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If you’re learning a language “for fun” or without a definite deadline, without a test looming over you, you probably aren’t putting as much time into it as you would like. In that case, a challenge could help you.

There are several types of language challenges online.

The “6 Week Challenge”

In the “6 Week Challenge”, the goal is to study as many hours as possible during six weeks. There is an online highscore where you can see your score and the scores of the other participants at any time, and maybe that will encourage you to make an extra effort. To participate in the “6 Week Challenge”, you must not be intermediate or higher in your chosen target language.

The “Tadoku – Read more or die”

This challenge is about reading as many pages as possible during a defined period (typically 4 weeks). Many participants study Japanese and you have to respect their determination to plow through books in a foreign script.

The “Super Challenge”

This is a long-term challenge, it lasts 20 months. During that time, you try to read 10,000 book pages and to watch 100 hours of movies (there is also another version of the challenge where numbers are cut in half). Additionally, you can choose to challenge yourself to have 100 conversations or write 100 texts. All this must be done in a language where you have not reached an upper-intermediate (B2) level, because the challenge is a commitment to improve considerably. The participants’ scores can be found online as well.

The “Total Annihilation Challenge”

Contrary to the other challenges, this one doesn’t use scores, nor is there a page for comparing yourself to others. It is simply about making a public commitment to do one’s best in the coming year and to describe one’s progress in a public log. There is a possibility of forming teams. The winners are those who haven’t given up by the end of the year.

So?

Is it crazy? Yes. But it is safe to say that ANY of these challenges would lead to great improvement of your language level. Why not give it a try?

Si vous apprenez une langue pour le plaisir ou sans date limite définitive butoire, sans un examen qui vous attend, vous n’y consacrez probablement pas autant de temps que vous le souhaiteriez. Dans ce cas, un défi pourrait vous y aider.

Il y a plusieurs types de défis de langue en ligne: le 6 Week Challenge, le Tadoku, le Super Challenge et le Total Annihilation Challenge.

Le “6 Week Challenge”

Dans le “6 Week Challenge”, le but est d’étudier le plus d’heures possibles pendant six semaines. Il y a un highscore en ligne où vous pouvez à tout moment voir votre score et ceux des autres participants, et peut-être cela vous encouragera à y consacrer davantage d’efforts. Pour participer au “6 Week Challenge”, vous ne pouvez pas avoir un niveau intermédiaire ou avancé dans la langue choisie.

Le “Tadoku – Read more or die”

Là, il s’agit de lire le plus de pages pendant une période définie (normalement 4 semaines). Beaucoup des participants étudient le japonais, et on ne peut que respecter leur détermination à lire des livres dans un alphabet différent. 

Le “Super Challenge”

Ce défi est à long terme, il dure 20 mois. Pendant ce temps, on s’impose de lire 10.000 pages de livres et de regarder 100 heures de films (il y a aussi une version du défi avec les quantités réduites de moitié). En plus, on peut s’imposer d’avoir 100 conversations et/ou écrire 100 textes (sur lang-8 par exemple). Tout cela dans une langue de niveau B1 ou inférieur, parce que le défi est un engagement à s’améliorer considérablement dans une langue. Les scores des participants se trouvent en ligne aussi.

Le “Total Annihilation Challenge”

Contrairement aux autres défis, celui-ci n’utilise ni des scores, ni une page pour se comparer avec les autres. Il s’agit simplement d’un engagement publique de faire son mieux pendant l’année prochaine et de décrire son progrès dans un carnet public. Il y a la possibilité de former des équipes. Les gagnents sont ceux qui ne renoncent pas au défi avant la fin de l’année.

Alors?

Est-ce un peu fou? Oui. Mais on peut dire sans hésiter que n’importe lequel de ces défis entraînera une amélioration considérable de votre niveau de langue. Pourquoi pas l’essayer?

