The 2016 Aims and Objectives Progress Thread

[大块头]

My original goal statement:

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My goal this year is to pass the HSK level 6 internet-based test and the advanced speaking test on December 4, 2016.

 

To achieve that goal I will do the following:

 

Passive Vocabulary

I am working on an Anki deck based on the SUBTLEX-CH word frequency list. I have approximately 6000 more words to learn, and I intend to learn them at a rate of 20 words a day. Consistently studying my Anki cards has always been a struggle for me, so I created a stickK goal to motivate myself.

 

Listening

I intend to spend at least 4 hours a week passively listening to Chinese podcasts and radio. I will have a 30 minute walk to and from work at my new job this year, so I can easily find time to do this. I created a Google form to log the time I spend practicing and track my progress as I gradually understand more and more of what I'm listening to.

 

Reading

I intend to spend at least 30 minutes every week reading Chinese. I created a Google form to log the time I spend practicing and track my progress as I increase my reading speed and reduce how much I rely on a dictionary.

 

Speaking

I intend to spend 30 minutes every week speaking Chinese with a language exchange partner.

 

Writing

I intend to write at least 3 journal entries (length ≥ 50 characters) a week on Lang-8.

 

- - - -

 

Depending on how much time work and school takes up, I may adjust the amount of time I spend on each of these components. I will post an progress update to this thread on a monthly basis.

 

Things have been a bit quieter this summer, so I've mostly caught up with this project. What follows is an update for the months of June and July 2016.

 

Passive Vocabulary: satisfactory

I missed a day or two, but I've managed to keep up with this part of my studies. I'm down to about 1700 more words to learn.

 

Listening: satisfactory

I've started listening to podcasts when I'm on my exercise bike, which is about three hours a week. I've also been listening to podcasts when I'm cleaning.

 

Reading: satisfactory

I'm really enjoying 三体. I'm spend about 30 minutes every morning reading.

 

Speaking: satisfactory

I've found a new language exchange partner. We practice over Skype/Wechat, which I think is much more convenient than having to meet someone at a cafe or something (especially when it's so hot!).

 

Writing: satisfactory

I have caught up with this part of the project. It's been fun writing little essays on Lang-8 and then sharing them on HelloTalk.

[imron]

I'm really enjoying 三体. I'm spend about 30 minutes every morning reading.

Glad to see you've gone from a planned 30 minutes a week to 30 minutes a day!

[AdamD]

If I can get it together and find work that has something to do with Chinese language and/or an organisation with a presence in China/Taiwan, I'll have reached a 2014 goal. Yay?

 

I'm hellbent on this now. If it doesn't happen in the next few months, I want it to happen soon. I've even started seeing a professional to understand what I can do to make it happen.

 

When I started studying it was legitimately for fun. It still is, but I want to do a lot more with it and help others.

 

I didn't set other goals for the year, but I graduated from my university Chinese course a couple of months ago. I'm also keeping up my daily practice, which is paying off because my listening comprehension has improved considerably.

[AdamD]

I'm hellbent on this now. If it doesn't happen in the next few months, I want it to happen soon. I've even started seeing a professional to understand what I can do to make it happen.

 

This hasn't worked and I'm exhausted now. A targeted networking effort left me with a few potential contacts and a load of people in China wanting free English lessons. I'm assuming all this effort will pay off in the long term, but right now it's just demoralising.

 

In brighter news: I'm back into language exchange apps with full force, but this time round I'm spending a lot more time doing audio exchanges. I'm also taking a harder line with time-wasters ("can you teach me English?", "let's be friends! I'm coming to visit you" etc), telling them a) I'm dead serious about learning, b) I'm not a free teacher and c) I won't be juggling 900 best friends — language exchange is a mutual allocation of effort, not a lonely hearts' club.

 

I'm also going to more real-world language exchanges, which have confirmed my 50% comprehension and so are still hard going, although not the soul-crushing struggle they were a year ago. I'm avoiding the unfocused, unstructured meetups where you just end up speaking English with students from China, and I'm beyond fluent in all the usual questions/topics ("why are you learning Chinese?", "what's your favourite Chinese food?", "wow, you can write! that's so amazing").

 

Last week I signed back on with ChinesePod and have been going hard at that too. Six months ago I was struggling through the intermediate lessons (one host speaks English, the other speaks Chinese), but they're much easier for me now.

 

Apologies for the cynicism running through this post. It just means I've made real progress and am taking control. It's all good.

[Flickserve]

I find this so weird. I don't keep many language partners but I certainly rarely get this feeling of language battles. I would put my level around HSK2-3.

What I have felt is being inadequate with understanding much of the input, and having inadequate knowledge of vocabulary and therefore not being able to give meaningful output. And that is a lack of vocabulary rather than a systemic problem with pronunciation.

