Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Continue or start your personal language log here, including logs for challenge participants
Sarafina
Green Belt
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:02 pm
Languages: English (N)
French (Intermediate )
Japanese (Beginner)
Yoruba (Advanced Comprehension)
x 912

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby Sarafina » Sun Jul 08, 2018 7:42 am

smallwhite wrote:
Sarafina wrote:
I would invested in more lessons on Italki to prepare for my speaking exam. ...
I should have been more forward in approaching the native French speakers in my school...
I should have started going through a comprehensive grammar book with numerous exercises...
... vocabulary ... reading ... I wish that I started doing this during my first year of the IB.

You would do more of these, and less of what?


I would have spent less time waiting for the school to help me. I spent the first year just going to the lessons and doing little homework they gave me and I naively thought that it was enough because I was blinded by how great last year's French results were so I thought that school knew what they were doing and would get me there.

I wasn't proactive during my first year of IB because I thought school would sort me out e.g. provide after school support, eventually offer conversation class. For students who took higher level sciences like Chemistry, they had Chemistry club after school twice a week to help out with particular topics in the curriculum and they even had some support sessions at lunchtime. I assumed that the same thing would happen with French. In my French teachers' defense, the vast majority of my classmates were already fluent in French and just needed to work a bit on their writing and reading skills or they had lived to France when they were young or they were from Italy/Portugal/Spain and already spoke a high level of French when they arrived. They didn't care with whatever grades I would end up with as the class' average grade would still be pretty high which is why I can imagine they were so reluctant to help me even when I explicitly told them about how much I was struggling.


(For a bit of background before I started the IB I used to do A-levels and I did only Science subjects and I didn't even touch French for a whole year before I then decided to HL French which was pretty dumb in hindsight. When I started IB HL French I had literally forgotten practically all my French. I was probably a A1 when I started.)
4 x

User avatar
MamaPata
Brown Belt
Posts: 1019
Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2016 9:25 am
Location: London
Languages: English (N), French (C1*), Russian (B1), Spanish (B1).

Long lost: Arabic and Latin.
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3004
x 1807

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby MamaPata » Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:04 am

As someone who took two years out before uni and as someone who got lower IB grades than she wanted, you have my full understanding and sympathy. It's so tough, especially when you were close. Definitely try not to compare your results to A levels - they're just not comparable. And take heart, I had to look up my IB results when someone asked because I had forgotten!

Personally, I wouldn't necessarily recommend retaking stuff - it's a big pressure on you. And actually, once you have your results, a lot of unis will take lower than they say because they know schools inflate predicted grades. Another year before uni could be a brilliant thing (in terms of experience, maturity, etc etc) but fill it with things you want to do and care about. If that includes retakes, fine, but find other stuff too - work experience, volunteering, etc. Also, there is a lot of opportunity when it comes to clearing. Don't go to a uni you aren't interested in, but there are lots of options that you may not have considered. Where would you like to go?

If you want to talk uni applications/language degrees/IB misery, you're always free to message me.
6 x
Corrections appreciated.

Sarafina
Green Belt
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:02 pm
Languages: English (N)
French (Intermediate )
Japanese (Beginner)
Yoruba (Advanced Comprehension)
x 912

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby Sarafina » Mon Jul 09, 2018 7:26 am

Thank you to everyone for your kind words. I am meeting up with my school today to discuss my options. I am remarking 2-3 subjects plus my TOK. I am flipping back and forward between retaking. My parents are against the idea of me taking another year out and believe I should accept the truth and move on. I have always to take a gap year but I don't want to stay in where I am not wanted. I wanted to spend as least 6 months as an au-pair in x part of France where people don't really speak English.

I am considering the idea of doing my undergraduate degree in Europe or even Canada . I remember there was a student who got really high grades in Global Politics and he studied Politics in either Netherlands or Belgium. I have a friend who is planning on studying Computer Science and Economics in Canada. I don't trust the school to look out my best interest but they might have some helpful tips as they've dealt with students who studied abroad (although it tends to be the students who want to do Medicine abroad because they didn't get the entry requirements for British unis).

I got job offer now on Saturday but I am looking to find another job which pays better. I know people who work 3 jobs while taking care of their children so I think I should be able to take on two jobs. I am trying to be as financially independent as possible.