One of the most beneficial things to do in your target language is to write a text and then have it corrected – for example for free on Lang-8. This way you will

• know what vocabulary you’re missing
• test out new grammar that you’re not sure about
• learn a lot from the corrections
• be prepared for a conversation on the same topic, where you won’t have as much time to think

I personally love this exercise, but I’m not a creative person and I never know what to write about…

Just now I signed up for the Super Challenge and one of the requirements is to write 100 texts in the target language (Chinese in my case). So to stop the “Don’t know what to write about” excuse dead in its tracks, I have compiled a HUGE list of possible topics. By the way, these topics also work if you’re looking for something to talk about with your language partner..

I have roughly sorted them into topics. Even so the list can be quite daunting. I suggest deciding on a general topic beforehand, then thinking of a random number n and scrolling down the list until you reach the n-th item in that category, then taking that as a topic.

Topics:

About yourself
Your experiences
Languages
Education
Stories
History
Modernity
The Future
Ideas for laws
Human Rights
Philosophical Questions
Political views
Society
Media
Health & Environment
Work
Sports
Misc

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The list:

About yourself

If you had to choose a few words to describe yourself, what words would you choose and why?
Do you like the town you’re living in? What makes it a good place to live?
Where have you always wanted to go and what would your dream holiday there be like?
Under which circumstances would you move abroad (to spend most of your life there) and to where?
What would you do with a million dollars? Would you stop working?
Do you prefer cooking or going to a restaurant? What kind of food do you like?
Describe a friend. (Can be used for more than one text)
What are your goals?
What are the 6 things you can’t live without, and why?
What are the 6 things you can live without, and why?
Which of the four seasons of the year appeals to you the most? Why?
What is your biggest passion?
What’s on your bucket list?
If you were given one month to work on one project and one project only, what would it be?
If your doctor told you that you had only a few months to live, how would you alter your way of life?
What’s your biggest secret?
What’s your biggest fear?
How does your public image differ from your private self?
If you could have a conversation with a famous person (living or dead), whom would you choose?
If you were to be deprived of one of your five senses (sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing) which one would you most hate to give up?
Do you function best in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Explain.
Why did you choose the career you chose / are preparing for?
What do you hope to accomplish within the next ten years?
If you could make one scientific discovery in your lifetime, what would it be? Why?
If you could hold any job for one year, what would you choose?
What is your most prized possession? Why? (Do NOT write about a person.)
What is the best advice you ever got?
Do you think of yourself as a “goal-oriented” person?
Which of your talents do you value most? Why?
Do you read the newspaper every day? Why or why not?
If you could participate in only one extracurricular activity, which would you choose?
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
If you had the power to do one thing to improve the world, what would you do?
If you could buy one very expensive thing, what would it be?
What situations are most stressful for you?
What do you do to cope with stress?
What is your favorite source of entertainment? Explain why.
Discuss the influence that a relative (other than a parent) has had in your life.
Given the choice, would you rather live in the mountains or near the beach?
If you were to set up a personal museum of the most significant objects you own, what would you include and why?
Do you like surprises?
What kind of person really annoys you? (Can be used more than once)
What have you been promising to throw out for years but just cannot seem to part with?
People dress to project an image or to follow trends or to be comfortable. Discuss why you dress the way you do.
Name some of your family’s traditions (perhaps concerning holidays, birthdays, vacations, or other activities) and discuss why they are important to you.
How are you different from your parents (or other adults significant in your upbringing)?
Do you like being in the presence of small children? Discuss why or why not.
How is your generation different from your parents’ generation? Discuss.
If your need for sleep were reduced to only one or two hours, what would you do with the added time while others are sleeping?
What kinds of people do you enjoy most?
What things about yourself would you most like to improve?
If you suddenly found that your home was on fire and you had time to rescue only a few belongings, what would you save?
If you could take one entire year off from your responsibilities of school or work, how
would you spend that year?
If you could begin next year with one new ability, what would it be?
If you could be a fictional character who could walk off the page of a book, what character would you become and what would you do? Explain.
When you are unhappy, what do you do that usually makes you feel better?
What animal do you like (or dislike) the most?
Would you rather spend a weekend with your friends or your family?
If you could wake up tomorrow as someone else, who would it be and why?
How are you different from your best friend?
Are you motivated more by external rewards (such as money or grades) or internal rewards (such as self-esteem or integrity)?
If you had to live life as an animal, which animal would you prefer to be and why?

