Hagestolz Hits 2019

Continue or start your personal language log here, including logs for challenge participants
hagestolz
Yellow Belt
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:51 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Languages: English(N); Ger, Fr, Sp, Cz, It, Du, Ru, Gk, Port
x 107

Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby hagestolz » Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:11 pm

After much deliberation I've decided to go public with a log for the first time after recording my progress privately over the past year or so. I'm hoping that some of what I write may be of interest and mutual benefit to other members of the forum - we'll see! If nothing else it will keep me accountable.

As a starting point here are my aims for the year ahead as stated in another thread in December 2018

German, French, Spanish
These are already at a high level, so I will speak German with my German wife and keep beating her at Scrabble. French I will read lots, listen to more and continue my weekly exchange. Same for Spanish with a particular focus on listening and weekly class/conversation with my Italki teacher.

Czech
This is my main focus and I would like to feel that I'm approaching C1 by the end of the year. Once or twice weekly conversation, continue the comprehensible input with the help of Readlang and Czech television and Goldlist vocabulary. I'd also like to read more around Czech culture and history while watching chat shows and series.

Greek
Just started a month ago, so I'll finish Michel Thomas and Assimil before moving on to some native content. Build a good vocabulary base and solid grasp of grammar before starting some formal lessons/conversation with a native speaker.

Dutch, Italian, Russian
Leave on the back burner for now. If things go well I'd like to start levelling up in either Dutch or Italian. Russian is a language I'd love to know better but until my Czech is at C1 it'll have to wait!

I'm now thinking that I may relegate French to the back burner or rather devote less time to the language. I have no plans to visit a French speaking country in the near future (travel is problematic due to health issues), and I feel that I have reached a level where I can read, listen, write and speak well. I love the language and want to keep in contact with it.

So I plan to work on Czech and Greek every day as my core learning. Spanish will focus on reading and listening plus one speaking session per week. The aim being to use Spanish at least 4 days per week. Finally I'm going to think long and hard about incorporating one of Ru/It/Du into my week to keep the language ticking over - just have fun with it and not set outlandish goals.

I'll post weekly summaries of progress and set short-term goals along the way. Good luck to all in your 2019 learning!
9 x

User avatar
Neurotip
Green Belt
Posts: 332
Joined: Mon Dec 25, 2017 10:02 pm
Location: London, UK
Languages: eng N; ita & fra B2+, ell & deu B2-, ísl B1 (spa & swe A2?)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=9850
x 660

Re: Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby Neurotip » Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:54 pm

hagestolz wrote:I'll post weekly summaries of progress and set short-term goals along the way. Good luck to all in your 2019 learning!

Hi and looking forward to it. Your list of languages overlaps quite a bit with mine, but you've got further with all of them :shock: See you in the Greek group!
2 x
Corrections welcome here

hagestolz
Yellow Belt
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:51 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Languages: English(N); Ger, Fr, Sp, Cz, It, Du, Ru, Gk, Port
x 107

Re: Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby hagestolz » Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:06 am

It's only 2nd January and already I'm going to change, or better, refine my schedule...On a long walk yesterday I decided to try a more lighthearted, laid-back approach for a while and then see what impact, if any, that may have. So I devised a plan of action which looks like this:

Greek and Czech
My learning language and my core language will be used every day


Dutch, Italian
Listening and Reading focus twice a week, with the possibility of italki conversation/ informal tutoring later in the year


Spanish and French
Comprehensible input with Spanish conversation each week and French conversation whenever possible. Spanish not as good as French at the moment.


Today I managed...