Does anyone have any experience, know anyone that moved from UK to France/French speaking part of Canada to study and how it went or even just general tips would be greatly appreciated.
0 x

Sarafina
Green Belt
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:02 pm
Languages: English (N)
French (Intermediate )
Japanese (Beginner)
Yoruba (Advanced Comprehension)
x 912

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby Sarafina » Tue Jul 10, 2018 7:20 pm

Canada is too expensive and I don't have any family/friends living there. With Brexit, I don't know if France/Belgium/Netherlands will be an option- I don't know if British students will eventually need to pay the international fee. I can't find a concrete and definite answer on this.

My plan is to retake 3 subjects in November and study like my life is dependant on it as well as remark some subjects. However I'll also attend uni. It's going to be stressful balancing both but I've heard some success stories of students who redid all three A-levels while enrolled at the different uni. But what makes it easier in my case is that I start uni on the last week of September and I finish all the November papers by 13th November. It's less than 2 months of my divided attention. Best case scenario I get the required IB points and get into one of my preferred unis and worst case scenario I just continue with the uni that I'm already enrolled in.


I can recognise that the uni gave me an offer is a decent uni. Everyone thinks that I'm being fixated on my IB results and I should see the bigger picture. But I see the bigger picture. It's not the IB points that I'm obsessed over, it's the fact at the moment I don't have required the points to get into the unis that I really really wanted to go to. I'm trying to change that for increasing my IB score whether it is by remarking and retaking it. It's not that I'm obsessed with my dream unis. However the best and okay and even the worst universities all have roughly the same tuition fee so for me it's mad not to try to aim to go to some of the best ones possible.

The uni I gave me an offer to is an okay uni. But I want to go to a uni that I'm proud to say that I went there. Maybe I'm also partially influenced by the fact that my friends/classmates are going to prestigious unis. Nobody will ask me about my IB points in the future but they will ask about what uni I went to and I want to say that with pride and not feel slightly embarrassed in anyway.

(One of the three subjects I'll be redoing is French. I need to get my 5 to a 7 in the span of just over 3 months. So it means that no more Japanese until after the 13th November. I'll resume my project then).
0 x

Sarafina
Green Belt
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:02 pm
Languages: English (N)
French (Intermediate )
Japanese (Beginner)
Yoruba (Advanced Comprehension)
x 912

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby Sarafina » Tue Jul 10, 2018 9:26 pm

However I just found out that I need the explicit permission of the school to do a resit. I don't know what I'll do if they say that I can't. I'm really grateful for my parents and I feel so guilty and awful for letting them down.
I've been doing partially AFATT. It's going okay.
0 x

User avatar
lavengro
Blue Belt
Posts: 728
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 1:39 am
Location: Hiding in Vancouver. Tell no one.
Languages: English - finally getting a handle on this beast of a language. Also tinkering with a few other languages intermittently.
x 1994

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby lavengro » Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:07 pm

Sarafina wrote:... I've been doing partially AFATT. ....

PFATT? AFPOTT?

Sarafina wrote: Canada is too expensive ....

Unless you are riding a scholarship of some sort or qualify for some sort of waiver, I understand that many Canadian universities charge significantly increased fees for foreign students. Can't really speak to whether Canada would be generally more expensive in terms of living expenses than your other options. If you drive a car, gas is definitely cheaper, and depending on where one might choose to go, either snow or skeeters are supplied completely gratis, for what that may be worth.

Good luck with the French!
1 x
This signature space now on loan to the mysterious and enigmatic Breakmaster Cylinder:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUGKldkiex4

User avatar
MamaPata
Brown Belt
Posts: 1019
Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2016 9:25 am
Location: London
Languages: English (N), French (C1*), Russian (B1), Spanish (B1).

Long lost: Arabic and Latin.
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3004
x 1807

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby MamaPata » Wed Jul 11, 2018 7:36 am

Sarafina wrote:Canada is too expensive and I don't have any family/friends living there. With Brexit, I don't know if France/Belgium/Netherlands will be an option- I don't know if British students will eventually need to pay the international fee. I can't find a concrete and definite answer.


There is no concrete and definite answer, sadly. It depends on Brexit negotiations, so no university can promise anything.

There are sometimes scholarships to Canadian unis for students from Commonwealth countries, might be worth looking into?

