How do you manage multiple resources/programs when self-learning?

[80Percent]

I'm currently learning using a few materials and think each has an important place in my learning but i'm definitely running into an issue b/c of my multiple sources, mainly that i have competing materials and only so much time in a week.

For example.

I'm using a textbook (Integrated Chinese) and going along systematically. 1 page at at time, doing all the exercises, doing my own exercises and trying to internalize the grammar points one by one. New vocab and grammar points every page. I need to learn them obviously, in order to move through. I consider my textbook to be my main resource and try to give it priority.

But I also use ChinesePod to help with my listening. Which means more new vocabulary that i need to learn to understand the lesson. (I do 1-2 of these a week). And of course, since i'm A1, a lot of the grammar and vocab is new, so that means more grammar points, phrases, etc to learn there too. There's some overlap, but not really.

Then i have my apps that i use during downtime and of course, different grammar points and vocabulary. Not too big a deal, but i do find the testing apps helpful and don't want to lose those either.

I try to do my textbook and Chinese pod on different days. Any tips on how to use multiple sources without getting inundated?

(bonus question: Where the heck do i put Pimsleur in all this?!)

[Glossy]

I think the most important variable is how much time you put in each day. Whether you split that time between 2, 3 or 4 resources, how exactly you split that time between them - those things would usually be less important. Unless some of your resources are useless, which from your description they don't seem to be.

I've done all 5 levels of Pimsleur Mandarin and am now doing Upper Intermediate ChinesePod. I like ChinesePod more. If I had to do it all again, I wouldn't have done Pimsleur at all. Pimsleur is roughly equivalent to ChinesePod's Newbie and Elementary levels, meaning that after Pimsleur's 5th level I was ready for ChinesePod's Intermediate level.

ChinesePod lessons are more fun to listen to. The hosts are more engaging. There are more lessons and they go up to a much higher level.

[80Percent]

I think the most important variable is how much time you put in each day. Whether you split that time between 2, 3 or 4 resources, how exactly you split that time between them - those things would usually be less important. Unless some of your resources are useless, which from your description they don't seem to be.

I currently put in 1-2 hours a night. Any more and I'm risking burnout, (still at risk even here). But each resource adds more grammar points and vocab than i can process, learn, retain in 1-2 hours a night.

For example. I do 2 days of Chinesepod so that i can finish 2 lessons using the Arimethod. I spend at least an hour on each lesson. Each one has 5 vocab words that are new to me. I'm okay to learn that 5 in a day. And one or 2 grammar points, so since i only do 1 grammar point a day (cuz i like to internalize them, and it takes me a full day). Then i do 3 days of textbook, which usually includes 3 or 4 grammar points and 15 vocab. So i can do all the vocab and 1/2 of the grammar points (i choose whichever i think are the 2-3 most useful out of the 3-4).

Then there might be something new on my app, i can't keep moving through the HelloChinese app unless i know the answer. At this point i've consumed more than i can internalize. So unsure how to juggle this.

Not to mention the extras, like basic function words i need to communicate with people around me as practice. So i might the words for "put" "bring" "cabinet", etc cuz i to talk to my somewhat Chinese-speaking boyfriend around the house.

I've done all 5 levels of Pimsleur Mandarin and am now doing Upper Intermediate ChinesePod. I like ChinesePod more. If I had to do it all again, I wouldn't have done Pimsleur at all. Pimsleur is roughly equivalent to ChinesePod's Newbie and Elementary levels, meaning that after Pimsleur's 5th level I was ready for ChinesePod's Intermediate level.

ChinesePod lessons are more fun to listen to. The hosts are more engaging. There are more lessons and they go up to a much higher level.

Awesome. It was really bugging me to not start Pimsleur as well. I feel better now. . Im actually in pre-intermediate soon to be intermediate on CPod now, so looks like Pimsleur won't be needed.

[Iversen]

I even try to use more than one dictionary and more than one grammar in any of my languages .

[Andy E]

I always have a resource that I choose to be the primary one - this is the one that I try and ensure I do *every* day. Like you I have limited time each day, so the other resources have to made do with the time that's left. I don't obsess about trying to do a bit of every single one every day. Burn out is the last thing you want.

[iguanamon]

In addition to the excellent advice already given, I try to do audio when I can't do anything involving reading, e.g.: while walking, driving or doing household chores.

Like Andy E, I make sure I do my primary resource everyday... usually in the morning. I do my secondary resource later in the day or after my primary resource. I like the synergy of complimentary resources in the beginning stage.

[smallwhite]

Before each study session, I decide on the best thing to do in that session, and whether it's the same activity or resource as the last session does not matter That is, whether I'm sticking to one resource or hopping between resources does not matter, the best use of time is the best use of time. And I consider the best use of time to be doing what most needs doing and has the highest potential for improvement and that at the least cost, etc.

[kulaputra]

Schedule and structure your resources around your day, that is, around your daily schedule as it already exists. For example, your commute could be dedicated towards ChinesePod. A specific time period every evening could be dedicated towards Integrated Chinese. Your lunch hour at work could be dedicated towards SRSing. And so on. That way, you save time and mental energy not having to think "what am I gonna do now?" at the beginning of every study session. You also help develop habit and "flow"; after a little while, SRSing as you eat lunch will become natural and habitual.

Even better, set up a concrete language learning plan for the next few months to a year, i.e. "I will do X lessons/pages/units in Y resources every day/week/etc. until Z date."

Also, read this great post by iguanamon if you haven't already.

[80Percent]

Schedule and structure your resources around your day, that is, around your daily schedule as it already exists. For example, your commute could be dedicated towards ChinesePod. A specific time period every evening could be dedicated towards Integrated Chinese. Your lunch hour at work could be dedicated towards SRSing. And so on. That way, you save time and mental energy not having to think "what am I gonna do now?" at the beginning of every study session. You also help develop habit and "flow"; after a little while, SRSing as you eat lunch will become natural and habitual.

Even better, set up a concrete language learning plan for the next few months to a year, i.e. "I will do X lessons/pages/units in Y resources every day/week/etc. until Z date."

Also, read this great post by iguanamon if you haven't already.

That’s what I currently do. I have a set schedule for every day of the week, including materials and how I’ll use them, and very specific weekly and 12 week goals.

https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 20#p108020

My problem is the competing material. They start adding up to more grammar points and vocab that I can process

So Monday I do textbook (exercises, vocab, grammar, etc), that’s 10 vocab and maybe 3 grammar points along th way in that hour or 2. The next day is 1-1.5 hours of ChinesePod using the Ari Method. Now there 7 more vocab and a totally new grammar point. But since the book is different from ChinesePod most of the vocab and grammar points are different than each other and adding up faster than I can attend to both. And I cant just skip ChinesePod vocab because I need it for the lesson (I do CPod Tuesdays and Thursdays, for 2 complete lessons a week).

And throw in HelloChinese (that I can prolly get is of if need be) and just words need for regular life, and there’s more than I can internalize.

[kulaputra]

If that's more then you can manage, then either:

• Do less
• Don't care about "internalizing" everything. Be satisfied knowing you're internalizing something, which is always better then nothing.