The never ending story of Spanish

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FrannieB
Yellow Belt
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:06 pm
Languages: English (N) Spanish (intermediate)
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The never ending story of Spanish

Postby FrannieB » Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:44 pm

So I'm back. I did not mean to disappear for so long. I lost my password and had problems getting it all sorted out.
Here is my original blog
https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=5792

In that blog I was on a 7 week mission before I went to Guatemala. The trip was amazing and I studied Spanish for 6 hours a day for 2 weeks. It was great and I learned a great deal.

I think I burnt myself out on Spanish. I was studying Spanish 3 to 4 hours a day. My husband told me I was working harder then when I did my masters thesis. I came back home jumped back into classes one time a week, two times a week of studying with italki tutor and had a breakdown. I really had wanted to be able to take the B1 test in August because I'm a goal person and quickly realized when we started working on the practice book it was not something I should sign up for. I have now been on a 1 month break to try to refocus. What I learned for sure is that this forum is a big part of what I do because it holds me accountable with weekly check-ins.

So where am I in my Spanish. I'm not a beginner and I'm not intermediate. I'm in frustrating no mans land. I'm working on the B1 book with the teacher.

So time to get back at it with Spanish
I also desperately want to add in another fun language like French or Italian.
6 x

FrannieB
Yellow Belt
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:06 pm
Languages: English (N) Spanish (intermediate)
Next: Italian or French
x 176

Re: The never ending story of Spanish

Postby FrannieB » Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:57 pm

Where update my plans:
New Goal to take the B2 test in April of 2018 (goal set 12/5/2017)

Resources I'm using or used: updated on 12/5/2017
Pimsleur level 1 - completed
Pimsleur level 2 - Stopped at lesson 22 - kinda hated it.
Practice makes perfect Spanish verb tenses - completed
Coffee Break Spanish level 3 - Actively using right now
Practice makes perfect Spanish Conversation - using with my tutor
Easy Spanish Step by Step - using with my tutor
DELE B1 practice book - using with Tutor

Travel:
I like to travel once or twice a year to study
Summer 2016 - Panama for 1 month - Traveled around panama city, boquete, bocas del toro
March 2017 - Guatemala 1 week - xela
June 2017 - Guatemala 2 weeks - Antigua
Summer 2018 - someplace for week
Last edited by FrannieB on Sun Dec 31, 2017 9:11 pm, edited 3 times in total.
1 x

FrannieB
Yellow Belt
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:06 pm
Languages: English (N) Spanish (intermediate)
Next: Italian or French
x 176

Re: The never ending story of Spanish

Postby FrannieB » Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:57 pm

HOLD
Last edited by FrannieB on Wed Dec 06, 2017 1:49 am, edited 5 times in total.
0 x

FrannieB
Yellow Belt
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:06 pm
Languages: English (N) Spanish (intermediate)
Next: Italian or French
x 176

Re: The never ending story of Spanish

Postby FrannieB » Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:58 pm

HOLD for future thoughts
0 x

User avatar
BOLIO
Orange Belt
Posts: 205
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2015 2:09 pm
Location: Texas
Languages: English (N) Spanish Advanced
Mandarin- Beginner
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Re: The never ending story of Spanish

Postby BOLIO » Wed Sep 20, 2017 11:32 am

It is a marathon and not a sprint.

Enjoy the journey.

It is not a series of "to do lists" but an opportunity to grow and interact with people in their language.

there is not a real time line and there are no limitations.

There are four major components to this process, reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Whenever I get into a funk, I allow myself to fall back on the one I love the most which is not the one that needs the most work...reading. For you it may be another skill you love more.

Iguanamon told me two years ago to look at old logs on HTLAL. See how many fell through the cracks. Some literally had the first entry and that was it. You have come so far.

Focus on the journey. Enjoy the scenery along the way.

BOLIO
10 x
Reminder to myself: Perfection is useless and harmful. Just keep moving forward.

