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

[Bex]

Super Challenge October Update...

This has been an excellent month, In fact my best so far by quite a large margin...

12.4 books (618 pages!!) plus 6 films

SC totals so far are 92.5 books and 91 films....just 3 months ago I thought I would NEVER manage to finish the SC but here I am. Only 7.5 books to go

My reading this month has just been flowing...I have been reading whole paragraphs without translating in my head. For the last week or so I have been trying to not look things up unless it interrupts my understanding or (and this is a new phenomenon for me) it looks like an interesting word.

So basically I have been trying to read more extensively and work out words from the context, it makes my reading a little slower but not enough to be annoying and it feels like it's somehow making me think about what I'm reading a little more.

Anyhoo... all in all a very good month.

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ETA: Also finished my 'Perfecting the Past in Spanish' textbook today. Excellent for clarifying when to use the different past tenses in Spanish. I would recommend it, the explanations given with the answers are extremely helpful.

[Bex]

It appears I have just landed myself a job teaching 11-13 year olds English for a couple of hours a week (B1 level)
And also 1 on 1 teaching business English for a couple of 2 hour sessions.
There will be more once I find my feet. I was a primary school classroom assistant in the UK for 3 years and I have a TEFL certificate I completed earlier this year but I must say I'm very nervous.

Any top tips?

ETA: I'll be on the train a lot more now so yay more time for listening/reading.

[ShawnP]

Bex, who is your target audience? If Spanish students, perhaps you could get in some short conversations at the end of class.

[Bex]

Bex, who is your target audience? If Spanish students, perhaps you could get in some short conversations at the end of class.

My target audience are mostly Spanish; some children 11+ and adults. To start I'll have to be on my best behaviour but I expect eventually I could squeeze some Spanish into either my lessons or at the end of class with parents etc

Anything that actually gets me out the house and actually interacting with Spanish speakers can only be a good thing.. even if it is mostly in English

[Bex]

I'm so tired....

I am teaching kids A2 evening classes still and my 1-on-1 student twice a week but I'm also covering any sickness/holiday of other staff. So I now have conversation classes from B1 to C1 I'm covering adhoc...it's so much work, I don't want to be rubbish and just turn up and have a random chat with these students who've paid for a class. I know what that feels like and it's a waste of everyone's time.

So I've been preparing lesson plans and working out fun ways to really reinforce and practice what they're learning, I'm still pretty new at all this but I want to be a good teacher, I want to encourage my students and not just fall back on working through a textbook, they can do that at home but it's taking up all my time

I guess teaching a language is hard, just like learning one

Unfortunately my Spanish studying is suffering, I think I'll just have to live with it for a while, whilst I find my feet. I will complete the SC because that's something I have to do for myself but anything more will have to wait.

[Bex]

Super Challenge November Update...

This has been an terrible month, way too busy with new job...

November SC totals: 3.8 books plus 2.9 films

SC totals so far are 96.3 books and 95.4 films....with just 1 months to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know I'll complete it because there's no way i'm gonna come that close and not manage the full 100 on each.

My reading this month is still fairly smooth, even though I'm not reading as much I seem to be able to just pick it up and read for even just 10 minutes.

This used to be very hard for me and it wasn't that long ago (a few months) that it took me 20-30 minutes before I felt comfortable reading in Spanish and got into a good flow. It was like I had to wait for my brain to switch to Spanish and it took a while and until it did reading was quite painful & slow. I have noticed that the switch is fairly swift now and much less noticeable.

Not the best month but acceptable. I basically have 2 weeks before the Xmas madness hits my household and so I need to get the majority of my reading/listening done in that time. Better get to it.

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I have upgraded to Clozemaster Pro (using the Black Friday deal) as Clozemaster is something I can do during my commute and I've wanted to upgrade for a while. Should keep me entertained and give me my fill of SRS without having to resort to the dreaded Anki

I am making new plans for January because I was hoping to start watching Netflix series and doing some extensive watching but I don't think I'm going to have time so I am having to re-think my plans, not totally but I think I'm going to have to swap watching Netflix for Listening. Listening is something I can do during my commute and whilst exercising, cleaning etc. and I just don't have as much free time anymore...this work malarkey is such a time sink

[Bex]

Super Challenge update: 100.7 books & 100.2 films

mission-accomplished-neagensrator-net-mission-accomplished-walking-cat-meme-49448656.jpg

ETA: now to go post over on the SC thread just in case anyone might miss it

[StringerBell]

Wow! How are you going to celebrate?

[Bex]

Wow! How are you going to celebrate?

Oh I don't know, I hadn't thought of actually celebrating but now that you mention it...

[StringerBell]

My second question: was doing the SC worth it?