GC1998's Language Log

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GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
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GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Mon May 06, 2019 3:16 pm

First an introduction:

I've studied French and Spanish since the start of secondary school (well French in year 7 and Spanish in year 8. 11 and 12 years old respectively). I then went on to study both languages at college for my A-levels (along with maths). During the same time I liked to dabble in lots of languages and take many books out from the library in different languages but really not get anywhere with them.

3 years ago I started university (to study maths) and a month before I moved into the halls of residence I started learning Russian. I said to myself this time I'd learn it properly (I already knew the alphabet and had studied a tiny, tiny bit before. This time I wanted to make some actual progress in the language - or so I told myself). I was doing pretty well I think, then when university started I had the opportunity to study Russian lessons. Great! I thought. I've got the opportunity to learn even more. Trouble was I didn't put in enough work at all and ending up not doing as well as I thought I would. After that year, I ignored Russian. The next year, I chose a different language to study, Chinese. I had also studied some Chinese before. I knew some very basic things, but 3 or 4 weeks was enough to surpass my existing knowledge. I really enjoyed learning Chinese and did really well in the end.

This past year, I have been an exchange student in France. The opportunity to study abroad was presented in October 2017 and my girlfriend and I started really considering it. She studied French that year and although her level was lower than mine (she did French up to GCSE plus this university course), we were both accepted. I hadn't studied French since I left college (so for one year), but I started learning on my own. We've learnt loads here, our French has really improved. However I wanted to carry on studying Chinese the next year, but I had the idea to get the most out of the free lessons and teach myself the next Chinese module, so I could skip it. So I started studying the next lessons in my Chinese textbook. Now I also wanted to keep on top of what little Russian I remembered and learn more, because I didn't want to have gone through a whole year of it to forget it all. But then, because I like languages I picked some more languages to learn and tried to make a schedule out of it. I decided to study each language out of Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Russian, Welsh for a whole week with at least 30 minutes a day, and then swap the next week to a different language. I also studied French everyday for at least 30 minutes because that was the language I was using everyday. I'm glad I put Spanish back into the mix of languages, because after two years since college with not too much input, I felt like I had forgotten quite a bit. I did this until Christmas (so a few months) and while writing my resolutions for the year, I decided I should cut down on the languages.

I picked Russian and Chinese. It was still more than one language, but I couldn't help myself. So starting this January, I was studying Chinese and Russian for an alternating period of 2 weeks. On top of that I was still studying French everyday for at least 30 minutes. I decided a bit later that I wanted to keep Spanish in the mix, but wanted to wait until I had finished my French exam here.

I tried the 2 week system with Chinese and Russian for 3 months (so until April). The next system I thought I'd try was studying one for 3 days then the next for the next 3 days. So far, this system has worked far better. Since the end of my exam I've added in Spanish, but I study neither French nor Spanish everyday, because I'm just very slowly increasing my abilities in them. But I study either Chinese or Russian each day and I feel like I'm making very good (even if still slow) progress in each.

That's my story albeit very messy and convoluted. My next post should actually be a log of what I've done.
11 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020

GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
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Re: GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Mon May 13, 2019 8:48 pm

Since last week I started tracking my time a bit better than I do usually to see how long I spend doing various things. I used to just write down what I did. In total I've not done all that much because the last few days have been spent packing up and moving back to England after our year abroad. (Time spent is minutes)

Mon 6th - Watched a "curiosamente" video (41)
- Studied handwritten flashcards for Chinese (20)
Tues 7th - Watched a "comprehensible Russian" video (20)
- Added some vocabulary from a frequency dictionary (33)
Wed 8th - French reading "20.000 lieues sous les mers" (40)
Thurs 9th - "Comprehensible Russian" video (41)
- Spanish reading "El alquimista" (29)
Fri/Sat/Sun - Didn't do any specific things, but managed to keep on top of my Anki reviews at least!

I did Anki as well for Mon, Tues, Wed and Thurs. It's a shame I had Chinese planned for all the days I was busy.

