StillHammer
18fb87ae3f
- Created Universal Language Learning Framework (ULLF v1.1)
- Built complete learning system for 73 chapters across 5 books
- Setup folder structure with 18 README.md files
- Created learning plans (EN + CN for Tingting)
- Defined monthly cycle, SRS system, exams, and tracking
- Setup daily logs, weekly summaries, monthly sit reps
- Ready to start learning
🤖 Generated with Claude Code
Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
5.1 KiB
My Chinese Learning Plan
The Goal
Learn Chinese well enough to have real conversations with my wife. No more struggling to express myself - I want to speak naturally and understand her when she talks to me.
What I'm Working With
I have 5 textbooks from my intermediate Chinese course:
- Speaking book (Kouyu) - 12 chapters, pretty thick
- Composition book (Hanyu) - 13 chapters, the longest one
- Reading book (LEDU) - 12 chapters, lots of vocabulary
- Listening book (Tingli) - 30 chapters, but they're short
- Writing book (Xiezuo) - 6 chapters, pretty quick
That's 73 chapters total. If I keep a good pace, I can finish everything in about 10 months.
My Weekly Routine
I'm keeping it simple - same thing every week so I don't have to think about it:
Monday: Speaking practice (Kouyu) Tuesday: Composition work (Hanyu) Wednesday: Reading (LEDU) Thursday: Listening (Tingli) Friday: Writing (Xiezuo) Saturday: Catch-up day - review weak spots or make up missed work Sunday: Free day - life happens, so this is my buffer
Each day takes 1-2 hours. The most important part? I practice speaking EVERY day, even if it's just 15-20 minutes of talking to myself or shadowing audio. Speaking is my weakest skill, so it needs daily attention.
How the Month Works
Weeks 1-3: Learning and Reviewing
I alternate between learning new chapters and reviewing old ones. Some days I tackle fresh material, other days I go back and reinforce what I learned before.
The pattern roughly works out to:
- 2-3 new chapters per week
- 3-4 review sessions per week
- 6 days of study (with Sunday free)
When I finish a chapter, it doesn't just disappear. It comes back for review:
- Next day: Quick vocab check (10 minutes)
- 3 days later: Redo some exercises (20 minutes)
- 1 week later: Practice speaking/writing with that content (30 minutes)
- 2 weeks later: More advanced practice
- 1 month later: It shows up on the monthly exam
This spaced repetition keeps things fresh in my memory.
Week 4: Exam Week
Instead of grinding through new material all month, I take the fourth week to test myself properly. One exam per day:
Monday: Speaking exam Tuesday: Composition exam Wednesday: Reading exam Thursday: Listening exam Friday: Writing exam Saturday: Grade everything and see where I stand Sunday: Write up a monthly report
The exams are real - no shortcuts. I need to score above 80% to truly pass. Between 50-80% means I'm struggling with that skill and need to focus on it more. Below 50% is a red flag that I need to seriously review before moving forward.
Why This Works for Me
No decision fatigue: Monday is always speaking day. I never wake up wondering "what should I study today?"
Realistic flexibility: Life isn't perfect. That's why Saturday is catch-up day and Sunday is completely free. If I miss a day during the week, I can make it up on Saturday. If I have a rough week, Sunday is there as backup.
Accountability: Every month ends with exams and a report. I can't hide from the numbers. I'll share these reports with my wife so she can see my progress (and keep me honest).
Balanced development: I'm not just doing the fun stuff. Every skill gets its day, including the ones I'm bad at.
The Games
Learning from a textbook can be boring, so I'm building 3 mini-games for every chapter:
- Vocabulary game: Matching Chinese words to meanings, quick quizzes, flashcards
- Grammar game: Building sentences, transforming patterns, filling in blanks
- Production game: Real scenarios where I have to speak or write using what I learned
These make the review sessions way more engaging than just re-reading notes.
Tracking Progress
I keep a simple daily log:
- What chapter I worked on
- How much time I spent
- Whether I did my speaking practice
- What went well and what was hard
- Current streak of consecutive days
At the end of each month, I generate a report showing:
- How many chapters I completed
- My exam scores
- My consistency (did I actually study most days?)
- What I'm good at and what needs work
- Goals for next month
This report gets shared with my wife. It's my way of staying accountable.
The Timeline
At my current pace (about 9 new chapters per month), I'll finish all 73 chapters in roughly 8-9 months. Add in the review time and exam weeks, and I'm looking at about a year total.
3 months in: About a third of the way through 6 months in: Over halfway, should be noticeably more confident 9 months in: All chapters completed 12 months in: Everything mastered, speaking fluently with my wife
Starting This Week
The plan is ready. Now I just need to:
- Pick which chapters to start with
- Do my first Monday (speaking day)
- Log it in my daily tracker
- Keep the streak going
- Show up every day, even if it's just for 30 minutes
The system is simple. The routine is clear. No more overthinking - just consistent work, one day at a time, until I can speak Chinese naturally with my wife.
That's the plan.
Note: The plan might change with time but that's my working framework at least.