FrannieB
Yellow Belt
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:06 pm
Languages: English (N) Spanish (intermediate)
Next: Italian or French
x 176

Re: The never ending story of Spanish

Postby FrannieB » Wed Dec 06, 2017 1:44 am

Wow,
It has been awhile. Never stop reading the blog. These language logs are an inspiration to me. Figured it was time to get back at it with my log.
As I stated back in Aug. I did burn myself out on Spanish. I had been so focused on my trip to Guatemala and with studying 4 hours a day, Bolio pegged it perfectly, Spanish became a to do list for me and I wasn't enjoying the journey. In one of my online sessions with my tutor I totally started crying one day. So I took a much needed break for about a month and have now been studying for maintenance.
Something really amazing happened in during my break and unfocused study. I broke through a plateau and suddenly some things I was struggling with I just know how to do.

I have been doing 1 time a week with my tutor with about and hour to two hours of homework to prep for the lessons. I'm now ready to dive back in for a while.

My goals for this week Monday - Sunday:
A. Listen to Spanish 5 days on commute to work (30 minutes) - Coffee break Spanish level 3 - this is right in my sweet spot I understand 80% or more of the conversations or Pimsleur (trying to finish level 2 I will figure out if I want to continue with 3)
B. Two session with my tutor I'm ready to go back to working with him (120 minutes)
C. Three days half hour doing my workbook exercises. This is prep for my tutoring session (90 minutes)
D. Doulingo 7 days 15 minutes a day - (105 minutes)

about 465 minutes of Spanish (7-8 hours) a far cry from the 3 to 4 hours a day I was putting in before and it feels highly doable and maintainable.

Still want to learn French and still holding off.
4 x

FrannieB
Yellow Belt
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:06 pm
Languages: English (N) Spanish (intermediate)
Next: Italian or French
x 176

Re: The never ending story of Spanish

Postby FrannieB » Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:54 pm

This weeks check-in

Last Weeks goals
A. Listen to Spanish 5 days on commute to work (30 minutes) - Coffee break Spanish level 3 - this is right in my sweet spot I understand 80% or more of the conversations or Pimsleur (trying to finish level 2 I will figure out if I want to continue with 3)
I listened for 5 days on my commute - One day was horrific traffic and I got through 3 episodes of coffee break Spanish. Right now Coffee Break Spanish is my Jam so and didn't do a Pimsleur lesson at all. Total time - each coffee break is 20ish minutes - 140 minutes (And all that was while commuting to work, I don't want to think about the amount of time I spend in my car)

B. Two session with my tutor I'm ready to go back to working with him (120 minutes)
Only 1 session this week. (60 minutes)

C. Three days half hour doing my workbook exercises. This is prep for my tutoring session (90 minutes)
I tend to be all or nothing on this end and ended up doing 60 minutes in one session and didn't look at my grammar book again.

D. Doulingo 7 days 15 minutes a day - (105 minutes)
Done - I have this done - I do 2 reviews a day and 2 learning a day throughout the day and this gets me 15 minutes of practice. total 105 minutes

Total time this week on Spanish: 365 minutes - Wow it really does all add up. Nothing felt manic and it felt highly doable. At one point I went on a search for a book to read in Spanish because I definitely felt I had more time to give to language learning.

Next Weeks goals.
A. List to coffee break Spanish on the way to work - 100 min
B. Listen to Pimsleur on the way home from work - 150 min- C. So I'm going to change it up to 90 minutes of workbook drills - all in one short of divided up doesn't matter - 90 minutes
C. Two Italki lesson with my tutor - 120 minutes
D. Doulingo - 7 days 15 minutes a day -105 minutes
E. New stretch goal - I need to find a book and started reading - 15 minutes of reading every day - 105 minutes
Goal 670 minutes - almost doubling last weeks numbers.
3 x

FrannieB
Yellow Belt
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:06 pm
Languages: English (N) Spanish (intermediate)
Next: Italian or French
x 176

Re: The never ending story of Spanish

Postby FrannieB » Sun Dec 17, 2017 2:37 pm

Another week of learning:

This week I was suffering from a week long migraine and end up taking Friday off of work and it effected what I did on Thursday because I was just kinda over everything that required my brain to work in any way.