At present, I don't place too much emphasis on speaking. I am trying to understand more and sometimes shadow. I think I was confused by what's written on the Internet. Many people give advice that one must try to speak straight away. But before one can speak, perhaps listening comes first. So that's what I have been doing an d keeping conversations to a casual basis.

Perhaps you can start recording real life conversations and just pay a nominal amount to somebody for 20mins of conversation. Keep to the rule of only Chinese. No English. Perhaps your expectations of "language exchange" are too high and impractical.

[AdamD]

What I have felt is being inadequate with understanding much of the input, and having inadequate knowledge of vocabulary and therefore not being able to give meaningful output.

 

Yeah, trying to make sense of speech when some of the words are missing can be near impossible, much less forming a coherent response.

 

It can be hard learning the correct context for each word, too. Despite being told the difference a dozen times, I still confuse 合适 and 适合 because I spent more time learning the words than using them.

 

Many people give advice that one must try to speak straight away. But before one can speak, perhaps listening comes first.

 

Definitely, and that's why I'm having to catch up. I'd advise any new learner to listen hardcore from day one.

 

Perhaps your expectations of "language exchange" are too high and impractical. 

 

I'm not content to speak English for two hours if I've gone out of my way to be there. Sometimes I'm tired and will spend the whole time helping people with English, which is totally fine, but that's a choice I make, not one that's thrust upon me.

 

Ultimately all I expect from language exchange is just that: an exchange. Even a 70/30 balance is fine, as long as everyone gets something out of it.

[Flickserve]

I haven't used HelloTalk, nor do too much language exchange. I do prefer to pay to concentrate fully on the language. For myself, in language exchange, it is too easy to slip into the stronger language and that usually is English and especially if it is a Chinese person who has travelled overseas for studying as they need to get to at least a 6.5/7.0 IELTS. So, I avoid this group!

I have a wechat account which I use to keep in contact with people. Not very many people on it. I found the younger ones in college are more difficult to match in wavelength. Every so often, I will put a joke in just to let people know I am alive. E.g. A picture of MacDonalds meal and writing 五星級餐。In writing and speech, I also try to add expressions such as 嗯，啊，噢 which makes you sound more natural speaking Chinese and makes it feel more natural for the listener to reply in Chinese. For speech, I tried to reduce the errs that come up.

Oh, I remember advising you not to go on for two hours in a previous reply. Perhaps you are battling the two hours, not being clear enough, getting tired and then feeling the frustration.

[AdamD]

especially if it is a Chinese person who has travelled overseas for studying as they need to get to at least a 6.5/7.0 IELTS.

 

So many times. I don't mind helping, but when they're stressed about a very expensive test they won't give me an hour of Chinese.

 

Oh, I remember advising you not to go on for two hours in a previous reply.

 

That was back when I was struggling to understand just about everything. Now that I'm on ~50% comprehension, I can cope for ages, I just ask for clarification with the words I don't know and we move on. (In fact this is probably an indication of my progress as much as anything else!)

[Wurstmann]

 

 

I'm not content to speak English for two hours if I've gone out of my way to be there. Sometimes I'm tired and will spend the whole time helping people with English, which is totally fine, but that's a choice I make, not one that's thrust upon me.

Have you tried the app HelloTalk? Everyone (except one person) ended up just using Chinese with me. Often they begin writing/speaking in English or German (my native language) and transition to Chinese when they notice I can write and understand it. I know that defeats the purpose of the app, but it's great if you want to learn. Many of the people on there don't seem to care about learning English/German, they just want to have foreign friends.

[AdamD]

I have! In fact it's the app I was referring to above. I too have noticed that language fatigue sets in very quickly for some users, leaping boldly into English and falling back to Chinese within minutes.

Many of the ones who don't want to learn a language fall into the lonely hearts' category I mentioned. HelloTalk's 'moments' page is a good way to see who's more interested in selfies than study.

[Chris Two Times]

1. submit a CSC application to attempt to gain a scholarship to support one year of Chinese language study in a non-degree program at a mainland university

2. end up on a mainland campus as a full-time student studying Chinese (either from a scholarship or through self-financing)

3. take HSK, Level 5 at the end of 2016 and see what happens

4. (from September onward) make sure I tick the boxes on a daily program of reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice (regular practice of all four skills will be key for me)

 

I feel I am currently at upper intermediate level (whatever that really means) and I just want to enter into the abyss of "advanced language student" this year (again, whatever that really means).

 

Warm regards,

Chris Two Times

 

^^^  my declared basic goals on page 2 of this thread. I am pleased to report that I have mostly made good on these.

 

1. I did submit the application and it was successful.

 

2. I am currently at Tsinghua University in Beijing and am supported by a full Chinese Government Scholarship to study Chinese for one year as a Visiting (General) Scholar. I am relishing this whole experience.

 

I am taking Level 3 (准高级) and Level 4 classes (高级). Level 4 is the highest in the offerings. I am comfortable in Level 3 and prepare much less than I do for my Level 4 classes which are a good adrenaline shot to get me through the week--definitely on the hot seat in those classes. My joke (which actually could be accurate) is that I am Level 3.5 .

