Hello and welcome to another blog post in the Clear The List series, the monthly language learning round-up about language learning goals and progress.
What can I say. It’s been two months rather than one month since my last update. That’s less than 100 days, and still the world has turned upside down for many of us.
Earlier this week, my husband stated that one “corona day” is about 6 days in the real world. Do you feel like this too?
What Happened in February and March 2020?
Back in February, I enjoyed running a brand new live round of my course Your Solid Vocab Memory. The course also got a brand new sales page, check it out here.
I also got inspired and launched the Language Dabbler’s Guide to Welsh. This class was refreshing and fun for me and for my students. It’s a chance to enjoy a fun introduction to the Welsh language, entirely designed for language lovers.
After 5 energised, positive weeks, I was just as swept up as you in the anxiety and shock that hit the world when Coronavirus became a cruel reality in our lives.
I got sick with a cold, then the world got sick with a global virus, then I moved house on the last day of March. I had been looking forward to being a speaker at the first ever Polyglot Cruise in April 🛳, but as you can imagine this even has been postponed to 2021.
The Fluent Show
My favourite episode from February and March is this discussion of language teaching methods with Lindsay: \
The show is now on a much-needed break until 6 May so I can produce new episodes and tinker with the format. But you don’t have to miss it for too long, as I’m publishing mini episodes called Fluent in Isolation over on Patreon during the current Coronavirus crisis. The episodes are about 5 minutes long and give you tips for learning languages during the crisis.
Learning Languages at Home
This year is becoming an indoors-themed year, with announcements of an event-free summer coming thick and fast.
My favourite Welsh language event, the National Eisteddfod, has fallen victim to this as well, and it’s been cancelled for this year. The same goes for Machynlleth Comedy Festival, where I volunteered at the Welsh stages last year.
One of the things that keeps me motivated and excited when learning Welsh is the prospect of travelling to Wales. I love practicing my language with people out there, and of course we’re under lockdown right now.
Luckily, I maintain a healthy language habit and I know what works for me. A more routine-focused person than me may find that these things ruined all progress and activity in language learning. As it is, I don’t follow my own routines anyway so I’m still here and still going.
My Positive Goals for Language Learning
The key for me at this point is to revisit the language learning goals I had set myself and to set out positive, exciting goals for myself. In tough times, excitement and joy are even more important than they have always been. Tough times also call for tough decisions, so let’s start with the first one.
Doubting My Dedication to Chinese Learning
Back at the start of February, I felt a little more confident with my Mandarin studies. Then, most of March disappeared. I continued studying Chinese using Lingq (so handy!) and my Teach Yourself course book. On a placement test, I am now classed as a ‘middle beginner’ and that seems right.
But even though I can communicate a little better in Chinese and I appreciate the language very much, I still feel self-conscious about the super slow pace of my progress.
When you’ve studied Celtic, Germanic and Romance languages in the past, it’s way slower to add an Asian one.
Not impossible, but slower and more challenging as a result.
Back in January, I said I’d give me & Mandarin another 3 months. It’s time to move on from Chinese as my focus language. That doesn’t mean I’m going to drop it completely and utterly. In fact, I’m still curious. I feel the benefits of the time I’ve invested and I wonder if I’m about to turn the corner. But am I? Not sure!
Decision Time
My dilemma is this:
- I’ve made progress in Chinese, but it’s been a bit of a slog
- I don’t want to start feeling frustrated here
- There are other interesting languages I’d like to study for a while
- I don’t believe that my Chinese is strong enough to stay active if I stop studying now.
So here’s the big polyglot question:
Can I have it all?
Well, why not? No one is measuring my progress in Chinese. In fact, no one cares except me. I can continue to pootle along here at my own pace. The real answer is not for me to double down or go home, or any of that macho kind of BS. It’s to continue doing what I’m interested in!
(Funnily enough, I used to feel this same way about Welsh and that didn’t stop me from becoming better and better anyway.)
At times like these, only one thing works: Getting back into planning with the Language Habit Toolkit, working out my goals for the month and becoming very consistent about tracking until the habit is established.
For the month of April, my one Chinese goal is to track what and when I study by writing it into my bullet journal.
Ok, but what about the other languages?
YEP the other ones!!
I am so excited to see more Welsh online tutors becoming available, so I’ve booked a lesson with friend-turned-tutor Dafydd and I’ll keep my skills up with Welsh in the same way I always have.
I am feeling drawn to a few other languages, but I won’t go beyond any dabbles at this point. My energy is low as a result of moving house and fearing Coronavirus, so for now that part of my life is reserved for fun.
What do you think? Can we have it all?
If you’re a multi-language-learner like me, I’m sure you know the odd feeling of frustration and temptation. My tendency is always to stick with my efforts for a little longer, just to see what happens. What about you?