Thanks to Stelle for this format of goal setting. It is working for me to break it into small manageable chunks. I am getting a minimum of 30 minutes of Spanish in every day.

A. Listen to coffee break Spanish on way to work Was able to do 3 out of 5 days - enjoying level 3 immensely and it does not feel like work
B. Listen to Pimsleur No - I listened twice and decided while I enjoyed these previously I don't enjoy them anymore and this is a never ending journey so I do not need to so something I do not like anymore. I prefer to listen to just regular podcasts
C.Two Italki lesson with my tutor Done, we are in a good routine. Sundays are general conversations and Wednesday are Grammar and learning drills
D. Doulingo for 7 days No, I did Doulingo for 6 days, really I don't know if it is helping or not. At a minimum it is getting me to practice Spanish for 15 minutes a day
E. 90 minutes of workbook drills Done - My lovely daughter has ski practice, so I took her one day went to a coffee shop and did 90 minutes in one shot
F. Stretch goal to read 15 minutes each day No - I spent way to much time finding a book I wanted to read, then I started reading on my phone and hated reading on my phone, so I bought a kindle paperwhite for the soul purpose of reading Spanish, and then promptly bought a book in English and started reading that. The struggle is real.

Next weeks goals
A. Coffee break with Spanish 5 episodes
B. Pimsleur is out and instead one radio ambulante story this week
C. One Italki lesson with tutor because of the holidays
D. Doulingo 7 days a week
E. 90 minutes of workbook drills
F Read for 15 minutes each day in Spanish

Their is the strong possibility my husband and i will go to Italy this summer - So I am going to be playing around with learning Italian once the new year starts. Get some basic phrases down.
2 x

FrannieB
Yellow Belt
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:06 pm
Languages: English (N) Spanish (intermediate)
Next: Italian or French
x 176

Re: The never ending story of Spanish

Postby FrannieB » Sun Dec 24, 2017 8:17 pm

Another week of Spanish

How did I do on last weeks goals
Next weeks goals
A. Coffee break with Spanish 5 episodes - No, Um when I set that goal I forgot I was starting winter vacation I listen to this podcast on the way to work - I listened to two.
B. Pimsleur is out and instead one radio ambulante story this week No - again not a lot of commute time this week
C. One Italki lesson with tutor because of the holidays One of my best lessons and I shared my April goal with my tutor to take the B1 test
D. Doulingo 7 days a week NO because I changed course and switched to Anki - I found this great blog from a gentleman who passed the Italian C2 and was inspired to try Anki again
E. 90 minutes of workbook drills Done and Done
F Read for 15 minutes each day in Spanish managed 2 days

Next weeks goals taking into account that I will be on vacation and traveling to New York :D
Anki - Practice every day. I set it to only show 5 new cards a day since many of my cards are sentences. I actually enjoy Anki much more than Doulingo because the words or sentences I add are things that during my day I try to translate and can't. I also add in sentences from my workbook that were challenging and words from my tutoring sessions.
Anki Part 2 - Create 25 new cards a week and figure out how to make a cloze card. This is a super easy goal.
Read Spanish for 15 minutes every day - If I keep adding this goal it is going to happen
90 minutes of workbook drills - My tutor and I have settled on a workbook that I am enjoying working on and it is doing a great job sussing out areas I need extra practice on

Right now I'm feeling great about my Spanish studies I have two primary resources and am sticking with them and not being so scattered which is something I have done in the past. I'm not overthinking my resource choices and changing.
3 x

FrannieB
Yellow Belt
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:06 pm
Languages: English (N) Spanish (intermediate)
Next: Italian or French
x 176

Re: The never ending story of Spanish

Postby FrannieB » Sun Dec 31, 2017 9:14 pm

Well I was highly ambitious for a week of vacation and did absolutely Nothing in Spanish.

Okay that is a great big lie. I did a whole lot of ear hustling because Spanish was everywhere in New York.

Onward and Upward. I am going to start a new log for 2018.
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