Yes I think it was worth it. I definitely am starting to see a massive improvement in my reading speed and noticing common construction's that I have picked up from seeing/hearing them so much.StringerBell wrote:My second question: was doing the SC worth it?
But looking back I have 3 things I would change/improve:
1) My reading level was way too low when I started (A2) which meant the reading seemed like a major wall to climb (understatement), if I'd started at a higher level I think the challenge would have been much more manageable, enjoyable and effective but do wonder if I hadn't started at the level I was at, if I would ever have started at all.
2) I don't think it's enough reading, if I'd started where I am now then maybe it would be. I feel like the last month or two have been the most useful in terms of learning from reading. Stopping now actually feels bad, because I'm just starting to see some real improvements.
3) I felt like the listening target was way too low, I didn't even try very hard and I managed the listening part easily. I should have done more listening, it would've complimented and reinforced the reading I was doing, it may even have made the reading part easier in the beginning.
Having to push myself so hard to carry on reading things I really wasn't enjoying at all and half way through the challenge, even three quarters of the way through, thinking I'm never goning be able to finish this, was extremely difficult to deal with. However after reading various transcripts, news stories, books and magazines and even 5 Harry Potter books...my sense of achievement is far greater than I would have expected when I started but for some (stupid) reason I didn't expect it to be so difficult.
Without the support I received here along the way I would never have managed it.
Now my question is: What do I do now?