Stelle's log - Spanish, Tagalog and Esperanto

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Stelle
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Languages: English (N1), French (N2), Spanish (advanced), Tagalog (basic), Russian (beginner)
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Stelle's log - Spanish, Tagalog and Esperanto

Postby Stelle » Mon Jul 20, 2015 1:38 pm

I find myself a bit unsure of how to start this log. Is it temporary, in which case an introduction doesn't really matter? Is it permanent, in which case I might want to put a bit more thought into it?

Can it be edited, in which case it doesn't really matter what I write?

Yep, I'll go with option 3. I do love the edit button.

First off, thanks to everyone who scrambled - and continues to scramble - to find us a home now that htlal has disappeared. Your hard work is much appreciated.

I've kept a log at htlal for a little over two years now. I have a backup of my most recent log, although I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with it. I started learning Spanish in May 2013, and Tagalog in May 2014. Work got a bit overwhelming, and I took a break from all language learning through most of May and June of 2015. I came back a few days ago - just in time for the collapse of htlal.

I'm probably hovering somewhere around a high B2 in Spanish (except in writing. I never write in Spanish. Did you see how easy it was to italicize? I love this forum!). My long-term goal is to be at a solid C1. I'm happy with my progress and I'm having fun improving through extensive activities: reading novels, watching TV shows, talking to native speakers over Skype. Currently, I'm reading the fourth Harry Potter novel. I'm watching seasons four of El Internado and season one of El Gran Hotel. I also watch Aquí no hay quien viva when I'm looking for something light and silly.

Tagalog has been and continues to be a bit more of a struggle. I let it go for several months, and am now working on it again every day. My goal is to be able to have simple conversations. As of yet, I haven't really moved on past courses for beginners. I have to decide where I'm going with Tagalog and how I'm going to get there. My main struggle is that I'm not really interested in Tagalog media - and I think that consuming native media is an absolute requirement for improving in a foreign language, especially if you're not learning in an immersion situation. But I do like the language itself, and I enjoy being able to say things in Tagalog to my in-laws.

edit: in August 2015, I started dabbling in Esperanto.
Last edited by Stelle on Sat Aug 29, 2015 8:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Stelle
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Location: Canada
Languages: English (N1), French (N2), Spanish (advanced), Tagalog (basic), Russian (beginner)
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Re: Stelle's log - Spanish and Tagalog

Postby Stelle » Mon Jul 20, 2015 1:39 pm

I've been tracking books for 2015, in an effort to read more in all of my languages. As of now:

Books - 2015

Spanish
Sinsajo (young adult novel)
Dí­as pasados - Walking Dead tomo 1 (comic/graphic novel)
Guí­a para un perro feliz (non-fiction book)
El Sótano (novel)
El Asesino de la Vía Láctea (novel)

English
Walking Dead Volume 20 (comic/graphic novel)
Walking Dead Volume 21 (comic/graphic novel)
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (novel)
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (non-fiction / self-help)
Anna Dressed in Blood (young adult novel)
Girl of Nightmares (young adult novel)
Lost in the Jungle (travel / adventure / disaster memoir)
The Walled City (young adult novel)
Undertow (young adult novel)

French
Chambre 426 (novel)
Le Quartier des oubliés (novel)
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Stelle
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Spanish resources

Postby Stelle » Mon Jul 20, 2015 6:39 pm

(copied and pasted / adapted from my log on htlal)

I did the "prueba de nivel" on the Cervantes site on Dec 29th 2014. It took me about 40 minutes, and according to the results, I'm at level C1.3-C1.4. I'm not sure exactly what that means in the real world. I can say that the listening component was difficult.

http://ave.cervantes.es/prueba_nivel/default.htm

I started learning Spanish in May 2013. If you're interested in what I did to get to where I am, you can check out a blog post that I wrote linking to all sorts of great resources for Spanish learners:

http://bit.ly/XeBwpA - Spanish From Scratch

goal for 2015: I would like to end the year at a very solid C1 level. I may even look into taking a formal test at some point, although I'm still undecided.

plan for 2015:
* complete the Super Challenge. As of July 20th, I've read 70.7 50-page "books" and watched 57.9 90-minute "films". The goal is 100 of each.
* finish FSI Basic Spanish. I completed up to unit 46 before stopping last February. I plan on starting again at 35 and finishing the entire program. (*maybe)
* continue with weekly hour-long Skype conversations with italki tutors.

resources:

resources for learners: drills, test prep, reading, grammar, listening and other fun stuff

http://fsi-languages.yojik.eu/languages/spanish-basic.html - FSI Spanish Basic
http://cvc.cervantes.es/ensenanza/actividades_ave/aveteca.htm - Aveteca
https://gloss.dliflc.edu - GLOSS

podcasts:

http://bit.ly/1xszq2V - Buenos días América : daily half-hour news show (USA)
http://bit.ly/1ww0la8 - Fallo de sistema : weekly hour-long "geek culture" show (Spain)
http://bit.ly/1HVCMyf - Nómadas : weekly hour-long travel show (Spain)
http://bit.ly/1zgpfQ7 - Futuro abierto : weekly hour-long show debating social issues (Spain)
http://bit.ly/148RFAU - Radio ambulante : intermittent show telling Latin American stories (USA)
http://catastrofeultravioleta.com - Catástrofe Ultravioleta : soft science and stories (Spain)