Total time this week (of which is not spent on Anki)(of which is spent on Anki):
Russian - 185 minutes (94)(9+17+21+13+14+17+0=91)
Chinese - 82 minutes (20)(7+9+19+9+9+9+0=62)
French - 79 minutes (40)(4+6+4+4+0+11+10=39)
Spanish - 52 minutes (29)(3+2+5+4+0+9+0=23)

I was planning to do all my flashcards for the Sunday on the 2 hour ferry trip. I managed to do French, but didn't feel too great after that, and didn't have enough time when I got home.
At the end of the month, I'll do a total time spent. So I'm pretty happy with the time spent all in all given how little time I've had.
3 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020

GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
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Re: GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Mon May 20, 2019 1:06 pm

Done more than last week because I'm settled back at my (parent's) house.

Mon 13th - Made new paper flashcards (10)
Tues 14th - Just Anki
Wed 15th - Russian vocabulary (35)
- Russian reading "маленький принц" (49)
Thurs 16th - French reading "20.000 lieues" (30)
- Handwriting practise for Chinese (34)
Fri 17th - Studied lesson 17 text 1 (20)
- Writing practise and making new flashcards (45)
Sat 18th - Spanish reading "el alquimista" (73)
- More Chinese writing practise and watching the lesson video (42)
- Chinese film (我和神马查干) (84)
- French video "Ma vie aux États-Unis" (10)
Sun 19th - French video "Quels livres lire?" (13)
- "Comprehensible Russian" video x2 (20)

The film on Saturday was my first Chinese film (second if you include one I only used subtitles for). I really wouldn't've got much without the subtitles (it had English and Chinese), but I was happy to have got some bits and read some words I've recently learnt.
Another note, the Spanish reading on Saturday wasn't too focused.

Total time this week (of which is not spent on Anki)(of which is spent on Anki):
Chinese - 357 minutes (235)(20+0+33+19+16+22+12=122)
Russian - 223 minutes (104)(29+16+20+12+9+14+19=119)
Spanish - 100 minutes (73)(9+0+6+2+2+2+6=27)
French - 82 minutes (53)(6+0+6+4+4+5+4=29)

Total time this month (since I started recording it):
Chinese - 439 minutes
Russian - 408 minutes
French - 161 minutes
Spanish - 152 minutes
3 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020

GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
x 49

Re: GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Mon May 27, 2019 9:04 am

Mon 20th:
    Spanish Video "Life of Maggi" (16)
    French reading (40)
    French video "Ma Vie Aux États-Unis" (10)
    Vocabulary from "Russian for everyone" (20)
    Slow Russian video (?)
Tues 21st:
    Spanish video on "escalas modales" (17)
    RT lesson 12 (26)
    Spanish reading (54)
    Russian frequency list (30)
Wed 22nd:
    More on lesson 18 in my book, finished it off (18)
    Writing new flashcards (30)
    Writing practise (60)
    French reading (40)
Thurs 23rd:
    Spanish Video "Curiosamente 171" (36)
    Chinese reading text from book (13)
Fri 24th:
    "Comprehensible Russian" video (15)
    Writing practise (15)
Sat 25th:
    Only Russian and Chinese Anki
Sun 26th:
    Spanish reading (30)

I had my birthday this week and my girlfriend is staying over, so I'm pretty happy with how much I've done. I'd like to do more French in particular next week.

