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“For the moment I am really very, very tired of everything — more than tired.”
— Friedrich Nietzsche
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
—Fyodor Dostoevsky
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
I went out in search of diversion and ended up at a funeral.
my man Dostoevsky is so funny😭😭
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
Meditations, Marcus Aurelius.
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
"في بعض الأحيان، الاستمرار.. فقط الاستمرار ولا شيء آخر، إنجاز يَفوق قُدرة الإنسان". 💚
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
Language Learning Plateau
Recently I have found myself on a Japanese learning plateau and I just feel stuck. I have felt stuck for a long time, like I will never get off of this plateau. Have you ever felt stuck in your learning?
I decided that I wanted to make a real effort to escape from the plateau and to see some real improvement in my Japanese language ability. So here are my collected notes and advice on the process of overcoming the language learning plateau.
What is a Language Learning Plateau?
Your language acquisition was moving along smoothly, and then suddenly everything ground to a snail's pace. The most popular textbooks are too easy, native materials that suit your level and aren't too hard are challenging to find, and making your own study plan seems daunting.
Apparently this plateau is inevitable, because when you first start learning a language you make progress quickly with new vocabulary and grammar and writing systems, but as you learn more and acquire more skills, you naturally slow down. The language learning plateau is most common when learners reach an intermediate level of language proficiency.
The good news is, there are ways to get over this plateau. The challenge is that it will take some work on your part.
Why I have trouble finding resources
To try to overcome my learning plateau and feel like I was moving forward, I started looking for new resources. The trouble is that there are so many resources available online and in print, but the number is so vast that it feels difficult to pick one, and I worry that I will pick the Wrong One.
Reviews: Reading reviews of language learning materials can be endless, or it can be difficult to find a review of a particular book or online resource for anything other than beginner materials. There may also be a plethora of suggested materials, but you might waffle on which ones to pick.
Level: I am not entirely sure of what my level is since it is difficult to measure without an exam, but I think I have an idea of my general level (lower advanced - N3/N2). I have outgrown most early textbooks, and I often pick out JLPT workbooks because it is easier to judge their level. However, JLPT resources tend to be geared toward test taking and therefore sometimes they can be a bit limited. Non-JLPT materials are more difficult to determine the level for, so some may be too advanced and some may be a bit too low level.
Money: I don't have an unlimited budget, so I have to read reviews and try to gauge if I think the resource is worth the investment. Sometimes I purchase a resource and then I don't touch it because I don't have the time to sit down and work through it. I also download lots of apps but I often don't sit down to get used to them and figure out the best way to use them. Free materials are very useful, but I also find myself downloading too much and then I don't touch more than half of them.
Time: I am busy and don't have much time to dedicate to studying, so reviewing resources can be a huge time sink for time that I'd rather spend studying. I can spend so much time looking up resources that I don't actually pick one to use. I also don't have unlimited time to study, so while the JLPT workbooks or non-JLPT textbooks are good resources, I have to break each section into very small chunks to fit them into my schedule and it takes a long time to finish a resource.
How to overcome the Language Learning Plateau
Here are some tips on how to overcome the language learning plateau:
- Set clear goals If you don't have a clear goal on what you want to work toward, your studying will be less focused and you might become frustrated with your lack of progress. Set clear goals that are based on what you want to achieve with the language to provide focus. Be realistic with your goals and your current level, and set a specific timeline for them.
- Try new methods If you've been relying on textbooks thus far and are burnt out or don't find them useful, try something else. Get creative, and look to see what approach others take. Try immersion, finding a tutor, playing a game in your target language, or downloading a new app.
- Focus on problem areas This aligns with setting specific goals. Where do you struggle the most with the language? At the language plateau, bad habits or mistakes become more ingrained, so it's time to correct them. Figure out where you are the weakest and find creative ways to practice those weaknesses. Reading books, finding conversation partners on HelloTalk, and writing a diary could address those weaknesses. If you aren't sure where you are struggling, review things you already know and see where you get stuck. Try a mock JLPT exam near your level and see how you score. Focus on those weak points and strengthen your knowledge. You'll also be moving ahead as you discover new words, grammar points, etc.
- Learn more vocabulary Limited vocabulary is one thing that can prevent you from overcoming your language plateau. Try reading books, articles, websites, etc. or find vocabulary flashcard sets that challenge you. Building up your vocabulary will help you to communicate more clearly and concisely in your target language.
- Interact with native speakers This may be difficult where you live, but you can always look online for people who want to exchange languages with you. Writing messages or talking via voice calls are both great ways to improve how you think and form sentences in your target language, and you can get feedback from native speakers to help you fix mistakes and improve. Mimicking native speakers is a great way to sound more natural, so you could also try shadowing podcasts or videos.