Your experiences

Describe your day today or yesterday. (Can be used more than once)
What’s something interesting/funny/awesome/embarassing that happened to you or a friend recently? +
What are you most proud of?
Who was your favourite or least favourite teacher at school, and why?
What was your favourite vacation experience so far?
If you could change one thing about your childhood, what would it be?
What was the most important event of your life? Discuss why this event was so important.
Which do you believe has been more influential in your life — good luck (chance) or good decisions?
If you could relive one day in your life, which day would it be?
Discuss a New Year’s resolution that you actually kept (or wish you had).
What influences from the past have helped shape the person you are today?
If you could take back any deed you have done and do it differently, what would it be? Why?
What is the dumbest thing you ever did? Explain why you did it.
Describe a decision you have made that has been particularly significant to you.
During what period of your life have you been the happiest?
What really scared you when you were a child that you now consider humorous?
What is the most frustrating thing that regularly happens to you?
Failure can often teach more than success can. Has failure ever taught you a valuable lesson?
If you wrote a book about your life, would it be a comedy, a tragedy, or a combination of the two?
Have your attitudes changed much in the last five years?

Languages

What languages are you currently learning and why?
How do you go about learning languages? What tips can you give newbies? (Can be used more than once)
Would you consider eventually learning an artificial language, such as Esperanto or Elvish?
Are you drawn to dead languages like Latin, Ancient Greek or Ancient Egyptian?
Would you learn an endangered language in an effort to save it?
Could high schools teach foreign languages well?
Should immigrants be encouraged to speak the national language at home as much as possible?
Should every student be required to learn a second language?

Education

Is high school a good place to find out who you really are?
Is too much emphasis placed on grades in our educational system?
What advice would you give to an entering college freshman?
Which courses that you did not take in high school do you now wish you had taken?
What are the characteristics of a good college student?
Should high school students have complete freedom to choose their own courses?
How should public high schools deal with students considered to be constant troublemakers?
“Self-discipline is the most important ingredient for success.” Attack or defend.
What steps should be taken to improve the quality of education in our public schools?
Should college students be required to take physical education courses? Why or why not?
Is it better to know a little about many subjects than to know a lot about one subject?
What are some possible reasons for the decline in the reading skills of high school students?
What could be done to make students more interested in learning about science?
Suicide among high school and college students is on the rise in this country. Discuss possible reasons why young people take their own lives.
Discuss some of the pressures on high school students.
Explain what motivates students to strive for good grades in school.
What pointers could you give to help students with poor study habits?
Is it an advantage or a disadvantage to have a job while attending school?
What types of students do you like to have in your classes?
Should high school students be required to wear uniforms?
Should schools establish dress codes?
Should the school year be extended to include longer hours and more days required to obtain a high school diploma?
Is there anything that teachers can learn from students?
With the widespread availability of calculators, is it necessary for students to learn arithmetic?

Stories

Describe a book you read. (Can use this topic more than once)
What kind of book / movie / music do you like? (Can use this topic more than once)
Describe a movie or TV show you watched. (Can use this topic more than once)
Tell a short story, or re-tell one you know. (Can use this topic more than once)

History

In your opinion, what invention or discovery has brought about the most far-reaching and lasting changes in our civilization?
If you had the power to change any event in history (outcome of an election, who won a war, etc.), which would you choose to change, and why?
If you could live in some other historical period, which would you choose, and why?
What do you consider the most important event of the past decade?
Presidential greatness is often debated by professional historians. Which historic head of state would you identify as the greatest? Justify your selection.
Has the space program benefited the average American?
What was the most useless invention of the twentieth century?

