@ jbk
Cool. Sounds like you are making progress then.
I started learning German with lots of output and grammar at a language school and found that after a few months, I had vastly improved my ability to express myself when talking but was still unable to understand anything but the most basic stuff, written and spoken. I find that the passive skills are taking much longer to develop than the active skills and I also think that these skills are much more important.
I’m starting to think I unlocked the best method for me; a nice mix of mostly input and a bit of output.
I’m currently enrolled in a Freshman level Spanish class at my University. My strategy is to follow the course while devoting an hour or two a day to the lingq method. I hypothesize that my passive skills will grow exponentially, especially in comparison to the other students in my class, and that I’ll be able to ‘notice’ things thanks to the grammar instruction in class. We’ll see how well I speak at the end of my Sophomore year.
@ Colin
Wow, I didn’t realize that a language school might start with a lot of output in addition to the grammar. I thought they all stressed grammar, grammar, grammar. That’s very interesting that you are finding that it takes longer to develop your passive skills…I wouldn’t have thought that.
@djv
Great that you have found a method that works for you!