I realize that not everybody who reads this post may be familiar with the different techniques we use here, so let me add a few details. Remember that I have given up on being efficient or getting to some level of ability by a certain date; I'm just having fun.
I plan to adjust my schedule and techniques regularly as I move forward (until I drift off to some other language
).
Each day I walk about 45 minutes and I listen to a tts voice reading a novel in Portuguese. I also listen all the time that I am alone in the car. I vary the tts voice every day, European Portuguese one day and American (Brazillian) the next. Right now my comprehension is abysmal, maybe 15%. This is more of a way to get to know the sound of the language, and also to see how I am progressing. I know that some people hate tts voices, but they are very convenient.
During my dedicated language time, I listen to Portuguese and read along with either the book in English or the book in Portuguese. I'm covering the same chapter for 4 days and then moving forward. My current approach is:
I have the same book in Spanish and Portuguese.
Day 1. Read English, Listen European Portuguese 30 minutes
Read English, Listen European Spanish 30 minutes
Day 2. Read English, Listen Brazillian Portuguese 30 minutes
Reafter d English Listen American Spanish 30 minutes
Day 3 Read Portuguese, Listen European Portuguese 30 minutes
Read Spanish, Listen European Spanish 30 minutes
Day 4 Read Portuguese, Listen Brazillian Portuguese 30 minutes
Read Spanish, Listen American Spanish 30 minutes
I plan to double the time on weekends or holidays.
Reading the same book in Spanish increases the familiarity for when I read the Portuguese. I may look for a harder Spanish book than the translated one I'm working on, if I can find a Portuguese translation from Spanish... The current book I can understand in Spanish either reading or listening without the extra support of L-R.
After a few hundred or few thousand pages I plan to add shadowing to the mix.
*added a word