Modernity

How do you feel about electronic readers, such as the Kindle, as opposed to paper books?
If you wrote a book, would you publish it electronically and why?
“In spite of advances in scientific knowledge, people are still superstitious.” Agree or disagree.
Are people too dependent on the automobile?
Do people seem unable to relax in their leisure time?
Given all the evidence that cigarette smoking is harmful, why do people continue to smoke cigarettes?
What would you place in a time-capsule to allow people opening the capsule 1,000 years from now to understand life in the 1990’s?
It has been said that computers are taking over our lives. Do you agree or disagree?
Is the person without knowledge of computers handicapped?
Would you choose to be an organ donor?
Have computers made our lives easier or more complicated? Explain.
Is the Internet getting better or worse?

The Future

Do you think humans will encounter an alien lifeform in the next 150 years?
If you could take a one-way trip to colonize a new planet, would you?
Will our grandchildren’s lives be as different from ours as ours are from our grandparents’?
If the average life span were increased to 150 years, what major changes in society would you expect?
If you could have a household robot, for what jobs would you want it programmed?
If you were among the first colonizers of a new planet in the twenty-first century, what would you NOT want your fellow colonists to transport from the planet Earth?
Would you want to survive a nuclear war?
What should be invented, but has not yet been, that would make your life easier? Explain.
What are some major changes you expect to see in your country during the early part of the twenty-first century?

Ideas for laws

What should the legal drinking age be? (also with regard to the age of getting a license)
How should we deal with minors who commit grave crimes, e. g. murder?
What do you think of compulsory military service?
Should it be legal to kill someone at their request, for example when they’re gravely ill and in a lot of pain?
If you could ban anything in the world, what would it be and why?
If you could pass one law, what would it be?
Should the custom of tipping be abolished?

Human Rights

Do you believe that governments should have the right to prevent certain news stories from being published?
Is it okay for Germany to ban the sale of Hitler’s book “Mein Kampf” and to make hate speech a crime?
Is torture or threat of torture ever acceptable?
“Human rights” is a term frequently used but seldom defined. What rights should belong to every human being?

Philosophical Questions

What characterizes a good person, or an evil one?
Name someone you consider to be a modern hero or heroine and explain why.
What characteristics do you regard as important in a person you would choose as a friend?
Which do you think has a greater effect on a person — heredity or environment?
Should the state try to make people have healthier lifestyles?
Discuss the most important characteristics an elected official should have. Is it possible for anger ever to be beneficial?
Knowledge can be gained from books and scientific observation. What are some other important sources of knowledge, and why are they valuable?
Whom would you identify as a truly wise person? What makes him or her seem wise to you?
What is the value of recreation?
Is increased life expectancy a blessing or a curse?
What is the value of foreign travel?
Does a person have to be wealthy and powerful in order to be considered successful?
Should animals be used in medical research?
Should people accept it as their duty to take care of their aging parents?
Is there ever a situation in which a person should hide his or her true feelings? Explain.
What does someone have to do to earn respect? Discuss.
Are there situations in which lying is appropriate? Discuss.
“The best things in life are free.” Discuss why you agree or disagree with this statement.
It has been said that winning is not the most important thing; it’s the only thing.
Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.
How do you measure success?
Explain what it means to be an honourable person.

Political views

Is it the responsibility of rich countries to share their food supplies with the hungry people of the world?
How do you feel about nuclear energy?
Do you think the (national or global) economy is heading in a good direction?
Do you make donations to any cause?
Discuss one cause for which you would be willing to risk your life.
If you could donate a thousand dollars to a charity, which one would you choose? Why?
What do you think of the current drug policy?
Could you be friends with someone who was unpatriotic?
Is there a way the system could be more democratic?
What contemporary problem do you find most disturbing?
When was the last time you changed your mind about something after reading a book or article or listening to a debate?

