Organizing my language missions: 2 resources per language
I give complete credit of the word “mission” in regards to language learning to Benny the Irish Polyglot. I think it is a great word to use to describe the language learning journey and that the word itself can be inspiring because it helps you invision the language learning process as a fun challenge, a mission that you are set out on the complete!
I am going to pick 2 and only 2 resources (preferably one self-study course, either online or off, and a podcast) for each language and will resist all temptation to use other resources until I am finished with the original ones!
As a quick reminder (to you guys AND to myself!) My current language missions are:
German – C2 by the end of the year
Spanish – C1 by the end of the year
Hungarian – be able to have a conversation with my boyfriend’s grandparents next Christmas.
French – reactivate my dusty French to as high as a level as possible by the end of the year. (Ideally be able to converse easily in most daily situations)
Italian – be able to get by on a trip to Italy. (basic conversational level)
Swedish – be able to get by on a trip to Sweden without speaking English. (basic conversational level)
(from my language log at How-to-learn-any-language.com)
and here are my selected resources:
German
Audio: Alltagsdeutsch
Course: Hugo German Complete (start from the [near] beginning and use it as a review and complete it to the end)
Spanish
Audio: Show Time Spanish
I’ve got the premium materials from the second season so I am going to start from the first episode from the second season and do the entire second season (including materials)
Course: Hugo Spanish complete
(start from the near beginning and complete the whole thing)
Hungarian
Audio: Let’s Learn Hungarian!
Course: LiveMocha
French
Audio: Walk, Talk and Learn French
Read the Canadian news on radio-canada.ca. I won’t worry too much about understanding everything and looking up every new word but more about getting a lot of reading/listening practice.
Italian
Audio: My Daily Phrase Italian Podcast
Course: LingQ Italian
Swedish
Audio: SwedishLingQ Podcast
Course: LiveMocha
I will stick with these ones and not be tempted to search out new ones until I am finished with these ones!
What’s your current level in Spanish? I mean, there’s no way you’ll reach C1 using a course, especially not when you’re using some beginners course like Hugo.
Past, let’s say A2/B1, only getting input and reading will get your further.
You’re right, I might have to reconsider that.
I’m at about B1 right now.
Absolutely you should limit the number of resources! When I started Mandarin and Arabic, I immediately went out and bought (or borrowed) a dictionary, a grammar book, a phrasebook, and an audio course, plus I would try to find a magazine and a bunch of websites. I found I spent more time looking for the perfect resource that I never got around to reading the ones I had on hand. Option paralysis!
Now, like you, I limit myself to one audio course and one phrasebook/grammar book/self-study guide at a time (and even then I don’t really use the former once I’ve figured out the pronunciation).
It’s reassuring when others come to the same conclusion. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing which resources you chose. I’m going to give the Italian podcast a try.
Great! I hope you find it useful!
Did it help you progress once you narrowed down your resources?