Workers of the world: how much spare-time study?

[ablindwatchmaker]

 

My long term plan is to actually learn to read and write Chinese in addition to learning to speak,

 

Hire a tutor a few hours a week to help you structure a program where your performance can be evaluated and you can receive feedback. This will put you far ahead of people in university programs, sadly enough. If I could go back in time, I would have stopped learning Chinese at uni after the first four semesters, pursued the easiest degree possible, graduated a year early, and gone to China and hired a tutor five hours a week to supplement self-study. In my opinion, self-study is the only way to effectively learn Chinese, at least outside of China. I've yet to encounter a teacher in a formal setting who could give me the bang for my buck. Most teachers, in most disciplines, know nothing about how people actually learn and resort to the same worn out tactics they were taught.

[edelweis]

Currently: about 1h of more or less serious study. I aim for more, but that doesn't happen often, and then there are days I just don't study. Ah well.

In summertime I try to split it up, study 30' at noon in the park, and the rest at night. But now it's too cold brrr.

 

And in addition, I let the Chinese TV channels on as much as possible at home, for "immersion". Meaning I use the remote to switch the TV on (or just increase the volume if I fell asleep with the TV on) before even getting up in the morning. (I've abandoned my "early bird" attempts, now I just stay in bed until the last possible minute).

I've found that my listening has improved (I'm starting to understand real people) since I've started doing that, even if most of the time I'm half asleep or surfing the internet and not really watching TV. But then my listening was pretty poor before (meaning I understood only slow and clear textbook soundtracks). So it may not be as useful to other people.

[ouyangjun]

I do very little studying these days...

 

In my spare time I read a Chinese novel a few times a week.  I listen to Chinese podcasts a few times a week.  I study flashcards on Pleco on my way in to work each morning.  I read some interesting articles on Sina news each week.

 

Other than that I don't do any type of studying.  I do work and live in China, which leads itself to study through daily life.  A good portion of my work meetings are done in Chinese, some of these being technical reviews, so I keep my Pleco nearby to add flashcards.

[eshen]

I find myself in the similar boat as jbradfor.. 

 

However, the average doesn't really tell the story.  When life or work (or both!) gets really hectic, or I lose interest, I can go 6+ months without doing any studying.  When I get inspired, or find a way to slip in some Chinese during other things (e.g. listening while at the gym or while driving), it can average 30-60 minutes a day.

 

I can't remember the number of times I've restared DeFrancis' Beginning Chinese Reader.

 I truly believe in the saying "If it wasn't for deadlines, nothing would get done."   I find myself going to the gym only when I have signed up to do a half-marathon.  I think for me to make progress, I need to take a class so there's a schedule for me to follow.

 

I've restarted my attempt to learn to read Chinese and average about 15 minutes a day learning 5 new characters from Heisig's Remembering Traditional Chinese and reviewing previous cards on Pleco.  I probably will bump up the amount on the weekends. 

 

I also hope that by continuing to follow this forum, reading people's progress will also inspire me to stay the course.

 

[edelweis]

Perhaps you should join us in The 2015 Aims and Objectives Progress Thread

I am not making speedy progress because my study habits are getting derailed constantly (holidays, health issues, family issues, work issues, business trips, upsetting events in the news ...).

But reporting every month does help me get back into the saddle at least once a month  

[realmayo]

I know this is a bit of an old topic now but it was interesting that three hours was kind of the maximum anyone could sensibly manage, and usually less than that. Kind of reinforces what I was wondering about, that I'd be better off gambling on a few months of full-time study rather than trying to squeeze much progress into time after work.

[edelweis]

@realmayo: if you end up taking a few months for full time study, do you intend to go to China?

[realmayo]

Taiwan, this summer, hopefully!

[edelweis]

ah yes, less visa hassle and less pollution

any program in particular? or do you intend to get a private tutor?

[Shelley]

I would adhere to the old adage - little and often. I would try doing some study every day. I don't suppose it much matters what, but some.

 

And when you return from your "few months of study" you will lose it if you don't use it - so again regular study.

 

Enjoy your time in Taiwan.

[realmayo]

Edelweiss, not sure ... thinking ICLP or MTC or maybe lots of tutors like that guy Tamu wrote about doing in another post.

 

Shelley, I firmly believe in moderation in all things, including moderation, hence the planned summer splurge

[mouse]

Never noticed that ablindwatchmaker replied t me back in February.

