Study on Language Improvement with Native Materials

[zenmonkey]

Radioclare

See the last paragraph in this post of her log. (It's my first time using Google spreadsheets, too).

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I always feel very excited when a 6WC starts, and now there's double the excitement! Imagine if I had picked Czech, then it would've been triple

Yeah, google spreadsheets do require a bit of getting used to.
Some of the functions they have are actually quite better than the Excel counterparts but I am much more used to Excel.
I think the big plus with google sheets is consistent availability across platforms. You can enter data on the same sheet from your phone or pc.

I *may* look into it tonight.

[Radioclare]

Radioclare

See the last paragraph in this post of her log. (It's my first time using Google spreadsheets, too).

---

I always feel very excited when a 6WC starts, and now there's double the excitement! Imagine if I had picked Czech, then it would've been triple

Yeah, google spreadsheets do require a bit of getting used to.
Some of the functions they have are actually quite better than the Excel counterparts but I am much more used to Excel.
I think the big plus with google sheets is consistent availability across platforms. You can enter data on the same sheet from your phone or pc.

I *may* look into it tonight.

Sorry, wasn't supposed to be a criticism of the spreadsheet, more just a comment that I've never really used Google spreadsheets before and so I initially found it a bit confusing. Like I spent ages looking for a save button before realising it was autosaving I'm sure I'll get the hang of it over the next few weeks though! And I didn't realise you could enter data from your phone, so I will have to go and explore that now...

[zenmonkey]

Radioclare

See the last paragraph in this post of her log. (It's my first time using Google spreadsheets, too).

---

I always feel very excited when a 6WC starts, and now there's double the excitement! Imagine if I had picked Czech, then it would've been triple

Yeah, google spreadsheets do require a bit of getting used to.
Some of the functions they have are actually quite better than the Excel counterparts but I am much more used to Excel.
I think the big plus with google sheets is consistent availability across platforms. You can enter data on the same sheet from your phone or pc.

I *may* look into it tonight.

Sorry, wasn't supposed to be a criticism of the spreadsheet, more just a comment that I've never really used Google spreadsheets before and so I initially found it a bit confusing. Like I spent ages looking for a save button before realising it was autosaving I'm sure I'll get the hang of it over the next few weeks though! And I didn't realise you could enter data from your phone, so I will have to go and explore that now...

Never took it as a criticism AND you can certainly criticise as much as you like! It is the only way it gets improved. Smallwhite's input was incredibly useful.

The neat thing about google docs is that not only can you use it from different interfaces but it can be used simultaneously by different people. It has become an essential tool to have an open word document with my italki teachers to work together on the same sheet.

I could have built the tool so that everyone was entering off of one single sheet but I don't trust that enough.

I'll post instructions tonight on how to create your own working copy when I publish the final version.

[zenmonkey]

Because there might be an interest for an Excel version of the Spreadsheet - here it is:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fl7d8rxpuxwhs ... .xlsx?dl=0

It has been a fast development and I cannot guarantee that it is 100% ready - it may need a little testing, so if you use this sheet, we may need to update it.

Fro the Excel sheet, download it. Change the data in the Setup sheet. Start by entering your study material on the Material tab and then enter your activity in the Activity tab.

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For the google version, it is here. It is version 8.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

Open the link and make a copy to your own Google drive. (Command: File / Make a copy ...) Then, in your own copy, Change the data in the Setup sheet. Start by entering your study material on the Material tab and then enter your activity in the Activity tab.

If you have questions - ask them in this thread!

[Radioclare]

Because there might be an interest for an Excel version of the Spreadsheet - here it is:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fl7d8rxpuxwhs ... .xlsx?dl=0

It has been a fast development and I cannot guarantee that it is 100% ready - it may need a little testing, so if you use this sheet, we may need to update it.

Fro the Excel sheet, download it. Change the data in the Setup sheet. Start by entering your study material on the Material tab and then enter your activity in the Activity tab.

Yay, this is amazing; thank you

I've just been using it and my only comment so far is that on the Material tab it seems like the Duration column is restricted so that you can only enter values of 500 minutes or less; is this a deliberate restriction? I was trying to add a Michel Thomas foundation course, which is 578 minutes across eight disks. I can add each disk separately as a new material so it's not a big issue, but if anyone else is planning to watch TV series or use audiobooks, they might need to add materials that are more than 500 minutes.

[zenmonkey]

Because there might be an interest for an Excel version of the Spreadsheet - here it is:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fl7d8rxpuxwhs ... .xlsx?dl=0

It has been a fast development and I cannot guarantee that it is 100% ready - it may need a little testing, so if you use this sheet, we may need to update it.

Fro the Excel sheet, download it. Change the data in the Setup sheet. Start by entering your study material on the Material tab and then enter your activity in the Activity tab.

Yay, this is amazing; thank you

I've just been using it and my only comment so far is that on the Material tab it seems like the Duration column is restricted so that you can only enter values of 500 minutes or less; is this a deliberate restriction? I was trying to add a Michel Thomas foundation course, which is 578 minutes across eight disks. I can add each disk separately as a new material so it's not a big issue, but if anyone else is planning to watch TV series or use audiobooks, they might need to add materials that are more than 500 minutes.

I put in what I thought was a reasonable limit. I was wrong! Please select the field then in the Data menu, click on Data Validation and change that 500 to a higher value. I'll update it on the reference file. Thanks for the feedback!

[jeff_lindqvist]

So, I just had a look at the spreadsheet - amazing work, zenmonkey!

Do I enter individual lessons or just the name of the podcast series? (I listened to a 5 minute lesson, added the phrases to Anki and then listened to the lesson once more, and it all took 15 minutes)

[zenmonkey]

So, I just had a look at the spreadsheet - amazing work, zenmonkey!

Do I enter individual lessons or just the name of the podcast series? (I listened to a 5 minute lesson, added the phrases to Anki and then listened to the lesson once more, and it all took 15 minutes)

I would suggest the series only - you'll go crazy if you enter each 'cast.
(... and thanks!)

[smallwhite]

Questions for rdearman:

Background listening - Attention - Comprehension

Q1. I would've understood 8/9 had I paid full attention. But I was also playing Sudoku, so I only heard 3 out of every 9 sentences, and understood 8/9 of each, but since the sentences weren't sequential, I only got 1/9 of the plot.

What do I enter for Attention and Comprehension?

Q2. The audio is from my textbook and I already know it backwards, comprehension 9/9, but I re-listen to it nonetheless. I play Sudoku again and hear 3 out of every 9 sentences again, but I get the plot nonetheless because I know it and I can't unknow it.

What do I enter for Attention and Comprehension?

Thanks.

[jeff_lindqvist]

I would suggest the series only - you'll go crazy if you enter each 'cast.

Great! I enter the series, and then add the actual podcast in the additional field (if nothing else, as a personal note so I know what I have done...)