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?