Re: Jaleel's Spanish Log, 2018.
Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 5:04 pm
Not a huge progress update. Going through some mental health issues and have not been able to devote my full attention to Spanish but we continue!
Most of my Spanish studying can be split up in: Television: 60%, Podcasts 20%, Reading 20%. Been skimping on Assimil and my grammar books but exposure is exposure lol. I have been watching tons of Gran Hotel (Spanish subbed). God, this is show is pretty ridiculous in the 2nd season but I'll push on. It's just cheesy enough to keep me entertained. Speaking of cheesy. I dipped my toes in the warm water that is telenovelas. Been doing some light research on which show to actively practice with. It was originally La Reina del Sur but since I have watched a bit of Dueños del Paraíso and La Casa de al Lado. Going to be rotating between one of those and La Que Se Avecina.
I have been listen to a podcast, El Gran Apagón, which I saw on NoManches' log. It's just my kind of podcast. I am a huge fan of the 'unorthodox' ie fantasy, suspense, horror, thrillers, crime. I can't get enough of it. My comprehension isn't fantastic but I am able to keep up for the most part and always rewind when something is too unclear. I rarely have to look up words, not because I don't know them, it's just because I can usually figure them out through context. Partly because I listen to and read content of that nature often and maybe also because I speak 2 languages already, making it easier to fill in the gaps? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ who knows lol. Doesn't really help with my long term memory though, but for that I am reading graded readers as much and often as I can.
Speaking of graded readers I have been kinda jumping around them, unable to finish one lol, but I have been enjoying them. I have also been reading manga translated to Spanish. I highly recommend this if you are at the Advanced Beginner stage and if you are familiar with the art form. Manga is much more easily accessible than comics in Spanish and their is great variety available as well. It's an easy way to burn time during breaks at work. They can be read on your phone or pc. This is just a page from Hunter x Hunter screenshotted from my phone:
The 5 podcasts I am using to actively practice my listening, just in case there are other learners around or below my level that wants to use them. All of them contain transcripts. All of them are dedicated to learners so there isn't a huge amount of slang and fast spoken Spanish. I think they call this Comprehensible Input and with the transcripts, which I import into Lingq, I am working on my reading as well.
Español con Juan
Españolistos
Unlimited Spanish
Español Automático
Spanish Podcast
4 out of the 5 are from Spain because.... ¡Viva España, [insert any Spanish expletive here]!
Oh and decided to take a grammar test on kwiziq. It seems like a great service but sadly my wallet doesn't think so I guess I will stick to the grammar books. These are my results. I guessed two correctly and got two wrong. The two I got wrong could have been completely avoided but oh well. This does not reflect my level at all but it's nice to all of this is paying off. I took the structures test on Dialang too and got a B1. So I'd say I have a strong grasp on Lower Intermediate grammar.
I also discovered a few Youtubers who do video game playthoughs and all of the videos I have watched in Spanish, gaming Youtubers are easily the fastest speakers, easily. Damn, I can't keep up for the live of me And sadly they don't come with transcripts ha
I have been spamming AuronPlay videos as usual. He is easily my favourite Youtuber and I can watch several of the same videos over and over because they are so entertaining. I will share one of his prank calls. It's always my goto when I am feeling down haha
So yeah, still a long way to go but I am still enjoying the language.
Thanks for reading.
Most of my Spanish studying can be split up in: Television: 60%, Podcasts 20%, Reading 20%. Been skimping on Assimil and my grammar books but exposure is exposure lol. I have been watching tons of Gran Hotel (Spanish subbed). God, this is show is pretty ridiculous in the 2nd season but I'll push on. It's just cheesy enough to keep me entertained. Speaking of cheesy. I dipped my toes in the warm water that is telenovelas. Been doing some light research on which show to actively practice with. It was originally La Reina del Sur but since I have watched a bit of Dueños del Paraíso and La Casa de al Lado. Going to be rotating between one of those and La Que Se Avecina.
I have been listen to a podcast, El Gran Apagón, which I saw on NoManches' log. It's just my kind of podcast. I am a huge fan of the 'unorthodox' ie fantasy, suspense, horror, thrillers, crime. I can't get enough of it. My comprehension isn't fantastic but I am able to keep up for the most part and always rewind when something is too unclear. I rarely have to look up words, not because I don't know them, it's just because I can usually figure them out through context. Partly because I listen to and read content of that nature often and maybe also because I speak 2 languages already, making it easier to fill in the gaps? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ who knows lol. Doesn't really help with my long term memory though, but for that I am reading graded readers as much and often as I can.
Speaking of graded readers I have been kinda jumping around them, unable to finish one lol, but I have been enjoying them. I have also been reading manga translated to Spanish. I highly recommend this if you are at the Advanced Beginner stage and if you are familiar with the art form. Manga is much more easily accessible than comics in Spanish and their is great variety available as well. It's an easy way to burn time during breaks at work. They can be read on your phone or pc. This is just a page from Hunter x Hunter screenshotted from my phone:
The 5 podcasts I am using to actively practice my listening, just in case there are other learners around or below my level that wants to use them. All of them contain transcripts. All of them are dedicated to learners so there isn't a huge amount of slang and fast spoken Spanish. I think they call this Comprehensible Input and with the transcripts, which I import into Lingq, I am working on my reading as well.
Español con Juan
Españolistos
Unlimited Spanish
Español Automático
Spanish Podcast
4 out of the 5 are from Spain because.... ¡Viva España, [insert any Spanish expletive here]!
Oh and decided to take a grammar test on kwiziq. It seems like a great service but sadly my wallet doesn't think so I guess I will stick to the grammar books. These are my results. I guessed two correctly and got two wrong. The two I got wrong could have been completely avoided but oh well. This does not reflect my level at all but it's nice to all of this is paying off. I took the structures test on Dialang too and got a B1. So I'd say I have a strong grasp on Lower Intermediate grammar.
I also discovered a few Youtubers who do video game playthoughs and all of the videos I have watched in Spanish, gaming Youtubers are easily the fastest speakers, easily. Damn, I can't keep up for the live of me And sadly they don't come with transcripts ha
I have been spamming AuronPlay videos as usual. He is easily my favourite Youtuber and I can watch several of the same videos over and over because they are so entertaining. I will share one of his prank calls. It's always my goto when I am feeling down haha
So yeah, still a long way to go but I am still enjoying the language.
Thanks for reading.