Finishing Pimsleur Italian I and more cross-training
I finished up Pimsleur Italian I today. Nice course. It would have been nice to have less cursory introductions to the past tense and informal forms, but on the whole the course covers a lot of ground. I don't think I learned more than a word or two - most of it was familiar from earlier studies - but the big challenge for language is not getting it into your brain, but getting it to come out of your mouth, and Pimsleur is very good for this. I'm speaking Italian as comfortably as I ever have.
When you're done with Pimsleur Italian I, you can conjugate a handful of verbs in the present tense, ask for things politely, set appointments, discuss money and a lot of other everyday stuff. And you'll have a framework for expanding your knowledge. If you're thinking of learning Italian and have no background, this is a great, albeit expensive, course. If you read Italian, but can't speak it, the conversational course should be more than enough.
***
While I've been doing Pimsleur Italian, I've also been working on Pimsleur Spanish and (much less) on Michel Thomas Mandarin. In the past, when I've tried this, it's been a confusing endeavor. A few thoughts though: If you're learning two new languages, that's a problem. If you're playing with a couple languages you're solid in while learning a new one, that's great. Other than a profound desire to say "Voglio comer," I've had minimal problems with interference since about the third day of doing Spanish and Italian together. To the contrary, I'm getting used to the languages having to take turns and feel a little stronger in both.
***
The other day, I wrote about journaling and language learning. I see that Josh is doing this in his own way with a language log at how-to-learn-any-language.com. This is one good approach because it makes you publicly accountable. Another approach - the one I mentioned - is to keep a ledger. I've been keeping just such a ledger. Here are the rules:
30 pts. for a Pimsleur lesson (Italian or Spanish)
30 pts. for starting a Michel Thomas disc (Mandarin)
30 pts. for finishing a Michel Thomas disc (Mandarin)
10 pts. for an Assimil lesson (Italian)
Daily study is necessary, so -10 pts. for any day without studying.
Cramming is unproductive, so 45 pts. maximum for any given day.
New programs with comparable point totals can only be added after these are done.
When I reach 600 pts., I get a prize: the 8-disc Michel Thomas Arabic.
I started my ledger on October 19. Since I've been on vacation off and on, most days I've gotten 45. But one day when I worked, I only got 10 pts. - I read an Assimil lesson on the bus.
When I started the program, I had done the first 14 lessons of Pimsleur Italian, the first two of Pimsleur Spanish and the first 5 discs of Michel Thomas Mandarin. As of today, I've finished Pimsleur Italian I, as noted above. But I am also on lesson 15 of Pimsleur Spanish I and am halfway through disc 7 of MT Mandarin. And I am at 415 pts.
You'd think the vacation was the biggest help, but I've been on vacations before where I did even less than I was squeezing in on workdays. Keeping the ledger, though, has kept me accountable and given me a material goal, rather than just the satisfaction of learning, to work toward. We'll see how it goes when I return to work tomorrow, but there's something to be said for quantifying your progress on a daily basis in a way that you keep gaining as long as you keep working.
When you're done with Pimsleur Italian I, you can conjugate a handful of verbs in the present tense, ask for things politely, set appointments, discuss money and a lot of other everyday stuff. And you'll have a framework for expanding your knowledge. If you're thinking of learning Italian and have no background, this is a great, albeit expensive, course. If you read Italian, but can't speak it, the conversational course should be more than enough.
***
While I've been doing Pimsleur Italian, I've also been working on Pimsleur Spanish and (much less) on Michel Thomas Mandarin. In the past, when I've tried this, it's been a confusing endeavor. A few thoughts though: If you're learning two new languages, that's a problem. If you're playing with a couple languages you're solid in while learning a new one, that's great. Other than a profound desire to say "Voglio comer," I've had minimal problems with interference since about the third day of doing Spanish and Italian together. To the contrary, I'm getting used to the languages having to take turns and feel a little stronger in both.
***
The other day, I wrote about journaling and language learning. I see that Josh is doing this in his own way with a language log at how-to-learn-any-language.com. This is one good approach because it makes you publicly accountable. Another approach - the one I mentioned - is to keep a ledger. I've been keeping just such a ledger. Here are the rules:
30 pts. for a Pimsleur lesson (Italian or Spanish)
30 pts. for starting a Michel Thomas disc (Mandarin)
30 pts. for finishing a Michel Thomas disc (Mandarin)
10 pts. for an Assimil lesson (Italian)
Daily study is necessary, so -10 pts. for any day without studying.
Cramming is unproductive, so 45 pts. maximum for any given day.
New programs with comparable point totals can only be added after these are done.
When I reach 600 pts., I get a prize: the 8-disc Michel Thomas Arabic.
I started my ledger on October 19. Since I've been on vacation off and on, most days I've gotten 45. But one day when I worked, I only got 10 pts. - I read an Assimil lesson on the bus.
When I started the program, I had done the first 14 lessons of Pimsleur Italian, the first two of Pimsleur Spanish and the first 5 discs of Michel Thomas Mandarin. As of today, I've finished Pimsleur Italian I, as noted above. But I am also on lesson 15 of Pimsleur Spanish I and am halfway through disc 7 of MT Mandarin. And I am at 415 pts.
You'd think the vacation was the biggest help, but I've been on vacations before where I did even less than I was squeezing in on workdays. Keeping the ledger, though, has kept me accountable and given me a material goal, rather than just the satisfaction of learning, to work toward. We'll see how it goes when I return to work tomorrow, but there's something to be said for quantifying your progress on a daily basis in a way that you keep gaining as long as you keep working.
2 Comments:
The blog is good and attractive.
that's great work you have learnt different languages and writing some
good stuff on them..keep it up.
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learn spanish online
Glad to hear that Pimsleur Italian is working for you. Keeping track of progress and staying motivated is the way to go!
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