Studying French... to be continued
It is time potato went back to studying french! My French took a big hit this year with my personal traumatic circumstances but also my trip to Canada which consumed a lot of my time before but of course also during the trip..
And I bet it will take a hit also in the coming months since I have so much to do, nevertheless, i want to make it a daily habit even if I will dedicate little time. I don't want a day to pass by without exposure to some/any french.
The thing is, learning a language doesn't need you to sit down for hours reading text books, as a matter of fact, if you ask me my opinion, this is the least effective method. Being a bit of an OCD, I like to compile detailed notes when I am learning something. BUT, truth is, I NEVER study my notes 🤷♀️ Whenever I took exams, I'd write countless notes while studying huge text books.. I am not sure what good they did me. Until this minute, I am really not sure if writing the information down actually helped me understand it or record it in my memory (a.lot of science says that it doesn't)... but what I know is that they gave me assurance and a good feeling to have them written.. Anyhow, did I ever use these notes before exams for review? NO. HARDLY. Firstly, they were too detailed to use for cramming, and even if they were not, I often just had no time.. Most of the time, I tended to re-watch/listen to videos before exams (1.5 speed), because I know I focus best with visual or audio effects. Then I'd practice what I learned, and that was it. What is the use of the notes which I spent so many hours compiling? Really not sure, but I still made the notes over and over again.
I intend to learn from my mistakes (i still wonder though if writing information down did me any good), and it is going to be VERY CHALLENGING , being the perfectionist and OCD I am who needs to capture every bit of info. I am not going to make useless notes for French which I know deep down will never review at a later stage.. Maybe notes for grammar rules only, with examples, would be helpful, maybe practice conjugations in writing would also be helpful, but I am not going to capture every word and everything new in writing..
I will still study my course notes, but I will do it casually, without the amount of time and focus I usually exert when I am studying because I am copying so many things, almost the entire course into my notes 🤷♀️ This way studying the course notes will take waaaay less time...!
Will record any new words in automated flash cards in some app I have, and i plan to take as little as 10 mins daily to go through the cards..The app is very nice (and free) because it employs artificial intelligence in the sense that when you get cards wrong, it will show them to you more often.
Studying the course, will be my secondary method. I want to listen to more French music but it must be effective listening with the lyrics on... Want to read comic books for kids in French.. And want to watch shows with subtitles.. Again any new words from all of these activities should be transferred to the cards...
I will also write about my day (very briefly) in french in my dairy ( I would do it here, but I am too embarrassed of my French LOL) .. I genuinely think that if I manage to do these little fun things on a daily basis. Doesn't have to be all of them daily, but every day something as my time allows, little by little, I will improve big time without even spending that much time sitting down studying, which I KNOW isn't effective when it comes to languages.
I can only hope I am successful in losing my over perfection and also able to get enough energy and motivation 🙏 Hopefully breaking studying into little chunks like that will do it.
And I bet it will take a hit also in the coming months since I have so much to do, nevertheless, i want to make it a daily habit even if I will dedicate little time. I don't want a day to pass by without exposure to some/any french.
The thing is, learning a language doesn't need you to sit down for hours reading text books, as a matter of fact, if you ask me my opinion, this is the least effective method. Being a bit of an OCD, I like to compile detailed notes when I am learning something. BUT, truth is, I NEVER study my notes 🤷♀️ Whenever I took exams, I'd write countless notes while studying huge text books.. I am not sure what good they did me. Until this minute, I am really not sure if writing the information down actually helped me understand it or record it in my memory (a.lot of science says that it doesn't)... but what I know is that they gave me assurance and a good feeling to have them written.. Anyhow, did I ever use these notes before exams for review? NO. HARDLY. Firstly, they were too detailed to use for cramming, and even if they were not, I often just had no time.. Most of the time, I tended to re-watch/listen to videos before exams (1.5 speed), because I know I focus best with visual or audio effects. Then I'd practice what I learned, and that was it. What is the use of the notes which I spent so many hours compiling? Really not sure, but I still made the notes over and over again.
I intend to learn from my mistakes (i still wonder though if writing information down did me any good), and it is going to be VERY CHALLENGING , being the perfectionist and OCD I am who needs to capture every bit of info. I am not going to make useless notes for French which I know deep down will never review at a later stage.. Maybe notes for grammar rules only, with examples, would be helpful, maybe practice conjugations in writing would also be helpful, but I am not going to capture every word and everything new in writing..
I will still study my course notes, but I will do it casually, without the amount of time and focus I usually exert when I am studying because I am copying so many things, almost the entire course into my notes 🤷♀️ This way studying the course notes will take waaaay less time...!
Will record any new words in automated flash cards in some app I have, and i plan to take as little as 10 mins daily to go through the cards..The app is very nice (and free) because it employs artificial intelligence in the sense that when you get cards wrong, it will show them to you more often.
Studying the course, will be my secondary method. I want to listen to more French music but it must be effective listening with the lyrics on... Want to read comic books for kids in French.. And want to watch shows with subtitles.. Again any new words from all of these activities should be transferred to the cards...
I will also write about my day (very briefly) in french in my dairy ( I would do it here, but I am too embarrassed of my French LOL) .. I genuinely think that if I manage to do these little fun things on a daily basis. Doesn't have to be all of them daily, but every day something as my time allows, little by little, I will improve big time without even spending that much time sitting down studying, which I KNOW isn't effective when it comes to languages.
I can only hope I am successful in losing my over perfection and also able to get enough energy and motivation 🙏 Hopefully breaking studying into little chunks like that will do it.
31-35, F