Society

What can be done to improve the treatment of the elderly?
What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of growing up in a large family as opposed to a small family?
Each year, many teenagers run away from home. What do you think are the chief causes?
What are the best ways to meet new friends?
Explain the chief reasons why students drop out of high school.
Explain why you would or would not want to live in a large city.
Should children be disciplined by physical punishment?
What steps need to be taken in order to reduce crime?
Do you believe that violence in television programs leads to violence in our society?
How great a role do you think “knowing the right people” plays in getting ahead in school or at work?
What are the essential characteristics of a good parent?
Should court proceedings be televised? Explain why or why not.
Discuss some of the status symbols of today’s society.
Should prison inmates be allowed to take college courses? Explain why or why not. ?
Choose a profession whose members make a worthwhile contribution to society and discuss the benefits that society receives from members of this profession.
What, in your opinion, are some of the reasons so many people have pets?
Apart from chronological age, what are some major differences between an adolescent and an adult?
We now have more people over 65 than at any other time. What are the major effects of this increased proportion of older people?
What do you think are the major effects of divorce upon children?
What are the most important skills and/or values that children learn from their parents?
Most people consider themselves part of a particular generation. Discuss what you consider the most important values of your generation.
“We waste a great natural resource: the elderly.” Agree or disagree.
Beauty contests, despite some criticism, are still very popular. In your opinion, what are the chief reasons for their popularity?
What do you consider to be your duties as a citizen?
Why are many people afraid of growing old?
Discuss some of the advantages and/or disadvantages of having three or more generations of a family living together under the same roof.
Publishers report that horoscope columns are among the most widely read features in newspapers. Do you check your astrological forecast from time to time? Why or why not?
What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of being single?
Should parents encourage their teenage children to work even if the family does not need the money?
Why do so many people like to have collections of something (antiques, coins, stamps, dolls)?
Do people place too much emphasis on physical appearance?
Do you think that most people would rather conform (be like everyone else in a group) than stand out as individuals?

Media

With news readily available from the electronic media, why are newspapers still
popular?
Which advertisements do you find most appealing or offensive? Why?
Has television brought members of the family together?
Watching the “soaps” has become a common pastime. Why are these television shows so popular?
Why do people still go to movie theaters despite the availability of television movies and video rentals?
Discuss the influence that advertising has had on your life or the lives of your friends.
In general, do movies and/or television programs provide a realistic picture of life in
America?
Why do you believe radio has continued to be popular in the age of television?
If you were forced to live without television, how would you spend the time you normally spend watching TV?
How do you account for the popularity of horror films?
What are the chief reasons for our youth’s interest in music videos?
Why are television talk shows so popular?
Why do many people prefer watching television news shows to reading newspapers?
Some people have begun to regulate the hours of television that their children may watch each week by giving each child a “television allowance” time. Do you believe that this is a good idea?

Health & Environment

Do you do anything to be eco-friendly?
Is concern for a clean environment a dead issue today?
Are people in the U.S. overly concerned about being thin?
Why do Americans eat so much junk food?
Americans are fast becoming the most overweight people in the world. To what do you attribute this trend?
Explain why you do or do not smoke.
How much do you think people influence their own health through their attitudes and lifestyles?
Why do people do stuff that is bad for them?

Work

Is there any job that you would absolutely refuse to take?
Talk a bit about your experience interviewing for a job.
If you were an employer, under what circumstances would you fire an employee?
Is it beneficial for a high school graduate to work full-time for a year before entering college?
What are the essential characteristics of an effective leader?
Would you like to be a candidate for public office? Why or why not?
What is the difference between “good” and “bad” stress?
Americans generally condemn daydreaming as a waste of time. Do you agree with this view, or do you see some benefits of daydreaming?

