Learning a new language with an inexperienced study buddy

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arthaey
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Learning a new language with an inexperienced study buddy

Postby arthaey » Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:59 pm

In 2016, I'll be learning French from scratch with one of my sisters (not the one I posted about asking for A1-2 Spanish suggestions, my other sister). She had your typical US high school foreign language experience while learning Spanish: that is, she didn't learn much, and she rather disliked the experience.

She was the one to suggest we learn French together, so I'm excited to share my language hobby with her. But she's also expressed some concern that I'll pick French up faster than she will (which is probably accurate, given my experience with Spanish, language-learning in general, and linguistics). She's concerned that she'll find our different paces of learning frustrating for her. I can't really blame her — it can be frustrating when your study buddy is picking something up more easily/quickly than you.

So my question for y'all: do you have advice on minimizing frustration when study partners are learning at different rates?
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Re: Learning a new language with an inexperienced study buddy

Postby Serpent » Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:21 am

That probably depends on what exactly you plan to do together (and separately). In general with effective techniques and your guidance, I don't see why she'd be learning slowly.
Also, the gap should be less noticeable with native materials - try music/lyricstraining, GLOSS, movies with subtitles.
Similarly, assuming she's not a programmer, you can start learning IT-related vocab early, so that she had less exposure to what you know and she doesn't.

I'd say the biggest issue is actually her motivation. I once briefly took a Portuguese class with someone who spoke Italian and it wasn't fun :? She *will* have to work harder/more than you do. (But you will presumably continue improving your Spanish, so you're even ;)) Is she open to doing twitter challenges? Maybe especially the 6 week challenge, as it counts the time spent.

I presume you're starting next year because you're spending 2015 in Mexico? Encourage her to get started now, at least listening to music, maybe reading through a grammar reference without trying to memorize anything.

Kinda personal but if you've had any jealousy issues in the past, they may resurface now.
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Re: Learning a new language with an inexperienced study buddy

Postby zenmonkey » Fri Sep 18, 2015 7:01 am

Excellent post by Serpent.

I'd only add that you can help by creating realistic expectations and helping her identify her real competitor - herself from yesterday, not you, not that 5 year-old reading Rimbaud.

I train for sporting events - terrible bike rider, mediocre mountain climber, slow runner, slow swimmer, etc. when I compare myself to any elite person. But early on I learned I'm only working on my personal best.

If she focuses on others, she's right - it is going to be a frustrating experience. Who wants that? But only she can adjust her own attitude about learning.

The questions she needs to identify: What are her goals, can she reach them? How is she going to have fun doing it?

If it gets bad you might want to work on two related languages side by side. Jealousy is an issue with my daughters (11, 13) so for their L4s one is currently working on Italian and the other Spanish. They'll switch in a few years...
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Re: Learning a new language with an inexperienced study buddy

Postby Cavesa » Fri Sep 18, 2015 11:47 am

Thinking of it, I'd say the nature of your "studying together" might be the key.

If you more or less planned to do the normal learning activities together, you'd basically create a normal class, just with two people. And in such a setting, you are very likely to get French faster and it is an ideal ground for frustration for your sister and demotivation for you (as you might not try that hard to improve, in order not to hurt her too much).

If you were more or less independent, just following a shared curriculum you'd agree on, using the same resources (to have things to talk about) it would be different. In such a case, you'll be mostly practice partners and that's a great opportunity. The more that your bonus, having experience with Spanish, is gonna be much smaller in the active skills than in the passive ones.

Just an idea.

edit: heh, correcting a you're-your mistake. Now I feel dumb
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