Learning Japanese from scratch, I really like Emma’s collections “Easy conversations”, “Meet Emma”, “Troubles with Skype”, etc. And I was inspired to start some beginners collections in Russian. Thank you, Emma! (Perhaps, there are similar collections at other languages, but I am learning Japanese, so was inspired by Japanese content).
These are excellent. The sound quality is great and your voice is clear. However, these are not Beginner I, and might even be a little difficult for Beginner II. They are really sort of a low intermediate but can appeal to all learners.
I have created a category called Easy Listening. Since this written in English and starts with “E” it will show up right under the Beginner items.
I would like Beginner I to be only items that exist in many languages. We do not want to give too much choice to beginners, who might be easily discouraged.
I am going to enjoy your new content because it is great for reviewing cases and other key basic vocabulary and structure.
OK, now I’ve listened to each lessons from Rasana’s corner once - they are not Beginner I, but maybe Beginner II. It’s hard to tell - I think this type of content is something that everybody (should) want to be able to produce themselves, i.e. speak about who they are, what they do, where they live… so I’d place the content in Beginner II (or in Easy Listening).
For what it’s worth, this is exactly the type of content I want in all of the languages I’m studying. It’s perfect when you’ve been working with the language for some time and want something that’s just a tiny bit above your level. A lot of useful grammar and phrases.
I found the Useful phrases collection a good addition to the library. I have begun to do almost the same in French and will add it soon in the library.
I like your collection Rasana, that is (по-моему) exactly the sort of material that beginner 2s need lots and lots of! Not having enough of it I have had to spend a lot of time ploughing through some really very tough material, which can be discouraging. More power to your keyboard!
I have moved these into Easy Listening. Should I move them back to Beginner II. I find these difficult for a beginner. Helen, you are not a beginner. I am open. I would also like to hear from Rasana on this.
I certainly agree that this kind of content is excellent and we need more of it, in all languages.
On the subject of level, I have been puzzling over how to determine the level of a piece of writing for a while. I see it this way (and tell me if you don’t agree!)
Assuming that a native learns roughly 1000 new words a year, beginner 1 level is that of a preschool child “e.g. Here is Spot. Spot has a ball. It is red.” Beginner 2 (up to 10 000 known words) would then be elementary-school level (i.e. up to age 10), e.g. “Johnny looked at the big cuddly teddy bear and thought he looked rather sad”. Intermediate 1 then becomes junior high, intermediate 2 the rest of high school and advanced 1 school leaver and undergraduate. Advanced 2 = graduate, technical specialist.
That being the case, I would say Rasana’s articles are suitable for a good beginner 2, they would stretch my seven-year-old but not the eleven-year old.
I was just about to test that by asking my son to read the pieces, then I remembered they are in Russian not English. D’oh!
Steve,
I suppose that Easy Listening is really more appropriate place for it. Because this content seems to be more difficult than “The story of Nina”.
Jeff,
I suppose that this topics are common too, as I just opened my Japanese writing section and created texts about the same topics Of course in Japanese they were much more shorter
Helen,
I have two cousins: a 14-years-old boy and a 10-years-old girl. The problem is that we have complicated ending system, and my 10-years-old sister knows it very well, but beginners do not know it so well