Sports

Name your favorite game or sport and explain why you find it enjoyable.
Do you think that sports help develop good character?
Are spectator sports overemphasized in this country today?
Should the government subsidize the national Olympic teams? Why or why not?
“Professional athletes and entertainers are among the highest paid people in this country — and justifiably so.” Agree or disagree.
What do sports reveal about American culture? Discuss.

Misc

Can the design of our house have an effect on our happiness?
Is marriage a good idea?
In your view, what would most impress (favorably or unfavorably) a foreign student spending his or her first weekend in a home in your country?
What do you think it means to be well-informed? Are you?
What is one of the worst things that people do to one another?
What do you think is lost in the process of growing up?
In what situations can laughter be especially helpful?

If you write about these on Lang-8, add me as a friend and I’ll gladly read over them and suggest corrections.

Se vi jam legis ĉiujn informojn haveblajn ĉi tie kaj vi ankoraŭ havas demandojn, mi volonte estos via propra lingvolernada mentoro. Mi povas

• taksi vian nunan nivelon kaj konsili pri kio estu via venonta prioritato, konsiderante viajn proprajn celojn
• sugesti la plej bonajn metodojn por atingi viajn celojn
• krei vian studadoplanon por helpi al vi atingi la venontan nivelon
• esti via ekstera motivanto por certigi ke vi sekvos la planon
• krei specialajn ekzercojn aŭ lecionojn por helpi vin transiri blokaĵojn
• respondi lingvo-rilatajn demandojn

Ĉion ĉi por ege akceptebla kotizo, ĉar mi volas ke vi sukcesos! Kontaktu min nun, priskribante vian situacion kaj menciante ke vi bezonas mentoron.

Memstudado havas grandajn avantaĝojn kompare kun regulaj klasoj:

• Ĝi malfermiĝas al ĉiu ajn, ĉiuaĝe, de ĉiu nacieco kaj eĉ funkcias se vi loĝas 100 mejlojn for de la plej proksima vilaĝo.
• Vi povas studi ĉiun temon, kiu interesas vin, inkluzive de ekzotikaj lingvoj nekonataj de viaj lokaj instruistoj.
• Ne necesas iri al la klasejo. Studu komforte hejme, en parko, sur plaĝo… eĉ se vi eksterlandas ferie vi ne devas ĉanceligi viajn lecionojn.
• Cetere, vi ne devas interkonsenti pri tempo por klasoj. Studu kiam ajn vi volas kaj se vi konstatas ke vi havas 15 liberajn minutojn ĝis kiam la infanoj venas hejmen, vi povas tuj enigi iom da studadotempo tiam.
• Vi ne nur decidas kion lerni, vi ankaŭ decidas kiel lerni ĝin. Elektu la metodon kiu plej bone funkcias por vi kaj kiun vi plej ĝuas. Elektu la kurson kiu plej bonas por via celo. Elektu vian studadorapidecon – vi ne devos atendi ĝis kiam samklasanoj pretas – kaj se vi mem ne komprenas ion, vi povas daŭrigi ĝis kiam vi komprenas.

La nura malavantaĝo, kiun multaj memstudaj libroj havas, estas ke malmultas gvidado – se io ne klaras, la libro ne inkluzivas instruiston por klarigi ĝin. Kelkfoje eĉ mankas memkorektigaj ekzercoj por konfirmi al vi ĉu vi vere komprenis. Tio estas unu el la aferoj, kiujn learnlangs.com ŝanĝas: ĉiuj senkostaj kursoj kaj la rekomenditaj memstudoj libroj inkluzivas ekzercojn kaj vi povas trovi mentorojn kiuj respondos al viaj demandoj.

Kiel studi

Se vi ne tro certas kiel memstudi ion, jen kelkaj ĝeneralaj konsiloj.

