Bex Spanish log 2019: a definitive guide on the slowest way to learn Spanish ever!

[Bex]

Finally found some interesting news to read.

Noticias Locas:
https://www.periodismo.com/category/noticias-locas/amp/

[Bex]

And I'm going to read the transcripts and watch these as well...

http://www.curiosamente.com

There is a lot of content here and on their YouTube channel...over 150+ videos (with both English & Spanish subtitles available) and I've found over 100 of the transcripts with audio files on LingQ as well, these are going to keep me busy reading, listening and watching for a while.

[PaleoPaul]

I relate to alot of what you talk about here. I, too, am a glaciar-like Spanish learner. I like coming here to this forum and reading about all the progress everyone is making and I get charged up for a few weeks but before long being a grown-up interferes. I have come to an understanding that for me, learning Spanish is just a hobby. My future does not depend on it. My income does not depend on it. And hobbies are meant to be enjoyed, not worried over.

My wife used to kid me that I spent more time reading about how to learn languages, than actually learning languages. I was preoccupied with coming up with the optimum plan of study, which, of course included some things that I didn't really derive any pleasure from, but they were effective methods of progressing in a language.

After a time of stopping and restarting these perfect plans, without making the huge progress I expected, I decided instead to just do the things in Spanish I actually like! I read (alot), I listen to Spanish language radio, and I do Memrise (my own deck created from words I have read and didn't know). That's about it. And I am really excited with the progress I am making with my reading and the breadth of my vocabulary!

I don't do Italki tutors anymore. I know this would really improve my spoken Spanish but as an introvert, I just don't really enjoy them.

I don't watch much Spanish language TV. I know it would improve my audio comprehension, but I just don't really enjoy it.

Not that I won't ever do those things, but right now, I'll stick to the things I like doing. I'm not in a hurry.

[PaleoPaul]

By the way, thanks for mentioning the Lirica app. I just downloaded and tried it out and it's alot of fun!

[Bex]

By the way, thanks for mentioning the Lirica app. I just downloaded and tried it out and it's alot of fun!

Glad you liked it.

My wife used to kid me that I spent more time reading about how to learn languages, than actually learning languages. I was preoccupied with coming up with the optimum plan of study, which, of course included some things that I didn't really derive any pleasure from, but they were effective methods of progressing in a language.

After a time of stopping and restarting these perfect plans, without making the huge progress I expected, I decided instead to just do the things in Spanish I actually like!

I really relate to this... I'm currently trying out a few things to see what I enjoy.

Basically I just need to get on with it and as you've said stop trying to make the perfect plan.

[Bex]

Super Challenge February totals.
5.3 books.
11.7 films

Slightly low on reading, I am aiming for 6 books and 6 films a month for the SC at the moment, so the books total is OK since Feb is a shorter month but I'm really pleased with my listening/watching this month.

Generally happy with my SC progress so far it's the half way point and I now have a total of 47 books and 50 films.

General comprehension is improving for both areas but I still struggle a lot of the time. It will be interesting to see how much further I've improved once I have completed the Super Challenge.

[Bex]

General plan moving forward...relax, scale back targets (and pressure).

Anki
Only when I feel like it and ignoring the review totals. Generally using Clozemaster more now as I find it a lot less stressful than Anki.

Extensive listening/watching Finished watching all 3 sasons of El Chapo. I enjoyed it, absolutely no way I could've followed it without subtitles. Although the news of El Chapos current trial everywhere was quite a big spoiler 

I don't feel I need to set any targets for my extensive watching/listening as it is quite enjoyable now. I happily put on my headphones every day, as long as I am careful not to use material which is too difficult or to use transcripts/subtitles when it is. I am learning to "let the unknown go".

Intensive listening/watching
For the last week or so, I have been randomly picking old Unlimited Spanish podcasts where I have already read the transcripts and I am listening to them repeatedly untill I feel I understand enough, or I fall asleep. I am looking up unknown words, re-reading pieces and generally I am understanding nearly everything by the 8th or 10th listen. When I'm happy I'm understanding the podcast..I add it to my extensive listening playlist. At the moment I am doing this as and when I feel like it, which was 2 or 3 times last week.

Extensive reading
Reading in general is still pi**ing me off. I have decided as I said in my previous post to "just get on with it" and I've settled for a plan of 4 chapters of Harry Potter per week as a minimum. I chose this target because it allows me days off, it is a low aim since I know 2 chapters in 1 day is my current limit and it will allow me to complete the Super Challenge by Christmas. Any extra reading is to be considered a bonus with absolutely no expectations attached.

Intensive reading
For now I am removing any goals or targets, I shall view any intensive reading as a bonus and only read intensively if I feel compelled to do so.

My aim
I am implementing these chamges to try and remove the extreme negatively I feel when I try to force myself to study Spanish intensively (especially when reading) at the moment.

I need to step back from the intensive study, Anki, extensive reading goals, targets in general, avoidance, comparing myself to others, negativity, disappointment and stress.

I hope that by going back to just enjoying the language for a while, I will have a more positive and constructive relationship with the language (and myself) again.

My head is in a better place now

[Bex]

Started watching Money Heist (AKA La casa de papel) as my new evening Netflix viewing.

I missed chunks even with the Spanish subtitles on, each episode is over an hour long so it was also tiring, especially with the subtitles jumping all over the place but I think I managed to follow the basic plot.

[Bex]

Finished reading the third Harry Potter book...



...book 4 next.

[Bex]

This weeks stats....

✅ Read 4 Chapters of HP - 61 pages.
6 hrs 38 mins of active listening
1 hr 10 mins of hours of background listening.
Some Clozemaster: 80% of 500-1000 sentences played.

I am happy with my much more relaxed regime and I should complete the SC if I continue like this. I actually seem to have watched way more TV/YouTube without my targets in place. I have just been watching whatever I like.

However I have had to stop myself repeatedly (probably every day) this week from setting myself new listening/watching targets or starting new methods.

In the end I settled for creating a YouTube playlist but I haven't given myself any completion date to aim for, hopefully it is enough to wean me off setting more targets.

I seem to want to set targets or put in place routines for everything, all the time, but I wonder why I feel the need so strongly?