Today, which still feels like tomorrow because I haven't yet gone to bed from Monday, I'll be writing my Spanish 10 final. I've been doing it through a distance learning school, what we used to call "by correspondence" back in the day.
If I had been 21 or younger, it would have cost me far less than the $500 they charge students over 21. You get a full year to complete the course. For my $500 I'm provided a teacher who I can call or email if I have questions. Lessons are submitted electronically, marked and sent back to me via the school's Dropbox. I can also submit the oral part electronically but I'm a dinosaur and have no idea how to do that, so I call the marker (not the same person as the teacher) and do it over the phone. I'm sure there are cheaper ways to learn Spanish but I need the structure of a class setting.
Arranging to write the exam has been a logistical nightmare. I requested it to be sent post mail. The local school I was having it sent to (I have to be in a supervised setting) gave me their street address which isn't the same as their mailing address. Small town = post office box. After 10 days, it still hadn't arrived and I had a devil of a time trying to track it down. Turns out it got sent back because of the wrong address.
So they've had to send it electronically. Today is absolutely the last day I have to write it. I have to have the course completed by Wed and, since I work Wed, I'm not able to write it then. So now I'll have to get a lesson from the exam supervisor on how to do the electronic oral part. GAH!
To make things even worse, the last 2 lessons were submitted to my marker last Monday. They still haven't been marked and, technically, that all has to be done before I can write the exam. I also still have to do the oral part but haven't been able to get in touch with my marker to do that.
I was on target to have this all done last week which may seem like a close shave to most others but, to my procrastinating self, is looooots of time. Aahhh...the best laid plans and all that. Oh well. I'm going to write the exam and then deal with the rest.
Soooo...if I may toot my own horn...I'm really proud of myself. I haven't told anyone my marks because I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I'm certain that all of you who have taken up the challenge of learning Spanish will be supportive. The lowest mark I've received through the whole course is 91%. That was on my midterm exam and it pulled my mark down to 96.5%. My goal was to complete the course with a 97 or 98, which is where I was until the midterm. I'd have to get 100% on the final and that just ain't gonna happen. I do well with reading comprehension. It's the recall to write my own stuff that suffers. Isn't midlife grand? Not! Oh well. My ultimate goal is to be proficient and I'm sure that once I've completed all 3 levels, I will be.
Anyways, wish me luck!
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That's amazing. I've spent more than that on my electronic spanish lessons, but without having the language around me, my brain forgets the most basic things. You need a class setting, and I need immersion and constant reinforcement.
ReplyDeleteYou have inspired me to click on Rosetta Stone and Fluenz again, such as they are.
Lee, I need the class type setting to force me to actually do the work. It's too easy to let things go without a deadline before me. If I don't finish the course by Wed, then I have to pay another $100 for an extension.
ReplyDeleteBut, like you, I also need to hear it regularly. I have a couple of my lesson CD's in the truck that I listen to as I'm driving. I read Progreso Hoy online and when I'm at home I listen to a Mérida radio station that I found through Google. What I need now is a place, online or not, where I'm required to speak/write to build up that part of language learning.
I'm glad I inspired you. Good luck!
Way to go!!!
ReplyDeleteI struggle to write it correctly as I can never remember where to put the accents.
One thing that is good about Spanish is that once you can pronounce the alphabet you can pronounce any word as the sounds stay true to form, unlike English.
The verb tenses are my bug a boo and I will never be fluent because of this; but I keep trying.
My biggest problem now is that I can have a conversation and understand a fair amount so I am REALLY LAZY about studying which is very bad. The need is no longer as strong soooooo I procrastinate on studying.
My memory is bad also so nothing stays in my short term memory long enough to get into my long term memory, as problem from the Fibromyalgia.
If you have Skype or another type of voip on your computer we could also chat in the evenings to each other in Spanish if you would like to. I can use the practice also and it might make me work harder lol.
Here are a couple of sites that are helpful, if unlike me, you actually use them lol.
http://www.lingq.com/
http://www.spaleon.com/
http://lomastv.com/
Keep on trying. Good luck with the exam.
Well done! You must be looking forward to putting all that studying to work very soon.
ReplyDeleteVery impressive! Don't be discouraged when you come down and can't understand the Spanish here. It's not you. Remember a lot of the so called Spanish speakers have Spanish as a second language too.
ReplyDeleteMy hairdresser is from northern Mexico, married to a Yucateca, he told me that he has to translate for his daughter when she comes down to visit. LOL and this is in Spanish.
However, eventually it all works out. Importantly you will be able to read signs etc.
regards,
Theresa