TV shows:

http://bit.ly/1AZljoe - Isabel : historical drama. Waiting impatiently for season 3! (Spain)
http://bit.ly/1JXBeri - El internado : creepy and addictive show set in a boarding school (Spain)
http://bit.ly/13OyuLN - Los Simpsons : dubbed cartoon (Latin America)
http://bit.ly/1Bf9d8P - Aquí no hay quien viva : funny show set in an apartment complex (Spain)
http://bit.ly/1qoM27u- El tiempo entre costuras : historical drama. Will read book first. (Spain)
http://tlmdo.co/1upWn8s - Caso cerrado : cross between Jerry Springer and Judge Judy (Latin America)
available on Netflix - El Gran Hotel: period drama / mystery set in a hotel (Spain)

Spanish books that I've read so far in 2015

Sinsajo (Suzanne Collins) - translation of Mockingjay, young adult novel
Dí­as pasados (Robert Kirkman) - translation of the first volume of The Walking Dead, comic/graphic novel
Guí­a para un perro feliz (Cesár Milán) - non-fiction book about the philosophy of dog training
El Sótano (Ángel Gutierrez) - thriller set in Madrid
El Asesino de la Vía Láctea (Gabriel Martínez) - thriller/mystery set on the Camino de Santiago

books currently in my "to-read" pile:

Harry Potter y el Cáliz de Fuego (translated)
La ladrona de libros (translated)
El tiempo entre costuras
Como agua para chocolate
La casa de los espíritus
El fin de los sueños (still have to locate this one)
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Stelle
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Tagalog resources

Postby Stelle » Mon Jul 20, 2015 6:43 pm

(copied and pasted / adapted from my log on htlal)

goal for 2015: I would like to end the year at a solid A2 level - with a shaky B1 as my "reach for the stars" goal. My husband is Pinoy (Filipino) and my main focus is to be able to follow along during family conversations.

plan for 2015:

* complete two "learn Tagalog" resources:
1) Rosetta Stone. Yep, it's pretty much universally hated on HTLAL, but I've found it useful, especially with the online resources like live tutoring.
2) Elementary Tagalog: Tara Mag-Tagalog Tayo. This first-year university textbook/workbook is very good. It's dry, though, and I stopped about 2/5 of the way through. I plan on going back to ET when I finish RS.

I also have Complete Filipino: a Teach-Yourself Guide. Decent resource (although not as comprehensive as ET). The voice actors can be a bit grating, so I only got about 1/3 of the way through. I don't know if I'll ever make my way back to this resource, but I'm keeping it in my back pocket.

* move towards more native (or "native-ish") material, since I'm currently stuck in the rut of focusing on "learn language X" packaged courses:
- chats with family, italki tutors or RS tutors
- short texts corrected by native speakers
- reading: children's books, RS graded readers
- children's cartoons
- popular songs
- podcasts
- GLOSS activities

free resources for Tagalog-learners:

http://bit.ly/1e1nJHC - italki : have texts corrected by native speakers
http://bit.ly/1jl4QSH- anki : SRS with self-made decks (free for desktop/android, cost for iPhone)
http://bit.ly/1xc6Io2- Kalye Speak : podcast with short dialogues and cultural explanations
http://bit.ly/1zhAwlT - GLOSS : exercises and activities from the Defense Language Institute
http://bit.ly/1rkZlK4- Children's videos on YouTube
http://bit.ly/1mzNMMa - Memrise : mnemonic-based SRS that I use with pre-made courses
My favourite Memrise decks are:
http://www.memrise.com/course/117013/basic-tagalog-2/ - Basic Tagalog
http://www.memrise.com/course/410/essential-tagalog/ - Essential Tagalog
http://www.memrise.com/course/13297/foundation-tagalog/ - Foundation Tagalog
http://bit.ly/1HVRtRG - Hacking Tagalog (be careful - some errors in the last few levels)

paid resources for Tagalog-learners:

http://amzn.to/1y1lT5c - Elementary Tagalog : textbook with accompanying audio and workbook
http://bit.ly/1HVP21F - Rosetta Stone : desktop version with online subscription
http://amzn.to/1HVO4Cu - Teach Yourself Filipino : kit with dialogues and basic explanations
http://bit.ly/1e1nJHC - italki : good source of affordable online tutors (or free language partners)

other free resources that I'm not currently using, but that other learners might find useful:

http://bit.ly/1ww6pzx - Tagalog Phrases : thousands of Tagalog sentences with audio and translations
http://bit.ly/1AZtLE3 - Tagalog for Beginners : grammar overview on Unilang
http://bit.ly/1JXGpY5 - Learning Links : huge mess of free links, organized into thematic units
http://bit.ly/1y1ozj6 - Pimsleur Tagalog : first 15 lessons (I've already completed these)
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Stelle
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Re: Stelle's log - Spanish and Tagalog

Postby Stelle » Tue Jul 21, 2015 3:39 pm

I just had my first Tagalog tutoring session in months. I tried out a new teacher through italki, and I really liked her! Despite the fact that I was obviously struggling, she didn't switch over to English. She reworded, slowed down, repeated, typed stuff out...it was exactly what I was looking for.