Total time this week (of which is not spent on Anki)(of which is spent on Anki):
Chinese - 218 minutes (136)(14+15+11+12+6+15+9=82)
Russian - 183 minutes (91)(17+11+17+12+12+14+9=92)
Spanish - 174 minutes (153)(3+3+7+2+6+0+0=21)
French - 107 minutes (90)(4+3+3+3+4+0+0=17)
1 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020

GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
x 49

Re: GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Mon Jun 03, 2019 12:12 pm

Mon 27th:
    "Comprehensible Russian" video (31)
    French reading (32)
    French video (6)
Tues 28th:
    New Chinese vocabulary (10)
Wed 29th:
    Just Anki
Thurs 30th:
    Chinese flashcards (30)
Fri 31st:
    "Comprehensible Russian" video (9)
    French reading (30)
    Spanish reading (35)
Sat 1st:
    Just anki
Sun 2nd:
    "Comprehensible Russian" video (13)
    Spanish video (33)
    Russian reading (47)
    French video (15)
    Russian frequency list (30)
    Spanish reading (36)

Few days of the week weren't too productive, but I really did a lot this Sunday. I'd like to do a lot more Chinese next week, but I'm happy with everything else I think.

Total time this week (of which is not spent on Anki)(of which is spent on Anki):
Russian - 209 minutes (130)(10+8+10+11+19+9+12=79)
Spanish - 142 minutes (104)(12+5+3+7+8+3=38)
French - 121 minutes (83)(11+3+4+8+8+4=38)
Chinese - 94 minutes (40)(5+6+12+11+20=54)
0 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020

GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
x 49

Re: GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:00 am

Mon 3rd:
    Chinese L19 Text 1 (15)
    French reading (10)
    French video "Ma vie aux États-Unis" (10)
Tues 4th:
    More in Chinese textbook (15)
    Spanish video (25)
    Writing practise for Chinese (38)
    French video "Cyprien" (16)
Wed 5th:
    Spanish reading (16)
Thurs 6th:
    Beginner's Russian reader (70)
    Comprehensible Russian video (15)
    French video "Ma vie aux États-Unis" (17)
    Spanish reading (22)
Fri 7th:
    Beginner's Russian reader (14)
    Another French video
Sat 8th:
    Beginner's Russian reader (37)
    Russian video (8)
    French reading (39)
    Spanish video "Curiosamente" (11)
    RT Lesson 13 (15)
    2xFrench videos (10)
Sun 9th:
    Writing new Chinese flashcards and learning words (17)
    Chinese video "stories for beginner's" (18)
    French video (12)
    Spanish video (25)
    Spanish reading (25)

So a very busy weekend language-wise and a good week in general. I have also been recording messages back and forth with a Spanish language partner and speaking to my girlfriend in French (she's not French but it's still good practise I think).

In Russian, I was originally trying to read the little prince. I knew it was quite above my level, but I thought I could get through it all the same. I wasn't pages in and I had already looked up so much vocabulary and just kept thinking some of this is useful, at some point it'll get easier. Anyway, I decided to look for a more appropriate book and found a random pdf on Google and I must say it's a heck of a lot better! It's much more enjoyable. I thought I could manage the little prince because I knew the story, but this beginner's reader is so much better and more appropriate and more enjoyable. Anyway I guess I should've taken the advice ages ago to get a level appropriate book. Oh well, I will continue with the little prince when I am at that level.

In French and Spanish, I don't have a course or anything to follow, so I'm really just eating up native content. I don't really know what else to do other than videos and reading. Maybe I'll start listening to some podcasts too.

Total time this week (of which is not spent on Anki)(of which is spent on Anki):
Russian - 243 minutes (159)(7+13+13+13+16+11+11=84)
Chinese - 169 minutes (103)(17+10+6+9+5+7+12=66)
Spanish - 144 minutes (124)(0+6+4+5+0+0+5=20)
French - 142 minutes (121)(0+5+4+5+0+0+7=21)
1 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020

GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
x 49

Re: GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:10 am

My girlfriend and I are currently (since Sunday) staying in an AirBnB looking for accommodation for next year for university. That's why I haven't done languages since Sunday and why I didn't update this log yesterday as usual. Still managed to do a lot Monday through Saturday which is good though.

Turns out, after working out the numbers, this was my best week since I've started recording so go me!