Greek
Lesson 8 of Assimil; 20mins of Michel Thomas; 35 mins of Writing and 45 mins of Vocab/Grammar review

Czech
50 mins of intensive listening; 20 mins Vocab review; 20 mins of close reading

Dutch
40 mins of Ruth Rendell

Plus a good hour organising materials and watching the Krashen/Ollie Richards interview - Procrastination?!
1 x

User avatar
zjones
Green Belt
Posts: 483
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2018 6:22 pm
Location: USA
Languages: English (N), French (B1-certified), Spanish and Greek (abandoned)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=9860
x 1404

Re: Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby zjones » Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:49 am

It's nice to see you've started your own log! I look forward to following your progress. :D
1 x

hagestolz
Yellow Belt
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:51 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Languages: English(N); Ger, Fr, Sp, Cz, It, Du, Ru, Gk, Port
x 107

Re: Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby hagestolz » Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:55 am

Summary of this week's progress...

Czech

Lots of Reading ( 'Hunger Games') and Listening ( 'Marta and Vera', a more than slightly cheesy sitcom). backed up with bi-directional translation. No speaking this week but will start lessons again on Monday after the Christmas break. (7h50m)

Greek

Finished most of Advanced CD3 of M Thomas course, which I'm enjoying a lot. Start each session with a repeat of the last track before moving on, although speed isn't of the essence! I spend quite a bit of time writing up all of the sentences from the CDs by hand and then review them at the end of the week.
Assimil I'm not loving and hate the electronic format - in future I'll be patient and order hard copies through the post. Finished lesson 10 and I'll persevere but I'm looking forward to using a book course like TYS or Colloquial on completion of M Thomas.
Finding the Greek language fascinating, though and feel I'm getting to grips with the grammar and pronunciation. (6h05)

Spanish
It's all CI. Finished a novel and watched 'La Aventura del saber', which was recommended here on the site. A great recommendation, I have to say. Back to speaking next week (5h25m)

French
Listening focus week. A couple of podcast episodes (On est fait pour s'entendre) and my first episode of 'C dans l'air', again recommended here, thank you! I really enjoyed the challenge and stimulation of concentrating on a hardcore debate for over an hour. Tested at C2 for Reading, Listening and Vocabulary after reading about them here. No conversations planned for this month but will restart my exchange in February, all being well. ( 3h45m)

Dutch
I decided to revisit Dutch after a 6-8 month break and have really enjoyed using the language again. I decided to reread 'De verrassing' by Ruth Rendell on Kindle. I already have highlighted vocabulary and notes from the first read and it's a great way of getting back up to speed. I listened to the evening news in Dutch and understood the gist of the stories. Input only for the foreseeable future. ( 2h25m)

Italian
An hour of reading and listening. Very much a ticking-over language at the moment ( 1h05m)

Total for the week: 26h35m
5 x

hagestolz
Yellow Belt
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:51 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Languages: English(N); Ger, Fr, Sp, Cz, It, Du, Ru, Gk, Port
x 107

Re: Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby hagestolz » Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:31 pm

Today I've finished, or at least worked through to the end of, the Michel Thomas Greek Course ( 12CDs). This feels really good and I feel inspired to continue with other courses now.

I've written out all of the key sentences by hand twice - first into a notebook and then onto flashcards, which I review regularly using the English to produce out loud the Greek. This method has worked well in the past with other languages and I can write quite quickly and accurately in Greek now.

Assimil has been neglected ( only at Lesson 11), although I've completed the first chapter of 'Colloquial Greek', which I quite like and will continue using.

I'd thought about starting work with an Italki teacher in March/April but if things go well over the next month I might take the plunge next month. However, MT introduces a bare minimum of vocabulary, so I want to build a decent base before attempting meaningful conversations!

Total study time so far is about 37 hours since 1st December 2018
2 x

hagestolz
Yellow Belt
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:51 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Languages: English(N); Ger, Fr, Sp, Cz, It, Du, Ru, Gk, Port
x 107

Re: Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby hagestolz » Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:51 am

Another productive week...