 

I have no experience of US universities, but in the UK, Oxbridge and SOAS will push you to study very hard. All focus perhaps too much on reading (especially Oxford, I've heard) but that's perhaps in the nature of academic institutions. You are also of course expected to self study intensively. I see no problem learning Chinese this way, especially if you need a degree. There are definitely problems with learning in the classroom, but in my experience these problems are easily alleviated by self study, which you would be doing anyway if you weren't enrolled on a course.

[edelweis]

@realmayo

interesting, I hope you'll tell us how it goes

[edelweis]

*pokes realmayo*

Do we get a report on your summer splurge?

[realmayo]

hi edelweis. Well since you asked ... I went to ICLP on their Summer Program. It was pretty good, just what I needed actually in terms of improving my reading and reminding me what it's like to spend a few weeks under a bit of pressure, working hard. Now back home, self-study, full-time!

[edelweis]

ICLP, interesting. Thanks for the reply.

[StChris]

I remember reading everyone's posts with interest back in February while I was still in Taiwan. Now that I've officially been back in the London grind for over a month, I can add my own piece. Just like everyone else here, I've found that it's tough studying Chinese as a member of the urban proletariat. My first two weeks working were a total washout Chinese-wise. It's only now in the fifth week that I've finally got my studying mojo back.

 

I normally watch 锵锵三人行 while eating breakfast, and then read newspaper articles for an hour or so. After that I study the PDFs of two Chinesepod lessons before heading off to work. I seem to have won the competition for longest commute at 1.5 hours each way. That's 15 hours a week, so I've been trying to make them as productive as possible. I've now settled on the following routine:

20 min walk to the train station - listen to the podcasts for the Chinesepod lessons I studied that morning.

50 min on the train - read a book in the morning, but just watch an episode of a Chinese TV show on the way back in evening (too tired to read)

20 min walk to work - listen to random Chinese stuff (podcasts, audiobooks, Chinesepod dialogues etc)

 

I'm lucky in that I get to use Chinese almost everyday in my job at a luxury department store. Unfortunately, the level of Chinese required is pretty simple and isn't difficult enough to really stretch my language capabilities (apart from picking up the odd fashion-related vocab). Although it's nice being surrounded by Chinese like that, once the initial excitement of being able to use Chinese in a work environment wore off, I was left with the reality of what is, after all, just a retail job. I've decided to do my poor, aching feet a favour and find a regular office job instead, but might keep the department store gig as a Saturday job, just to keep that regular interaction with Chinese people going (plus the extra cash of course).

 

In the evening after work I watch the CCTV news while eating dinner, and then do some reading. I'm currently 1,000 pages into the English version of  红楼梦 , plus I watch an episode of the Chinese 红楼梦 TV series every night too. Once that's finished I'll go back to reading a Chinese book. 

 

On my two days off I tend to watch a couple of Chinese films, read, and write an essay or two (as well as try to maintain some semblance of a normal, balanced and healthy life by doing stuff that normal, non-Chinese studying people do, like hang out with friends). 

 

I'm studying more and more financial-related stuff now, so would like take find a student studying finance or economics at one of the local universities for a weekly language exchange. Apart from that I just need to find somewhere to squeeze in some gym and exercise. While it's tempting to try to gain extra time by cutting back on sleep, I find that this is false economy. My concentration and memory takes a big dip if I'm getting fewer than 7 hours a night sleep, so my studying and fitness work becomes much less efficient.

 

I think most people in London dream of going to some beautiful desert island with white sand beaches and turquoise water. Me, I just dream of being able to go to some dirty and polluted Chinese mega-city for a year. I have the (hopelessly optimistic) hope that just one more year of ultra-intensive study would be enough to get me Chinese where I want it to be).

 

Chinese-studying workers of the world, unite! We have nothing to lose but our sub par Mandarin.

[StChris]

Oh, and just I quick tip that I discovered today to help you get through the boring meetings, speeches and PPT presentations that are the bane of the modern workplace. Just imagine that you're a simultaneous interpreter and try to translate whatever your boss or colleague is saying into Chinese in your head. It genuinely saved me from nodding off today. As well as making the time pass much more quickly, it also gives you a better idea of any gaps in your Chinese. After today I realise that I really need to swot up on my Chinese corporate BS/jargon vocab...

[edelweis]

For corporate BS you might want to read 圈子圈套 if you haven't already. Especially the third volume. At the time I found the merger passages especially lifelike.

[StChris]

Thanks for that recommendation edelweis. 

 

That reminds me, there's an audio book app called ximalaya which allows you to download books for free. I normally listen while preparing breakfast and dinner. It's especially good for us workers, who need to squeeze in "Chinese time" wherever we can.