Mon 10th:
    Chinese writing practice (30)
    Chinese reading "你最喜欢谁?" (30)
    New flashcards (30)
    Spanish video "curiosamente 165" (7)
    French video "Ma vie aux États-Unis" (7)
Tues 11th:
    Text 2 from Chinese textbook (14)
    Spanish video "GENIAL" (21)
    Chinese videos to go with texts (22)
    French video "MVAEU" x2 (11)
Wed 12th:
    Russian videos "comprehensible russian" x3 (25)
    Russian reading "beginner's russian reader" (60)
    French video "Mikaël Launay" (14)
    Spanish video "cielosdespejados" (18)
    Spanish reading "El alquimista" (30)
Thurs 13th:
    Russian video "comprehensible russian" x3 (35)
    Russian reading "beginner's russian reader (40)
    French reading "20.000 lieues sous les mers" (30)
    French video "MVAEU" (9)
Fri 14th:
    RT Lesson 14 (42)
    Russian film "Курьер" (85)
    Spanish documentary (16) [only watched first third of it]
Sat 15th:
    French video "science etonnante" (19)
    Supplementary vocabulary L19 (10)
    Chinese episode "Police tactical unit - ep 1" (38)
    Writing practice (30)
Sun 16th:
    Nothing!

Thoughts about the Russian film and Chinese series. Couldn't understand much of either. Russian film had English subtitles and mostly just read them, which probably didn't help me at all, but oh well. It wasn't a very gripping film to be honest. The Chinese series (found on a site called Tudou, it seems there's so much Chinese TV on there) had Chinese subtitles. Although I understood very little of what they said, I could read a tiny bit and understand a bit through context. I think it's definitely good for my motivation to try and understand what's going on!

Total time this week (of which is not spent on Anki)(of which is spent on Anki):
Russian - 362 minutes (287)(16+10+15+9+13+12+0=75)
Chinese - 249 minutes (204)(10+7+8+0+10+10+0=45)
Spanish - 107 minutes (92)(0+0+7+4+0+4+0=15)
French - 109 minutes (90)(0+0+9+0+0+10+0=19)
2 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020

GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
x 49

Re: GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Mon Jun 24, 2019 7:41 pm

After last week's best week yet, this week was my worst! But still, would I prefer to have somewhere to live, or study my languages. Well...
Oh well, still did flashcards (half the time) and a few other things here and there. This week coming should be much better!

Mon/Tues: Various Anki decks
Wed 19th:
    Episode of "Au Service de la France" (22)
Thurs 20th:
    Episode of "Police Tactical Squad" (42)
Fri 21st: Just Chinese and Russian Anki
Sat 22nd:
    Started Lesson 20 and wrote new words out (120)
Sun 23rd:
    More on Lesson 20 (24)
    French video "Mickaël Launay"

We're up to episode 10 in Au Service de la France and we're really enjoying it. Made the most of being together to watch it together. I still, and for a long time won't, understand the Chinese show, but as I said it's some good motivation and it's good to listen to. I get little bits, words and phrases, but it's just a nice thing to do when I don't want to do anything!
I know I put down 2 hours of Chinese, but it was very slow progress, don't know why. Wasn't super focused.

Total time this week (of which is not spent on Anki)(of which is spent on Anki):
Chinese - 241 minutes (186)(13+0+14+10+5+0+13=55)
Russian - 75 minutes (0)(16+13+0+21+8+0+17=75)
French - 53 minutes (38)(8+0+0+7+0+0+0=15)
Spanish - 10 minutes (0)(0+7+0+3+0+0+0=10)
0 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020

GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
x 49

Re: GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Tue Jul 02, 2019 9:45 am

The past week wasn't great, but not bad either. This week (yesterday in fact) I had the chance to talk in Chinese, which went kind of okay. My niece's school was accommodating some Chinese students and they were invited home for tea. My sister invited me along to try and help communicate. She spoke some English, but I tried saying a few things in Chinese and I'd like to think she understood. Some things she said back to me I certainly didn't understand! A pretty fun experience anyway and some additional motivation.