Unue, vi pritaksu la kursojn kaj studmaterialojn, kiujn vi volus uzi. Vidu ĉu la fokuso de la lecionoj kongruas kun viaj interesoj, ĉu la eksplikoj estas facile kompreneblaj, ĉu la ekzercoj estas utilaj, ĉu la uzata metodo permesas al vi lerni rapide. Eble faru ekzemplan lecionon aŭ du por ekscii. Se vi trovas ke la materialoj malsufiĉas, vi povas aŭ trovi aldonajn rimedojn por helpi vin (ekz. alian libron kun pli bonaj ekzercoj aŭ mentoron kiu donos pli detalajn eksplikojn) aŭ vi povas forĵeti la materialojn kaj serĉi pli bonajn.

La sekva paŝo estas elpensi studadoplanon, kiu dividas vian finan celon (ekz. paroli la germanan flue) en malgrandajn paŝojn kiuj pli facile atingeblas kaj kontroleblas (ekz. studi kaj revizi unu lecionon antaŭ merkredo). Eĉ se vi studas “por amuziĝi” sen limdato, vi konstatos ke bona memelektita limdato ege helpas por certigi ke vi progresas.

Kiam vi ekhavas studadoplanon, nur provu sekvi ĝin kiel eble plej bone. Provu studi ĉiutage, eĉ se nur dum 5 minutoj, anstataŭ studi longe dum unu tago semajne. Tiaj longaj studsesioj ne tre efikas kaj ankaŭ pli malfacilas trovi tempon por ili. Eksperimentu per diversaj lernoteknikoj kaj lerniloj por eltrovi tion, kio plej bonas por vi. Ekzistas grandaj diferencoj inter specoj da lernantoj. Tio, kio bonas por amiko de vi, ne nepre bonos por vi, sed eble vi trovos metodon kiu permesos al vi progresi eĉ pli rapide. Kaj ĉiu kapablas trovi ion, kio pli bone funkcias ol monotona parkerado.

Se vi ankoraŭ malcertas kiel studi, kiuj bonaj materialoj troviĝas rete, kiujn lernoteknikojn indas provi, kiel reteni vian motivecon aŭ kiel ne forgesi lernitaĵojn, mi pretas persone konsili vin. Eltrovu pli!

Mi ĵus organizis novspecan lingvopraktikan rondon. La ideo baziĝis sur la “aligatorejo”, kiun oni vidas ĉe esperantistaj renkontiĝoj. En tiu ĉi multlingva video mi eksplikas la koncepton. Se vi malŝaltas la subtitolojn, vi povas senti vin kiel en aligatorejo.

Tiu ĉi video troviĝas sur Youtube en mia kanalo.

I’d like to wish all readers a happy Chinese new year! In this video I talk about my plans for improving my Chinese. It’s in Chinese, but I added English subtitles, which you can find using the CC button.

Note that I haven’t had anyone check the Chinese for errors, nor edited anything – does anyone know a good video editor, preferably open-source?

This video can be found on Youtube in my channel.

The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) trains American diplomats to go from zero to ILR 3+ (roughly equivalent to C1) level in German in less than one year. I was lucky to give extra lessons to some of the recipients of this program. Here’s what we did, and what they will have to do in the exam. If you have no idea how to reach ILR 3+ / C1 level, try this approach with your teacher or language partner, it seemed to be effective.

First, teacher and student should agree on a long list of topics beforehand. The FSI uses social and cultural topics such as human rights, the environment, tourism, the school system, military service, the role of technology/women/religion/family in society, differences between rural and urban life, holidays and holiday traditions, the labor market and finding a job, drug trafficking, nationalism and patriotism, unemployment, immigration and integration, and so on.

Speaking exercise: Student talks. The teacher gives a choice of 5 of the topics from the list, the student picks one, has 5 minutes to prepare and then gives a short talk about it, also answering questions at the end. The teacher doesn’t interrupt except if invited; corrections are discussed at the end.