 

3. Well, HSK, Level 5, is no longer a priority of mine but I may take it in May, 2017.

 

4. I administer a daily dosage of a four-skill study program and spend a lot of time in the libraries of Tsinghua. I find that my order of priorities has become: R > L > W > S. My reading and listening have definitely improved and I just need more writing practice. I can always do more speaking.

 

I am looking forward to chiming in again and following others' goals on the forthcoming 2017 Aims and Objectives Progress Thread.

 

Warm regards,

Chris Two Times

[SahaliyanUla]

Perhaps I'll be (one of?) the last for this year..?!
Somewhat exciting!

Well, hmn, this is more wishful thinking, but...

If I can get to the point by 2018 that I can read the classics without relying on a secondhand translation, I'll be esctatic;
But if by mid-2017 I can read K-3 beginner books from cover to cover, I'll feel I've made a good start, haha!

Good luck with your routines and goals in the coming year, friends!

[Lu]

Taking stock...

 

I'm planning to mostly continue on the current path. Keep reading, keep translating, keep learning words, hopefully learn some more chengyu because that didn't really happen last year. I need to find a new language partner/friend/person to talk Chinese with as my last language partner left. And perhaps I should look into how to go to China and/or Taiwan again this year. Also, apart from the thing I'm currently writing, I want to write & publish at least one more thing about Chinese literature, so I don't only translate it but also get more knowledgable about it.

 

In non-Chinese goals, I should find some form of exercise that is not expensive and that I will actually keep up. Running has pretty much entirely fallen by the wayside.

 

Reading: this has not been going well. I just finished a book I spent months reading, not because it was so long (it was quite short) but because it was rather boring. I think I'll take a short break and then figure out what next.

Translating: going well. I even have a good chance of making my deadline. Next book is still lined up.

Learning words is going well, leaning chengyu not so much.

Meeting my language partner every 1-2 weeks.

Still planning to go to Taiwan this March, although plans are still too vague.

Next foreword is already half-written, so that should work out alright.

 

Exercise: I joined a rowing club a few months ago (after not rowing for 15 years or so) and have been exercising twice a week since. It's good.

[imron]

I think I'll take a short break and then figure out what next.

My strategy for dealing with this is to have a ready stockpile of several books that I want to read.  If one is really too boring and I find myself losing interest, I'll stop reading it and pick up the next one.  The key is to have something always ready to go, so you don't have to delay between stopping reading one thing and starting to read the next.

[SahaliyanUla]

Imron's strategy is really helpful; keeping up momentum is one of the most important things you can do.
On that note - so is physical activity. I find I'm far more engaged in mental activity after hiking, jogging, rowing or something - keep up both, and don't let momentary blocks get you down.
You've a good a plan, and it seems to me you're tackling it quite well.

[Lu]

Imron, that's not a bad plan in general. Thing is, I read this particular book mostly because I thought I might find some useful information in it for my current translation. I did find that here and there, and by the time the usefulness had run out I was only 15 pages or so from the end, so I wanted to finish it. I have books I want to read next, but at the moment I'm associating it with a chore. This is not good, obviously.

 

Can you (or someone else) say something else encouraging and help me gather some courage again? I have two 2-hour train rides coming up around Christmas, so if I can get myself over this little hump I can use that time for reading Chinese... The next book would be 芙蓉如面柳如眉 by 笛安.

[SahaliyanUla]

萬歲!
You can do it!
Get right back into it, and you'll soon find it isn't a chore; and more still, that once you've reached the end you'll feel better for it.
Go for it, and happy Christmas reading!
 

[Geiko]

笛安 should be an easy read. I read her previous novel 告別天堂 and it didn't change my life, but language wise was fairly simple. There were some references to modern culture, such as 花澤類 (a character from 流星花園) or the movie 大紅燈龍高高掛, and it was fun to know what they were talking about. When you finish it, I'd like to know your opinion!

[Wurstmann]

Just read the first part of 芙蓉如面柳如眉. It's quite easy so far. Thanks for the suggestion ;)

[imron]

Can you (or someone else) say something else encouraging and help me gather some courage again?

You can read Chinese!

That's quite a simple statement, but think about it. There was a time when Chinese text was just squiggles on a page, but after years of effort you can now pick up a book in Chinese and read it for pleasure - assuming the book is something you would enjoy and find interesting. That's no small feat, so find something interesting and get to it!

Maybe you'll think, well, New Year is around the corner, so I'll leave it until then and have it as one of my New Year's Resolutions. But the thing about waiting for New Year's Resolutions is that they are mostly for things you don't care enough about to get started on right away. A new year starts every day, and if you want to jump back on the Chinese Reading Bandwagon, your Chinese level is up to it, there are books you say you want to read, and so at the moment the only thing stopping you is procrastination.