Personally, I would recommend against trying to do retakes while starting - it will mean you miss out on a lot and it will be incredibly stressful for you. I also think you should go to a university you're interested in - obviously this place may surprise you, but if you don't think it's prestigous enough, that's unlikely to change. Take the next few months to work, relax, recover, and earn money, think it over. You don't have to make any final decisions yet - there's always clearing.
1 x
Corrections appreciated.

Sarafina
Green Belt
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:02 pm
Languages: English (N)
French (Intermediate )
Japanese (Beginner)
Yoruba (Advanced Comprehension)
x 912

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby Sarafina » Fri Jul 13, 2018 3:41 pm

I've an appointment next week to see if I have permission to resit. I'll be devastated if they say no yet at the same time strangely relieved. The prospects makes re-taking makes me feel excited, hopeful yet anxious.

I've found a uni that I like and (and I already know some people going there) which I've called and emailed and they told me that they can definitely consider me with the grades that I got. Fingers crossed that they give me an offer.

If I get permission to resit then Japanese is put on hold until the 13th November. To be honest, I keep forgetting about Japanese in favour to watching/reading something in French.

WHY CAN'T I COMMIT TO AFATT? I want to improve a lot in a short period of time and I know that I need to increase the number of hours that I invested in French. I watched a random video which teaches basic Brazilian Portuguese phrases. It felt so good. I can't express how much I love hearing Brazilian Portuguese. If only...if only...why didn't I get a choice... But I need to focus on French and I need to get a high level in one language.
0 x

Sarafina
Green Belt
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:02 pm
Languages: English (N)
French (Intermediate )
Japanese (Beginner)
Yoruba (Advanced Comprehension)
x 912

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby Sarafina » Fri Jul 13, 2018 8:08 pm

I shouldn't compare myself to others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW7cZ4d60LI

But it makes me a little depressed that we have almost the same speaking level even though he's only been learning French for 3 months.

I think I mentioned that I got a job. But the pay is rubbish. From next week, I should be able to afford 2-3 Italki lessons as I start next week Saturday. I'm trying to resist the temptation not to just to spend all my earnings on lessons. I've had wonderful experiences with Italki tutors- they are the only reason why I didn't completely fail my speaking exam. Language exchange partners are too unreliable and they don't always correct you or speak too much English. Language exchange partners are a nice supplement but it becomes frustrating if they are the sole source of getting corrected speaking practice.

My main goals are to improve my pronunciation/sound less foreign and work towards passing C1 by December 2019.

I never finished going through that Phonétique Progressive du Français (débutant) from Clé International. I found it to be so tedious and demotivating and it felt like I was trying to drain the sea using a tea spoon. Maybe I should have given it time for it to sink in.
0 x

Sarafina
Green Belt
Posts: 373
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:02 pm
Languages: English (N)
French (Intermediate )
Japanese (Beginner)
Yoruba (Advanced Comprehension)
x 912

Re: Summer 2018: Hopefully Plenty of Sunshine and Language Learning

Postby Sarafina » Mon Jul 16, 2018 9:44 am

I finally got a breakdown of my French IB results. It's worse than I thought.


For the oral internal assessment I got 15 as my raw mark which was then moderated to 14 which means I probably got 10/20 in the individual oral and 4/5 out of 10 for my group oral discussion.
That means I got a 4 (equivalent to getting a C) for my speaking.

My coursework was really high. I got full marks.

My reading score was really disappointing. I got 41/60. But in the past papers I did I was getting above 50.

For writing, I got 25 marks in total which means I probably got 15/25 for Section A and 10/25 for Section B. My grammar probably let me down.

I have some serious work on my hands if I am going to redo it. Everyone is discouraging me from redoing and normally I would bow down under the pressure and well-intentioned advice. But I believe that I can do much much better. I want to go to a better uni and one that I am proud of.

I really wanted to do ESPS dual degree at UCL. I've emailed them about whether they will take retakes and whether I need to actually get 39 (as I got an A in EPQ). They haven't responded yet and I am probably going to call them soon. UCL is honestly my dream school. I just love everything I've heard about the course. I can't get over the fact that you get to spend two whole years in Science Po. I love how flexible the programme is. I know UCL is not perfect and there can be an high pressure environment.
0 x


Return to “Language logs”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests