless piece of trash to get a residency place in a good specialty in a francophone country. But the germanophone ones will give it to me, if only I learn German. And I need to learn it fast, because I simply need to start making some normal money asap.
Every month wasted on learning is lowering my chances of ever getting the only kind of life I am willing to settle for after all my suffering and sacrifices.
That's the sort of motivation that makes people learn fast. Enjoyment is not important in this sort of situation.
It's not for everybody. People with low IQ will not succeed, people without strong motivation will not succeed, perhaps people with dyslexia might really have a lower chance, and so on. But it's extremely narrow minded and privileged, to generalise and consider the very intensive learners to be just fools.