Which podcast level is right for you?
We recently received a great question by email (thanks Rob!):
I was just wondering at what point you suggest moving from Beginner to Intermediate and then Intermediate to Advanced. How long should one stay at each level before he/she is prepared to move to the next level?
The answer of course is that you move up when you feel ready to, but how do you work that out? Well, the obvious place to start is with the Intermediate Podcasts. If you find that these challenge your listening skills, that a few words slip by, but in general you get the gist of our conversation, then this is probably the level for you. Even if it seems frustrating to miss out on some of the vocab, don’t worry, as you get used to the level and to our voices, then you will get more and more out of the podcasts.
If you find the Intermediate podcasts way too difficult then obviously it is best to start with the Beginners podcasts, then every now and again come back and try the Intermediate until you find you can understand most of what is being said and feel ready to make the jump. The same goes for the move from Intermediate to Advanced. If you feel the Intermediate podcasts have become too easy, then try a few Advanced episodes. If they are still too tough then wait a while longer before making the jump. It may be best to start with the Advanced podcasts with just Marina and I talking before you take on the interviews, as you will be used to our voices from the Intermediate level.
Remember, this is a really personal thing, and only you will know when you feel like stepping up a level. Language learning is always best when you are in charge and decide how fast you want to go. Also bear in mind that a lot of Intermediate listeners still listen to the Beginners series for the extra explanations they include and, finally, that the transcripts in our worksheets can really help you make the jump up to a higher level.
Do you have any experience of making the jump between levels?
August 31st, 2007 | Posted in: Spanish | Comments: 5
Comments:
Comment from yosoyguiri
Time: September 1, 2007, 4:50 pm
This advice rings true with me!
I’ve started with the intermediate podcasts having listened and found I was missing a bit too much of the advanced podcasts and finding the beginner podcasts a little too basic for me!
I’ve been working my way through the “back catalogue” of podcasts, tackling one each morning on my commute to work. The way I approach it is to listen once to try and catch things with my ear and then a second time with the worksheet to make sure I can follow everything! Then I try and learn the vocabulary on the sheets (it’s a fairly long commute!!) The result has been fantastic!
After two weeks of listening every morning I found myself being able to understand my girlfriend’s Spanish mother (on the phone) almost perfectly. I can only describe the experience as like “bullet time” on the Matrix. The words were coming at me at the same pace as normal, but somehow I felt like I had so much more time to digest them!!
Recently I tried listening to a couple of the advanced podcasts and found them much more manageable after having trained my ear on the intermediate level. Once I’ve finished the intermediate back catalogue I plan to move up to the past episodes of the advanced!
Keep up the great work, guys!
Comment from Palmer
Time: September 1, 2007, 11:14 pm
To echo what guiri just said, I have felt very comfortable with the intermediate podcasts after maybe six months of listening to them. The advanced podcasts sometimes have sentences and phrases which leave me in the dark, but I often get the basic idea of what’s being discussed upon repeated replays and having gotten used to Marina’s and Ben’s voices. I am understanding them better than before. And the beginner’s podcasts are easy, but I usually find a word or two of colloquial terminology which I had not heard before. I have taken a few tests from various internet sites which offer placement levels and they have usually resulted in intermediate+, which is what I had imagined from what I understand of the Notes In Spanish podcasts.
And, Guiri, I love your analogy of the Matrix bullets. Perfect! I can now see those “bullets” like never before. They’re getting slower and slower!
Comment from Martin
Time: September 2, 2007, 12:09 pm
My wife and I were complete beginners with Spanish in September last year. We did a night class at the local school, then started to listen to NiS beginners courses when they arrived. These suited us perfectly. Lately we’ve started listening to the Intermediate podcasts, with varying degrees of understanding. But we’re surprised to find that we understood about 70-80% of the last one (El Solitario), so we must be making progress!
Comment from Kathy
Time: October 20, 2007, 9:52 pm
I find that the intermediate level is about right for me, but I can understand quite a bit of the Advanced ones as well. I’ve discovered, though, that they’re all very helpful, and I listen to them all! I learn new things and interesting tidbits in the beginner’s podcasts and I increase my listening and comprehensin skills in the intermmediate and advanced podcasts. They’re all great and I recommend them all for everyone!
Comment from ben
Time: October 21, 2007, 9:33 am
Thanks Kathy - you must have our voices going around in your head all day!
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