Help with better ways to study and motivation

[NinjaTurtle]

Hey Jack, check out ili, a portable voice translator

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeByuOD8k1c

 

 

[Tomsima]

@Jackcsw I suggest you pick an 'angle' to get into things from, so you don't feel overwhelmed and get some real enjoyment out of China whilst you're over here. You've got two to three weeks of great opportunities. the first time I came I just focused on improving my character recognition. Sitting in a cab and trying to recognise characters as they fly by the window, trying to keep up with the speed of the scrolling red letters on LED screens above the double doors to shops, a few weeks of being surrounded by characters and you'll see a big improvement. The second time I came I focused on listening to locals talking, I had a month to pick up as many colloquial phrases I knew wouldn't appear in my textbooks. When you hear it, write it down, ask people what it means. Get raised eyebrows, confusion, and every now and again, try it out and...sometimes even get some success.

 

Alternatively, you could think of your time in China as going on stage. All the prep you have done over the last few months can finally be put to use. Don't pressure yourself to learn new stuff if you don't want to, just enjoy the feeling of reciting your lines, and go home feeling good and positive, and you'll make massive improvements in your language.

 

Give us an update of how Xiamen is on the forums too, would love to hear what you think, I've still not had a chance to visit!

[Flickserve]

@Jackcsw

 

It's easy to feel overwhelmed and wonder what to focus on. 

 

Here is my suggestion. Realise that watching films or TV dramas at this stage and getting substantial benefit is a fallacy. The vocabulary overload is simply too large.

 

Since you want to practice simple conversations, you need to find simple conversations. There are podcasts for beginners you can go through. Get the mp3 and the written script . Use a software editing program to edit out the English explanations. Then use Workaudiobook software to subtitle the mp3. You could also get your teacher to do a recording. 

 

Why does using Workaudiobook help?Because you are subtitling, you repeatedly listen to the the same sentence to match the times accurately. If you process another mp3 from a different speaker in the same way, you get similar vocabulary spoken slightly differently. Then you have practiced listening skills with a slightly different accent. 

 

After that, try listening to the mp3 just on audio. Can you follow and understand? Can you keep up and understand each word perfectly? You may need to listen 50 or 100 times or more. Try speaking along with the mp3 in real time (beginner conversations tend to be slower) as a way of practicing your speech. This is called shadowing. 

[mungouk]

28 minutes ago, Flickserve said:

Then use Workaudiobook software to subtitle the mp3

 

Oh! I've been looking for something like this for ages.  Can you only create subtitles using the Windows program? 

 

I use a Mac with an Android phone. Don't mind getting my hands dirty if all you need to do is hack some XML or HTML or something.

 

 

[Flickserve]

13 minutes ago, mungouk said:

 

I use a Mac with an Android phone. Don't mind getting my hands dirty if all you need to do is hack some XML or HTML or something.

 

I think only a PC version is available for computer. 

 

You can download the android version. I tried it for my phone but it was just a bit cumbersome with a small screen. The PC version is easier to use.