The start of this week is the start of a new quarter and I like to make goals each quarter. Looking back at my goals for this quarter I did pretty well. I'm thinking this quarter to drop Chinese and add Arabic. I know I said I had additional motivation, but in the second year of university I studied Chinese 1 and then went on a year abroad (to France). However, I have self studied Chinese 2 and would be able to start Chinese 3 this upcoming academic year (might as well get the most out of the free classes). We follow a textbook and I have just finished up to the end of the Chinese 2 course. So, I'm going to continue studying my flashcards and that should be okay. Why did I choose Arabic? I have a book (Mastering Arabic 1 by Palgrave and Macmillan), that I haven't yet dived into, so I thought study it for this quarter and see where I get to. I have studied Arabic (studied = dabbled not very well) a few times and so I know the script and a few words, but the rest is still to learn. But I'm looking forward to learning it and getting further in it.

Mon 24th:
    Russian video (10)
Tues 25th:
    Spanish reading (13)
Wed 26th:
    Just Anki
Thurs 27th:
    French reading (25)
    Spanish video (6)
    Chinese writing practice (22)
Fri 28th:
    French video (9)
    Lesson 20 in my Chinese textbook (30)
    Chinese moodle (30)
    Chinese writing for Lang-8 (30)
    Spanish reading (20)
Sat 29th:
    Just Anki
Sun 30th:
    Russian video (11)
    Russian reading (22)
    French video (13)

Total time this week (of which is not spent on Anki)(of which is spent on Anki):
Chinese - 154 minutes (112)(0+13+0+9+5+6+9=42)
Russian - 113 minutes (43)(0+21+11+9+7+12+10=70)
French - 74 minutes (47)(12+0+0+5+3+4+3=27)
Spanish - 56 minutes (39)(5+0+0+4+3+3+2=17)
0 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020

GC1998
White Belt
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 7:20 am
Languages: English (N), French (B2), Spanish (B1)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=10470
x 49

Re: GC1998's Language Log

Postby GC1998 » Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:39 pm

Well, what an excellent start to the new quarter! My first week of Arabic has gone pretty well, I've completed the first few chapters of my book and have resolidified the alphabet as well as learnt some basic words. I'm looking forward to learning more and more. My Anki settings are set so that I only get 10 new cards for my 'current' languages = Russian and Arabic and 5 new for 'other' languages = French, Spanish and now Chinese. I know this isn't many, but this keeps my reviews down and makes me actually want to do it. I think less than half an hour a day is pretty good! I practised Chinese writing still to keep those pesky characters at the front of my brain and it was fun. I'll try and do that at least once a week for this quarter and I should be ready to start Chinese 3 in October!

Mon 1st:
    Just Anki (well also talking a little bit of Chinese as I stated in last week's log, but that doesn't count)
Tues 2nd:
    Started Arabic book (90)
Wed 3rd:
    Arabic book - finished L3 and started L4 (120)
Thurs 4th:
    L4 review, L5 start (50)
    French reading "20.000" (30)
    Spanish video "curiosamente" (13)
    More Arabic (60)
Fri 5th:
    Spanish reading "Alquimista" (20)
    Russian beginner's reader (30)
    French video "MVAEU" (6)
    RT Lesson 15 (40)
Sat 6th:
    French reading "20.000" (15)
    Russian beginner's reader (30)
    French video (7)
    Spanish video (6)
Sun 7th:
    Spanish reading (25)
    Russian frequency list (30)
    More from Arabic book (35)
    Chinese writing practice (20)
    French video (10)
    Russian video (35)

Total time this week (of which is not spent on Anki)(of which is spent on Anki):
Arabic - 376 minutes (355)(0+9+3+2+1+3+3=21)
Russian - 240 minutes (165)(14+11+0+16+14+10+10=75)
French - 86 minutes (68)(0+0+5+4+3+5+1=18)
Spanish - 82 minutes (64)(0+0+6+4+4+2+2=18)
Chinese - 71 minutes (20)(12+7+0+16+6+6+4=51)
0 x
: 0 / 366 Generic Language Challenge 2020


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