- Don't give up! Most importantly, don't get discouraged. You've come a very long way, and the plateau is a sign that great things are ahead for you. Be confident and make time for language learning in your daily life. Your journey is what you make of it, and with confidence and practice, you can achieve your goals.
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the black brothers
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Does anyone have any fave German listening material for immersion?
I'm aware of EasyGerman on YouTube and various programs aimed at learners, but I'm looking more for TV shows, YouTube series, or streamers. Podcasts are fine too.
Hotel Matze (Podcast) - interviews people he finds interesting; long but often really cool (my fave is the ep with Annemarie Paulsen, a farmer)
Marti Fischer (Youtuber, Musician) - makes yt videos about making music
Die Maus (Youtube Channel of the tv show - very good!) - educational content about everything and anything, aimed at kids but with respect
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
Does anyone have any fave German listening material for immersion?
I'm aware of EasyGerman on YouTube and various programs aimed at learners, but I'm looking more for TV shows, YouTube series, or streamers. Podcasts are fine too.
Hotel Matze (Podcast) - interviews people he finds interesting; long but often really cool (my fave is the ep with Annemarie Paulsen, a farmer)
Marti Fischer (Youtuber, Musician) - makes yt videos about making music
Die Maus (Youtube Channel of the tv show - very good!) - educational content about everything and anything, aimed at kids but with respect
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
german words i wish existed in english
a messy and incomplete list
- nachvollziehen (v.) -- to understand, but less empathetic. i.e. i see the steps that brought you to that conclusion, but i don't understand you.
- doch (interj.) -- you're wrong and really it's the opposite of what you said. often said with a healthy dose of sass. i.e. "this isn't a good movie." "doch. (it is)"
- frech (adj.) -- somewhere between naughty and sassy and silly. when you're being a bit of a brat, you're being frech.
- dreist (adj.) -- audacious, but far more colloquial. when you have the goddamn audacity, you are dreist. i.e. to park that far over the line is dreist as hell
- heimat (n.) -- home, but stronger. a home is wherever you have built a life, but heimat is where your roots are. heimat is where you feel pangs of nostalgia when you go to visit your family for christmas and see the shop at the corner.
- weltschmerz (n.) -- literally 'world-pain'. the world sucks and sometimes you just sit and feel the pain of it all. that's weltschmerz.
- existenzberechtigung (n.) -- the right to exist, often in a comedic context. i.e. pineapple on pizza has absolutely no existenzberechtigung.
- fernweh (n.) -- literally 'far-ache'. the opposite of homesickness, the desire to go far away. i guess wanderlust is similar, but that is also a german word, and this is more painful and visceral
- schweigen (v./n.) -- the act of not speaking. silence, but more deliberate. the palpable feeling that people are withholding their voice.
- verschlimmbesserung (n.) -- when an update with the intention of making something better actually just made it worse. looking at you @staff
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
ياربّ اشفِ أمي ، ياربّ أنزل العافية على جسدها وأبدلها من بعد ألمها راحة وسكينة ، اللهم إني استودعتك إياها يا من لا تضيع عنده الودائع ، اللهم ربّ الناس أذهب الباس واشفها أنت الشافي لا شِفاء إلا شفاؤك .. شفاءً لا يغادر سقما ..
اذكروا أمي بدعواتكم
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
عندما تتذكّر حقيقةَ الموت، وفراق الناس ولقاء الله عز وجل، والعرض عليه والحساب والجزاء
يصغرُ كل شيءٍ في عينك كنتَ قد عظّمته، ويتبدّى لك وهمُ الدنيا وسرعةُ انقضائها
كم هم الذين رحلوا وما عادوا، وسترحل أنت ولن تعود، فأيّ شيءٍ ستحملُ معك حين تلقى الله؟
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
Learning German & Staying alive
☄ https://german.net/ - free online resource with some tests, text, and planty more. Great for reading and reading comprehention;
☄ https://germanwithlaura.com - great course that explains grammar a bit more manageable;
☄ https://www.clozemaster.com - somewhat of a duolingo-copy, gamification at ift greatest. From 100 to 50 000 common words in context, can be used for free;
☄ https://wunderdeutsch.com/uk/grammatik-null-u/ - grammar, but in ukrainian. Helpful;
☄ https://golernen.com/ - more grammar, with ukrainian language avaliable;
☄ https://piracywhiskeypoetry.tumblr.com/post/136460408137/language-resources-masterpost - masterpost with multiple language;
☄ https://mein-deutschbuch.de/grammatik.html - another damn grammar
☄ https://www.quia.com/web - tests, some fun stuff.
sheesh I would need to make it pretty, but for now will do
bookcoffeestudies reblogged
مُفزعة فكرة أنّ الموت قد يأتيك بغتة ، دون أن ترتب وداعًا لمن حولك أو حتّى اعتذار ، اللهم طيب الأثر وحُسن الرحيل .. *