ScooterZ's Spanish Log

[ScooterZ]

I'm not sure if this is the way to use a language log but I want to commit to this plan publicly.

Beginning February 5 2018 I will:
1) Spend at least 10-15 minutes a day reviewing Spanish vocab on Anki at least 6 days a week
2) Spend at least 30 minutes a day listening to lessons from Pimsleur Spanish 1 Destinos at least 5 days a week
3) Review one lesson from Assimil Spanish with Ease each day at least 5 days a week

On June 25 2018 I will review my progress. If I think I am ready for it, I may incorporate Destinos and/or FSI Basic at that point.

I have been a lurker on here (and heck on the entire Internet) and have learned a lot about the tools and techniques of language learning. I hope I can put it into practice.

My long-term goals:
1) Within 9 months have a conversation with my Spanish-speaking neighbors without embarrassing myself (too much).
2) Within 18-24 12 months spend 2 weeks in either Spain or Mexico and converse comfortably with the people I run into in their native language (like at the store/fresh market/train depot etc.).

I may be setting the bar pretty low but I also want this to be doable.

Thanks!

Feb 8 EDIT: Replace Pimsleur with Destinos since my CD drive wants to eat all the Pimsleur discs.

[ScooterZ]

And thanks to jeff_lindqvist for help on the progress bar code...

Scooter

[iguanamon]

Welcome to the forum, ScooterZ! ¡Suerte con tus estudios!

[ScooterZ]

Welcome to the forum, ScooterZ! ¡Suerte con tus estudios!

Thanks iguanamon. I feel like I already know you folks. Your multitrack approach is why I'm using two methods instead of one at a time.

Scooter

[Bex]

Welcome and good luck.

As a fellow Spanish learner I will be following your log with interest.

[ScooterZ]

Welcome and good luck.

As a fellow Spanish learner I will be following your log with interest.

Wow. Thanks! From the looks of your log you are pretty advanced. I hope to get there, if not soon, at least in good shape with a core understanding of the language.

[ScooterZ]

Welcome to the forum, ScooterZ! ¡Suerte con tus estudios!

Thanks again for all the supportive comments.

So I kinda got derailed on Pimsleur. I checked Spanish 1 out of the library and the first two CDs got stuck in my CD drive. (No I did not put them in at the same time, lol.) In this case, the third time may not be the charm so I am 86ing this idea. I liketa never have gotten those things out of my computer. Ugh.

So, instead, I decided to jump straight to Destinos and use that for comprehensible input. It's a lot more fun than Pimsleur anyway.

[ScooterZ]

For anyone out there reading this who has used Destinos, do you have a favorite "best way" to use that series as a self-learner? I've been thinking of watching each episode once a day for seven days, first without subtitles, then with subtitles, then without subtitles but looking things up, etc.

Am I over thinking this?

I'm already using Assimil for 30 minutes every day and learning 20 new words a day with Anki. And it is not like I am on anyone's schedule or anything, though I would like to be at B1 or a high A2 within 12 months.

How much should I obsess on understanding each Destinos episode perfectly before moving on to the next one?

[Bex]

I don't obsess, I get to a point with each episode where I am happy that I know enough.

I used to obsess but I found two things happed...
A) I forgot half of it and that was frustrating.
B) I got bored because I spent so long in each activity - I lost momentum.

I find momentum very useful for taking me through courses, series, books etc. If I stay in one spot or start repeating things I loose it and end up switching material all the time because I get bored.

However there are many people who repeat, repeat, repeat and thoroughly digest every tiny morsel before moving on.

Basically it depends you...go with whichever you enjoy the most, in order to get through and actually finish it.

[ScooterZ]

Basically it depends you...go with whichever you enjoy the most, in order to get through and actually finish it.

I think this is where I'm headed too... right now Assimil is my first priority and then Anki and Destinos to fill in around the edges.