Czech

I'm enjoying reading 'The Hunger Games' in Czech and the support of Readlang helps me to read quite quickly. Lots of listening to news, which is something I aim to do on a more regular basis from now on. Worked hard on Goldlists and I had the opportunity to speak spontaneously for an hour with my Italki teacher, Eliška, who is fab! I suggested we spent 15-20 mins on error correction, so she lets me speak freely and then types out phrases or sentence for me to try to self-correct. So we discuss errors, correct them, and then I write the corrected items up in my Goldlists 10h15m

Greek

I finished the M Thomas course ( see above) and today started a Memrise course as an experiment. Into Chapter 2 of 'Colloquial Greek' and a big vocabulary review to end the week. 9h35m

Dutch

Mainly reading this week. I'm able to read quickly in Dutch without needing Readlang, so I use the Kindle and a built-in dictionary if needed. I am reading for pleasure, though, and therefore and look up relatively few words. I aim to do more listening next week, as I've neglected it this week. 2h15

Spanish

Listening focus. Also lesson prep for a lesson which didn't happen because of technical problems. I felt so disappointed as I haven't spoken Spanish for a few weeks now. Next week! 2h35m

French

Listening and translation from English-French. 2h35

German

Conversation with a friend and reading. 2h15

Italian

Listening. I have lost interest (temporarily) and can't fit in much Italian at the moment, so it will have to take a back seat for a while. Not enough hours in the day, I'm afraid! 0.45m

Study Time: 30h15m
1 x

hagestolz
Yellow Belt
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:51 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Languages: English(N); Ger, Fr, Sp, Cz, It, Du, Ru, Gk, Port
x 107

Re: Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby hagestolz » Sun Jan 20, 2019 12:21 am

Week 3 of the New Year and still going strong!

Czech

Spoke for an hour with Eliška in Czech about Jan Palach/ Prague Spring and felt pretty comfortable with discussing complex ideas. Invaluable corrections to revise and practice afterwards. These are the conversations I want to have now, the ones which pull me kicking and screaming out of my comfort zone. Listened to Czech news , read 'The Hunger Games' and did a lot of work on vocabulary building. 12h

Greek

Intensive work using Language Transfer, which works really well for me, although it's not everyone's cup of tea. Bi-directional translation also effective at laying down firm grammatical foundations. 7h30m

Dutch

Highlight of the week in many ways. I listened to a 'Nieuwsuur' debate following the Brexit vote on Tuesday and followed it very well. I'm in a passive/receptive phase of learning at the moment, but listening and reading skills are improving rapidly. Planning to reactivate speaking in the seond half of the year. 2h25m

French and Spanish

Conversation in both languages with tutors, the first ones of the year. French more of a get -to-know you chat but Spanish around the themes of racism and politically (in)correct language. Both felt comfortable and without major errors 4h40m

Total: 26h35m
3 x

hagestolz
Yellow Belt
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:51 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Languages: English(N); Ger, Fr, Sp, Cz, It, Du, Ru, Gk, Port
x 107

Re: Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby hagestolz » Sun Jan 20, 2019 12:31 am

I'm setting short-term goals for the coming weeks ( 5-6 weeks and then review at the end of February)

Czech

1 More listening, especially of different registers. aim to cover comedy show, documentaries and Czech breakfast TV
2 Add a second language exchange for a different speaking experience

Greek

1 Work through to the end of Language Transfer ( 30/120 lessons so far)
2 Build a solid grammatical base and a decent vocabulary so that I can start meaningful conversations with a native speaker

Dutch

Reading and especially Listening focus

French/Spanish

1 More literary reading in French and Quality articles in Spanish after several months of crime/horror.
2 Weekly conversations in both languages
1 x

Chupito
Yellow Belt
Posts: 71
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2018 1:57 am
Languages: French* and English
Learning: Spanish (beginner)
x 132

Re: Hagestolz Hits 2019

Postby Chupito » Sun Jan 20, 2019 2:04 am

I'm impressed by your ability to stay committed for so many hours. Well done!
1 x
Corrections welcome in any language.

Super challenge:
listening: 3 / 100 reading: 1 / 100

podcasts: 3 / 100


Return to “Language logs”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests