Araminta pecks away at Español

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Araminta
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:45 pm
Location: California, Estados Unidos
Languages: English (N) Español (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 2ec7b88c80
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Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby Araminta » Sun May 09, 2021 11:34 pm

clara wrote:Just came across your log and am enjoying it! I used Baselang last year but quit earlier this year when the site was flooded with new students and it became impossible to book lessons with my favorite instructors. Do you know if that has eased up? Are you doing the skill building activities within the DELE curriculum or Real World? I don't remember Real World having skill building activities but wonder if they've merged programs, seemed like they were heading in that direction.


Hi Clara! Thanks so much for stopping by my log! I wish I could tell you whether the flood of new students has thinned out. My schedule changes every day so I often book at the last minute. I don't always get to choose instructors, but I get practice which is the most important thing to me right now. The Skills Improvement activities make up (in my opinion) for any disappointment I might have with an instructor's skills. They require me to read, write, speak or listen about a wide range of topics. As far as I know, the DELE and Real World have yet to merge officially. The Skills Improvement section is within DELE, but possibly Real World has something similar? I didn't spend a lot of time in the RW curriculum. If you'd like me to check the RW page for you, just let me know. I'd be happy to.
1 x

clara
Yellow Belt
Posts: 96
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2020 4:46 am
Languages: English (N), Spanish (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... hp?t=16333
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Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby clara » Mon May 10, 2021 4:03 am

Ah, that makes sense. I think the average DELE program instructor is better than the average RW instructor, so booking last minute in the DELE program works. I preferred having a set schedule with specific teachers, so the booking system drove me nuts. At this point, I will probably stick with Italki, since I'm doing more self-study and fewer lessons than when I started Baselang.

I'm just curious here: For the writing activities, do you work on those while the tutor waits, or do you write as homework outside of class?
1 x
Spanish Goals
22/23 SC Films: 438 / 18000 438 / 18000 minutes
22/23 SC Books: 6454 / 10000 6454 / 10000 pages
2022 Reading: 8061 / 8000 8061 / 10000 8000 pages

User avatar
Araminta
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:45 pm
Location: California, Estados Unidos
Languages: English (N) Español (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 2ec7b88c80
x 132

Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby Araminta » Mon May 10, 2021 1:58 pm

clara wrote:Ah, that makes sense. I think the average DELE program instructor is better than the average RW instructor, so booking last minute in the DELE program works. I preferred having a set schedule with specific teachers, so the booking system drove me nuts. At this point, I will probably stick with Italki, since I'm doing more self-study and fewer lessons than when I started Baselang.

I'm just curious here: For the writing activities, do you work on those while the tutor waits, or do you write as homework outside of class?


Yes, I write while the tutor waits. It's probably not the best use of time, but I have a hard time making myself do these things on a consistent basis. I kind of see Baselang as a busy and unmotivated person's (<<that's me) tool for practice. Misery loves company and I love having company when I'm doing the tough parts of Spanish. :D
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clara
Yellow Belt
Posts: 96
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2020 4:46 am
Languages: English (N), Spanish (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... hp?t=16333
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Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby clara » Tue May 11, 2021 4:17 pm

Araminta wrote:
clara wrote:Ah, that makes sense. I think the average DELE program instructor is better than the average RW instructor, so booking last minute in the DELE program works. I preferred having a set schedule with specific teachers, so the booking system drove me nuts. At this point, I will probably stick with Italki, since I'm doing more self-study and fewer lessons than when I started Baselang.

I'm just curious here: For the writing activities, do you work on those while the tutor waits, or do you write as homework outside of class?


Yes, I write while the tutor waits. It's probably not the best use of time, but I have a hard time making myself do these things on a consistent basis. I kind of see Baselang as a busy and unmotivated person's (<<that's me) tool for practice. Misery loves company and I love having company when I'm doing the tough parts of Spanish. :D


I totally get that! I used Baselang for a while and my feelings were similar. It made the parts I disliked a lot more tolerable to do it with someone else, but I still had a major block on the writing. I kept telling myself I would do it as homework and but never did. Then I'd cancel a lesson so that the teacher wouldn't have to watch me do it, but then I wouldn't do it before the next lesson either. I got into a bad loop.

I gotta admit, I'm having a bit of FOMO reading about your experience. I remember how nice it was to talk to somebody in Spanish everyday, and I meant to explore the DELE materials but quit before I did.
2 x
Spanish Goals
22/23 SC Films: 438 / 18000 438 / 18000 minutes
22/23 SC Books: 6454 / 10000 6454 / 10000 pages
2022 Reading: 8061 / 8000 8061 / 10000 8000 pages

User avatar
Araminta
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:45 pm
Location: California, Estados Unidos
Languages: English (N) Español (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 2ec7b88c80
x 132

Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby Araminta » Wed May 12, 2021 10:35 pm

clara wrote: I totally get that! I used Baselang for a while and my feelings were similar. It made the parts I disliked a lot more tolerable to do it with someone else, but I still had a major block on the writing. I kept telling myself I would do it as homework and but never did. Then I'd cancel a lesson so that the teacher wouldn't have to watch me do it, but then I wouldn't do it before the next lesson either. I got into a bad loop.


Some teachers must have realized that students aren't huge fans of being watched while they are writing. In some sessions, a few have turned off their video or their sound. If I'm feeling self-conscious, I'll turn off my video whether they do or not. But I can understand how you feel. It can feel a bit strange sometimes.

clara wrote: I gotta admit, I'm having a bit of FOMO reading about your experience. I remember how nice it was to talk to somebody in Spanish everyday, and I meant to explore the DELE materials but quit before I did.


I'm glad my time with Baselang seems FOMO-worthy! It's working for me but I could see how it wouldn't be worth the expense for others.
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Araminta
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:45 pm
Location: California, Estados Unidos
Languages: English (N) Español (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 2ec7b88c80
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Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby Araminta » Wed May 12, 2021 10:51 pm

5/3/2021 – 5/9/2021

I remember reading a book called “Flirting with French” a few years ago. It was a memoir about a 57-year-old francophile’s attempt to learn French. Although he never achieved the fluency he wanted, his overall memory improved in surprising ways. My progress hasn’t been nearly as fast as I would like (whose is?), but I am always delighted when I can recall my long-winded Anki sentences. I think, “Wow, my brain is actually absorbing this.”

7 x 50 minute sessions of tutoring (Baselang)
30 minutes (in Spanish) with my language exchange partner
0 segments of “Spanish Notes Intermediate”

Watched
Nothing

Reading
Read cheesy “thought / reading of the day” in Spanish for 7 days this week

Writing
Wrote a couple of sentences in response to “thought of the day” for 7 days this week

Grammar
Conguemos - 5 minute Practice Tests for 6 days

Apps
Anki – 7 news words a day for 7 days
Speakly – 15 new words a day for 7 days
7 x

User avatar
Araminta
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:45 pm
Location: California, Estados Unidos
Languages: English (N) Español (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 2ec7b88c80
x 132

Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby Araminta » Mon May 24, 2021 2:50 pm

5/10/2021 – 5/23/2021

It’s been very busy lately, but I’m happy I’ve been able to keep up my streak on Speakly. The app has become a bit buggy again. This morning I had to type in the same response 3 times before it registered, but I still find I like my experience with it overall. I’ve made it to the Immediate 3 level. Because the words have become more challenging, I’ve switched from 15 new words a day to 10. In other news, Clara told me about some dubbed content. I am working through “Diarios de Vampiros” on Netflix. It hits that “interesting enough but I'm okay with not understanding everything” balance. It's funny how a show you didn't like all that much in your native language becomes a great one in your second. Lately, I've been thinking about taking the DELE B1 in the fall for more motivation. It isn’t being offered near my town, so it might mean the expense of a flight, hotel, etc. For whatever reason, there are more DELE B2 exams available and I could drive to one. So maybe I should wait until a later exam date and sign up for B2? That would be a huge, intimidating stretch, for sure.

