Jaleel10 wrote:How do you feel about your reading and listening skills at the moment, let's say compared to 1 year ago. In terms of translating in your head, level of frustration, level of enjoyment, etc.
It's difficult to compare because I've completely changed the way I am reading and listening.
If I look back 1 year ago I couldn't read even a page without getting really frustrated but I was reading Harry Potter which was way too hard for me.
My listening and reading have definitely improved quite quickly now that I am reading and listening to material where I can easily understand most of it.
I now only translate in my head the bits that I don't understand for both reading and listening, and since the material is so much easier; this means probably a maximum of 30% of the time if I am listening to something a bit too tricky.
I remember earlier this year (Jan/Feb time) I managed 5 mins of the first Español Automático podcast before I decided it was too difficult for me. This last week I have read and listened to the first 5 episodes before stopping. They are now comprehensible but still a bit too difficult for me to continue with and I got bored after 5 episodes.
I have learnt not to continue with material that is not around 80% comprehension (ideally above) and is enjoyable.
I still wouldn't say that I find reading enjoyable in any language but I no longer hate reading in Spanish, the frustration has gone because I have changed the material.
I'll try reading a few pages of Harry Potter next week...that should really show if I have actually improved.
But either way I have found an enjoyable way to read in Spanish and that is the most important thing for me because now I can manage a lot more reading each day...I am now starting to see an improvement because I can get the hours in.
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