Glossika method

[LongYiFan]

Hello everyone, 

I purchased the Glossika Fluency 1, 2 and 3 courses a little over two months ago and am still working through the Fluency 1 module. I'm about two-thirds of the way through.

I'm satisfied and unsatisfied with the product, but I feel like that may be due to my own inefficient studying system. The course has DEFINITELY improved my listening ability. Even my (Chinese) wife had noticed that I started picking up things a bit faster after starting the program. 

That said, I'm not so sure it has really improved my speaking. I feel like I am still stumbling over small things, trying to re-arrange the grammar patterns in my head when I spit out Chinese. As there is zero grammar in the course, I'm not sure where to look. 

What I do is transcribe 15 to 20 sentences a day, repeat them each a few times, then input them into my anki deck. I will put an English sentence on one side of the card, with the corresponding Chinese translation on the other side. This has improved my speaking SOMEWHAT, but I'm still speaking rather slowly. 

I'm a pretty big system guy, so I think if Glossika had some kind recommended system, ie; First do this, then do that, then that, etc. I would feel a little bit better about my progress. My Chinese wife seems to think I'm making progress though!  

[ChTTay]

Glossika does have two recommended ways of doing things using the two types of audio files. It tells you exactly what to do (the "system") to get the best out of Glossika in the PDF file at the very beginning.

Or do I misunderstand your meaning about having a system?

[crt32]

I think you are meant to develop your own system that works for you, there are also some discussions in their Facebook group.

 

Are you doing the GSR files as well?

It looks like you are not doing a lot of actual speaking when going through the sentences, so it's not surprising you are having trouble with speaking.

I always thought I got the most out of doing one or two GSR files every day.

 

I had the same problems as you at the beginning ("trying to re-arrange the grammar patterns in my head"), but this got better every ~500 sentences I went through.

You really need to go through a lot of the Glossika sentences (hence "mass sentences") in order to make progress, as the sentences repeat with slight variations, which eventually enables you to just talk without thinking about re-arranging grammar.

[xiaokaka]

I just saw that the fluency package now includes audio recorded from a Beijing speaker as well as the old Taibei audio (are there any other changes, in the PDF for example?). You that had already bought it before, did you get to update it for free? And if so did they email you? I haven't heard anything from them.

[sunluosi]

The PDF includes both Mainland with simplified and Taiwan with traditional sentences on the same one.

[wibr]

They always included simp and trad in the pdf. The update was the audio with beijing accent. That one was for free for those who had bought it already, I think I got an email but I am not sure.

[xiaokaka]

Ok, that's nice to hear. I emailed them before posting here but haven't received a reply yet.

[罗小志]

I'm currently using the Beijing version. I use GSR, three a day, and am finding it a useful resource. LongYiFan, I've noticed improvement in rembering phrases, and vocabulary. My prosody has definitely improved and I shadow the recordings with AnyTune. I lower the pitch of the female voice artist so I'm not 'screeching'. Allowing my voice to be heard on one channel (right side) while hearing the recording on the other is nice. But, it is only a supplement and I'm fortunate to have a teacher who listens to my sentences. She also points out structures, errors, and/or more natural ways of saying things. It's interesting how the sentences start to 'creep' in: 这个 旅馆 不是 特别 好 , 为什么 这 么贵？or 我们 在 这儿 渡假 。我们 住 在 一个 海 边 的 酒店.

[mouse]

"我们在这儿渡假 。"

 

That should be 度假 

 

 

Are Glossika not doing the daily life modules anymore?

[giokve]

渡假 can be used in Taiwan.

[sunluosi]

Not sure if this has been said before but one thing I don't like about Glossika is when they convert the currency. So, the English says "It was 300 dollars / It was 200 euros" and the Chinese says "一千八百块钱“。I'd rather it translates literally for something like this...

[mouse]

 

 

渡假 can be used in Taiwan.

 

Ah sorry, didn't know that.