13 x 50 minute sessions of tutoring (Baselang)
2 x 30 minutes (in Spanish) with my language exchange partner

Watched
6 x 45 minute episodes of Diarios de Vampiros

Reading
Read cheesy “thought / reading of the day” in Spanish for 7 days over the past 14 days

Writing
Wrote a couple of sentences in response to “thought of the day” for 7 days over the past 14 days

Grammar
Conguemos - 5 minute Practice Tests for 4 days out of 14

Apps
Anki – 7 news words a day for 14 days
Speakly – 15 new words a day for 14 days
6 x

User avatar
Araminta
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:45 pm
Location: California, Estados Unidos
Languages: English (N) Español (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 2ec7b88c80
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Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby Araminta » Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:01 pm

5/24/2021 – 5/30/2021

I’m still in a busy season at work. At the end of the day, I sometimes feel like a dried-up raisin. Not a lot of juice left for language. I have begun to ponder the finite nature of mental energy. The research studies I’ve read seem to suggest that doing “hard things” trains one’s brain for improvement in any skill. However, there’s only so much mental energy that I have in a day. At this point, I’d estimate that I’m spending 1.5-2.5 hours a day on language learning. When I’ve been in an immersion situation in Central America, I’d say after 4 hours of 1 to 1 instruction my brain called it quits. I was exhausted and had to take a nap. In any case, I do wonder if eventually I’ll train my brain to be able to push itself a little more in this area. Right now, I see myself as a new 5k runner whereas there are a lot of people on this forum who are marathon or even ultra-marathon runners.


7 x 50 minute sessions of tutoring (Baselang)
30 minutes (in Spanish) with my language exchange partner

Watched
0 episodes of Diarios de Vampiros

Reading
Read cheesy “thought / reading of the day” in Spanish for 7 days

Writing
Wrote a couple of sentences in response to “thought of the day” for 7 days

Grammar
Conguemos - nope

Apps
Anki – 6 news words a day for 7 days
Speakly – 10 new words a day for 7 days
6 x

User avatar
Araminta
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:45 pm
Location: California, Estados Unidos
Languages: English (N) Español (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 2ec7b88c80
x 132

Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby Araminta » Mon Jun 14, 2021 5:19 pm

5/31/2021 – 6/13/2021

Well guys! I made it through the crunch period! Aside from the work deadlines, I began moving to another place on June 1st too. And holy guacamole, my back was not happy about it. This has been the first time I’ve been able to keep up with any type of daily Spanish practice during times of “high intensity stress.” I attribute this to finding tools that I like and that are easy to use. In the past, I forced myself to use audio files in my car. I ended up violently hating them and could no longer push the play button. I still don’t know why this is still the case because they are easy to use and aren’t that horrible. Regardless, I think Speakly, Anki and Baselang have helped me stay motivated. Neither are perfect as all of you who have used them know. However, I never grew to hate them and could usually muster up the energy to check them off my list. Now that the worst of it is over, I’m hoping to do a deep dive into Spanish this summer.

9 x 50 minute sessions of tutoring (Baselang)
30 minutes (in Spanish) x 2 with my language exchange partner

Watched
0 episodes of Diarios de Vampiros

Reading
Read cheesy “thought / reading of the day” in Spanish for 13/14 days

Writing
Wrote a couple of sentences in response to “thought of the day” for 13/14 days

Grammar
Conguemos - nope

Apps
Anki – 5 news words a day for 14 days
Speakly – 10 new words a day for 14 days
5 x

User avatar
Araminta
White Belt
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:45 pm
Location: California, Estados Unidos
Languages: English (N) Español (intermediate)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 2ec7b88c80
x 132

Re: Araminta pecks away at Español

Postby Araminta » Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:12 pm

6/13/2021 - 6/20/2021

This week I stumbled upon online undergraduate and graduate degrees from universities in Spanish speaking countries. I am by no needs capable of doing this myself, but I was fascinated by it. Has anyone ever heard of someone doing something like this? Some of the articles I read discussed how this could be a solution for Spanish speaking students who work full time and cannot afford the exorbitant tuition in the U.S. I read elsewhere that students from Colombia were attending online universities in Mexico because it was more affordable there. Interesting.

6 x 50 minute sessions of tutoring (Baselang)
30 minutes (in Spanish) with my language exchange partner

Watched
0 episodes of Diarios de Vampiros
BUT I started watching El Inocente in Spanish with Spanish subtitles. Eventually, the plot’s twists and turns became so head spinning that I had to switch to English subtitles. First for a scene, then for 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, then the next thing you know it was an entire episode (long weary sigh). My foray into exciting original content was not a success, so it’s back to the dubbed stuff for me.

Reading
Read cheesy “thought / reading of the day” in Spanish for 7 days

Writing
Wrote a couple of sentences in response to “thought of the day” for 7 days

Grammar
Conguemos - nope

Apps
Anki – 5 news words a day for 7 days
Speakly – 10 new words a day for 7 days
6 x


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