Listening comprehension / conversation exercise: Interviews. The teacher gives a choice of 5 of the topics from the list, the student picks one and then has to interview the teacher about it and to try to understand what is said (taking notes). The teacher will keep talking until interrupted, because this is also an exercise in controlling the flow of information. The student is supposed to stop him before it becomes too much information to handle, or ask further questions if anything was unclear. At the end, the student summarizes what he learned in his native language, and the teacher will let him know if he misunderstood or forgot anything important.

Reading comprehension exercise. The teacher suggests a newspaper article. The student gets enough time to read it through twice and then has to summarize each paragraph, as well as translate any sentences indicated by the teacher, to prove his ability to understand most if not all of of the article.

Self-study has some great advantages when compared to regular schooling:

• It’s open to anyone, of any age, any nationality and even living 100 miles from the next village is no obstacle.
• Any subject of interest can be studied, including exotic languages that your local High School teachers haven’t even heard about.
• There is no need to commute to the lessons. Study in the comfort of your own home, in a park, on the beach… even if you go on holidays you don’t have to cancel your classes.
• For that matter, you don’t have to make an appointment for classes anyways. Study whenever you feel like it and if you find you have 15 minutes to spare until the kids come home, you can squeeze in a little study session right then and there.
• Just as you decide what to learn, you also decide how to learn it. Choose the method that works best for you and that you enjoy the most. Choose the course that is most suitable for your purpose. Choose the pace at which you complete it – you won’t have to wait for classmates to catch up and if you don’t understand something, you can spend as much time on it as you need.

The only disadvantage that many self-study books have is that there is little guidance – if something it not clear, the book doesn’t come with a teacher to explain it. Sometimes there are not even auto-correct exercises to show you whether you really understood. This is one of the things that this site changes: all free courses and the recommended self-study books come with exercises and you can find tutors to answer your questions. Please use the menu above in order to navigate the site.

How to study

If you are not too sure how to go about studying a subject on your own, here are some general tips.

First, you should evaluate any courses and learning materials that you may wish to use. See whether the focus of the lessons matches your interest, whether the explanations are easy to understand, whether the exercises are useful, whether the general method used is one that allows you to learn quickly. You may have to do a sample lesson or two in order to really know this. If you find that the material is lacking, you can either find additional resources to help you along (e. g. another book that provides better exercises, or a tutor that you can ask for more detailed explanations) or you can drop what you have and look for materials that meet all your expectations.

The next step is to set up a study plan that will break your final goal (e. g. speaking German fluently) into little steps that are easier to achieve and easier to control (e. g. study and review one lesson till Wednesday). Even if you’re studying "for fun", without any deadline, you will find that a reasonable deadline you set for yourself is very helpful to ensure you’re making progress.

Once you have a study plan, just follow it. Try to learn a little bit every day, even if it is just for 5 minutes, rather than having long study sessions once a week. Such long study sessions aren’t very effective and they are more difficult to schedule, too. Also, experiment with various learning techniques and learning aids in order to find out which ones work best for you. There are huge differences in learning types, so what worked well for your friend needn’t work well for you, but you might find a technique that allows you to make even more progress. And everybody can find something more effective than rote memorisation.

If you’re still unsure how to go about studying, what good materials are hidden on the web, which learning techniques are worth a try, how to maintain your motivation or focus or how to avoid forgetting what you learned, I’m ready to provide personal advice to you in a counseling session. Find out more!

If you have read all the information available on this site and you still have questions, I’d be happy to be your personal language-learning guide. I can

• determine your current level and identify what you need to focus on next, taking into account your personal goals
• advise you on the best methods to use
• draft your personal study schedule to help you reach the next level
• be your outside control to make sure you adhere to the schedule
• design special exercises or lessons to help you past any roadblocks
• answer any language-related questions

All this for a very reasonable fee, because I want to see you succeed! Contact me now, describing your situation and mentioning that you need a guide.