[wibr]

They also "convert" emergency phone numbers.

[sunluosi]

They've got a new website and don't seem to be doing the business or daily expressions course anymore. Any reason for this?

[etm001]

 

 

They've got a new website and don't seem to be doing the business or daily expressions course anymore. Any reason for this?

I recall quite a while ago (on the old website) not being able to find these packages. I believe there was also a travel package too. I sent them a message via their web form and will report back with their response.

[imron]

They've got a new website

A big improvement over the old one, with far less clutter - and they're even asking people what language they are interested in learning now.  Mind you, if you have cookies turned off, you get 'Session has been tampered' errors rather than a message asking you to enable cookies.

[etm001]

 

 

I recall quite a while ago (on the old website) not being able to find these packages. I believe there was also a travel package too. I sent them a message via their web form and will report back with their response.

I sent Glossika this message:

 

我曾經看過你們出版過這些課程，但現在我在你們的網站上已經找不到它們。請問現在已經停止賣它們了嗎？

 

(I was referring to the business, expression, and travel courses)

 

I received this reply:

 

您說的中文產品我們還是會販售，只是因為現在換了新網站，許多的產品還需要花時間慢慢補上去。非常謝謝您的耐心等候。

 

So it looks like the courses should be available as they sort things out with their website.

[mouse]

I've noticed their page at the beginning of their PDF explaining the Glossika method has changed slightly. I'm aware that people are encouraged to make their own routines, but before they recommended you to:

 

1. review yesterday's recordings

2. listen to C files for the last four days

3. record sentences from the last four days

4. do interpretation training for the oldest sentences

5. prepare the new day's sentences (read then listen to A file)

6. new sentences dictation (A or C files)

7. listen to sentences again, then record them

8. (optional) listen to GSR files

 

Now, the method is 

 

1. repeat with A files

2. dictation with C files

3. Record sentences for the last three days

4. interpretation with B files

 

(these steps have been simplified a bit)

 

There seems to be less emphasis on revision, or am I reading it wrong?

[sunluosi]

I'm almost at the end of level 1. It's been pretty boring but I feel like it's helped me. I won't go to level 2 for a while because I can't really be bothered with it though.

 

A few extra negatives to add on.

There are a few mistakes, like some translations not matching what's written on the PDF or sometimes only translating half of the what it said in English (this is only a few, but still things like this should be checked)

I don't like the way it tries saying the same thing in more than one way on the same 'sentence'.

Occasionally there is a 'sentence' that is actually 4 sentences and it's more like a memory test than a way to learn a language (if that makes sense)

Seems to use too many names and you spend too much time trying memorise 5 character names (as they aren't Chinese names) to concentrate on the rest of the sentence

And as I mentioned before, I don't like how it doesn't literally translate things like currency

 

E2A: Sorry this sounds overly negative. I actually think this is a really good way to help learn Chinese, just needs some issues addressing

[etm001]

FYI, for anyone who wants to listen to the Glossika materials on an iOS device using the Apple Music app: if you have iCloud Music Library enabled, the Glossika files will be flagged as ineligible for upload to iCloud. You will not be able to add the Glossika materials to your iOS device as long as IML is enabled. Currently, I am only aware of two solutions:

• Don't use iCloud Music Library.
• Re-encode the Glossika files as AAC files (there's an option to do this in iTunes). The re-encoded files will be eligible for upload to iCloud.

Edit: simply selecting to re-encode the files to AAC in iTunes is not enough. By default iTunes will re-encode the Glossika files to AAC 32kbps, which AFAIK makes the files ineligible for upload to iCloud. Thanks Apple.

 

Edit 2: OK I'm an idiot. iTunes re-encoded the original Glossika files to 32kbps AAC because that's how I had configured iTunes to import/convert at some point in the past. Re-encoding above 96kbps allowed the files to be uploaded to iCloud. (It's still annoying to have to do this and it's a waste of space).