As I look back over my latest period of focussed German practice and study - "Project revive my German" - I'm struck by the value of logging my efforts. Here's a brief overview of what I did, how it helped me and how logging could help you too in your own learning. First set your goal and your routine My logging was in the service of progress towards a clear goal: … [Read more...]
Project revive my German: three lessons for your language learning
That's it, I'm doing an advanced German exam in Berlin just about two months from now. There's no turning back. I'm booked: test; flight; time off from the office. When you're trying to level up your skills, get into the zone, the zone of "proximal development". In other words, the best thing is to stretch yourself, but not too much. In this post I explain how I settled … [Read more...]
Learning Basque in Add1Challenge 5, final report.
It's already over a month since the end of Add1Challenge 5, the on-line 90-day language study group in which I participated as a Basque learner this spring (following on from my time in Add1Challenge 4, last summer). This report may be late, but at least it's timely. The next Add1Challenge, no 8, begins on 1 June. I've just sent off my video application. [Update since this … [Read more...]
Back in an on-line language learning group or “Carry on Basque” as Add1Challenge 5 kicks off
The Add1Challenge on-line language learning club is back and I'm in. The commitment to regular study in round 4 of Brian Kwong's initiative was a great way to give structure to my Basque studies during last summer's break in my night classes at the London Basque Society. Reporting back daily, weekly and monthly to my study group helped with motivation. It was also … [Read more...]
Mission accomplished as “Add1Challenge 4” draws to a close
How do you learn a language on the internet? For three months from the third week of July, I was taking part in the fourth run of Brian Kwong's collaborative online language learning "Add1Challenge" (2019 update - now run by Benny Lewis). With the ninety days now up, it's high time for my final report and review. To recap briefly from my earlier post: the Add1Challenge is … [Read more...]
Basque Add1Challenge: 3 weeks in….
It's three weeks tomorrow since the beginning of the three-month Add1Challenge, here, later than expected, is the first of my promised progress updates. What have I been doing? The main development in my approach to Basque this summer has been working with native speakers on Skype. I have never done this before but I was keen to keep going during the summer break … [Read more...]
A boost for my Basque? The Summer 2014 Add 1 Challenge begins.
Today is the first day of the Add 1 Language Challenge, a group language learning programme created and run by Brian Kwong. He spoke about the thinking behind the programme at the Polyglot Gathering in Berlin in June. His research convinced him that lack of time and maintaining motivational focus were two of the major problems faced by language learners. Kwong's programme … [Read more...]