Here's what I look for in an online tutor:

    * commitment to sticking to the target language. No letting me take the easy way out. Friendly but firm.
    * patient. Willing to let me stare at the ceiling for as long as I need while I look for a word or a structure. Won't jump in unless I ask for help. Comfortable with silence and wait time.
    * lets me lead the session. Is ready with questions or topics if necessary, but doesn't force his/her preplanned lesson on me.
    * corrects me often during natural breaks or pauses. Types corrections in the Skype chat feature so that I can revisit them later.
    * encourages me to try to say the same thing several times until I feel comfortable with it. Willing to have the same conversation multiple times.
    * strong knowledge of his or her own language. Able to explain how things are said (and why, if there is a why beyond "because that's how we say it")
    * personable and friendly. Seems interested in what I have to say. (What? I like feeling interesting. Ha!)

I've had a hard time finding a Tagalog teacher who I want to commit to long-term. Based on a brief half-hour conversation this morning, I think that this new tutor will tick the boxes. I've already booked a full hour session with her next week. What I really need is a Tagalog-speaking Auri*.

* My Spanish tutor of over two years. We just talk every week. It's like having coffee with a friend.

Anyway, my half of the conversation was a bit broken and stilted. But I surprised myself by being able to stick mainly to Tagalog, and put some fairly complex thoughts into words! My main downfall at this time is that I'm thinking in Spanish. (That's kind of neat, though! Thinking in Spanish instead of in English has to count for something, right?) I keep looking for structures like "Cuando era pequeña...", "Hace dos años...", "A ver...".

My goal over the next few weeks: figure out how to think in Tagalog while speaking in Tagalog. This wasn't an issue for me when starting out in Spanish. While I did think a lot in French at first, I quickly transitioned to thinking in Spanish, even if it was very simplistic Spanish. I'm not there yet in Tagalog.
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Re: Stelle's log - Spanish and Tagalog

Postby slikew » Tue Jul 21, 2015 10:23 pm

Impressive Stelle. You've really been at it!
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Re: Stelle's log - Spanish and Tagalog

Postby CarlyD » Wed Jul 22, 2015 12:05 am

Thank you for the link to the Cervantes site for the level test. I need to try that. And the resources that you've listed--very helpful.
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Stelle
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Re: Stelle's log - Spanish and Tagalog

Postby Stelle » Wed Jul 22, 2015 1:46 pm

Oooh...double quotes. Pretty.

slikew wrote:Impressive Stelle. You've really been at it!


Only for the past week or so, after a few months of sloth! But it feels good to be at it again!

CarlyD wrote:Thank you for the link to the Cervantes site for the level test. I need to try that. And the resources that you've listed--very helpful.


The Cervantes level test is useful, but it doesn't include any output (writing, speaking). Still, it's a good gauge! You'll need to give yourself about an hour to complete it. I hope you give it a try!
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Stelle
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Location: Canada
Languages: English (N1), French (N2), Spanish (advanced), Tagalog (basic), Russian (beginner)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=13312
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Re: Stelle's log - Spanish and Tagalog

Postby Stelle » Wed Jul 22, 2015 1:49 pm

Lots of discussion on the site about whether or not we should be heading back to the old htlal. I much prefer this software. (Well, yeah. That's kind of a no-brainer.)

While, in the end, I will follow the community, I plan on staying here for now.
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Re: Stelle's log - Spanish and Tagalog

Postby numerodix » Wed Jul 22, 2015 2:01 pm

Stelle wrote:I just had my first Tagalog tutoring session in months. I tried out a new teacher through italki, and I really liked her! Despite the fact that I was obviously struggling, she didn't switch over to English. She reworded, slowed down, repeated, typed stuff out...it was exactly what I was looking for.

Here's what I look for in an online tutor:

    * commitment to sticking to the target language. No letting me take the easy way out. Friendly but firm.
    * patient. Willing to let me stare at the ceiling for as long as I need while I look for a word or a structure. Won't jump in unless I ask for help. Comfortable with silence and wait time.
    * lets me lead the session. Is ready with questions or topics if necessary, but doesn't force his/her preplanned lesson on me.
    * corrects me often during natural breaks or pauses. Types corrections in the Skype chat feature so that I can revisit them later.
    * encourages me to try to say the same thing several times until I feel comfortable with it. Willing to have the same conversation multiple times.
    * strong knowledge of his or her own language. Able to explain how things are said (and why, if there is a why beyond "because that's how we say it")
    * personable and friendly. Seems interested in what I have to say. (What? I like feeling interesting. Ha!)


Thanks for writing this, I'm archiving this to my personal collection of notes. 8-)
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