Answer Question
Is my learning method poor?
I just began Level 4 of Latin American Spanish today. I finished Level 3 a few weeks ago but seem to always have this feeling of "cooling off" prior to begin a new level. So I wait a few weeks (or a month) before jumping into a new level. The past few weeks I've listened to the podcasts from Level 3 as well the audio component, chatted with natives via Skype, talked to natives a bit (although not nearly as much as I'd like to), watched some Spanish TV/Movies, reading blogs among other things. I did some of this while going through Level 3 as well.
My thought is that I could probably whip through a whole level in 6 weeks or less if I worked on Fluenz over an hour a day. Maybe I could whip through a level in a month this method. Since I want to retain a lot, I go slow...sometimes it takes me 3-4 days just to get through a single lesson. Other times just 2 days. When I go this slow...and if I only work on Fluenz...then I'm spending maybe 15-30 minutes a night practicing on a lesson and maybe the same driving in my car listening/practicing to Fluenz audio.
When I began Fluenz 4 Sonia talked about focusing your studying. I still don't know if I understand HOW to focus. I realize that all the previous learning besides Fluenz the past few weeks (or months)...could be considered unfocused. Chatting/Talking with a native who says an unfamiliar phrase and then looking it up or asking for explanation....watching a movie and pausing to gain vocab....reading blog posts about spanish from other sites..etc. All this learning is all over the map...Fluenz is structured and is a great base. I realize if I learn a word I will forget it soon unless I use it often or it has a lot of relevant meaning to me.
Should I be using Fluenz only and avoid other teachers and tools? Should I practice 1-2 hours on the Fluenz computer program a night instead of 15-30min? Should I repeat and repeat lessons instead of moving on? How do I focus?
Thanks,
My thought is that I could probably whip through a whole level in 6 weeks or less if I worked on Fluenz over an hour a day. Maybe I could whip through a level in a month this method. Since I want to retain a lot, I go slow...sometimes it takes me 3-4 days just to get through a single lesson. Other times just 2 days. When I go this slow...and if I only work on Fluenz...then I'm spending maybe 15-30 minutes a night practicing on a lesson and maybe the same driving in my car listening/practicing to Fluenz audio.
When I began Fluenz 4 Sonia talked about focusing your studying. I still don't know if I understand HOW to focus. I realize that all the previous learning besides Fluenz the past few weeks (or months)...could be considered unfocused. Chatting/Talking with a native who says an unfamiliar phrase and then looking it up or asking for explanation....watching a movie and pausing to gain vocab....reading blog posts about spanish from other sites..etc. All this learning is all over the map...Fluenz is structured and is a great base. I realize if I learn a word I will forget it soon unless I use it often or it has a lot of relevant meaning to me.
Should I be using Fluenz only and avoid other teachers and tools? Should I practice 1-2 hours on the Fluenz computer program a night instead of 15-30min? Should I repeat and repeat lessons instead of moving on? How do I focus?
Thanks,