Jason S. Comely's Blog
May 2, 2024
Updated Definitions
When I'm finished my 100 book blitzathon (as of this post, I've blitzed 72 Polish-language books in 72 days), I'll be moving on to stage 2 of Bimodal Blitz. I thought now would be a good time to update the definitions.
Bimodal Blitz /bīˈmōdl blits/ noun
A language learning method that combines two modalities, such as reading and listening, to accelerate learning. It enables rapid and immersive language processing within a limited timeframe, resulting in efficient and rewarding language growth.
Blitzathon /ˈblitsəˌTHän/ noun
A language learning approach that uses the Bimodal Blitz method for 30 to 100 consecutive days. During a Blitzathon, learners engage in extensive reading, listening and/or speaking of their target language.
Bimodal Blitz /bīˈmōdl blits/ noun
A language learning method that combines two modalities, such as reading and listening, to accelerate learning. It enables rapid and immersive language processing within a limited timeframe, resulting in efficient and rewarding language growth.
Blitzathon /ˈblitsəˌTHän/ noun
A language learning approach that uses the Bimodal Blitz method for 30 to 100 consecutive days. During a Blitzathon, learners engage in extensive reading, listening and/or speaking of their target language.
April 12, 2024
50 books in 50 days - My experiment in Language Learning
I want to share my thoughts as I hit the halfway mark of my Bimodal Blitzathon—attempting to "blitz" through 100 Polish-language books in 100 consecutive days.
The Bimodal Blitz, my experimental language learning method, involves reading a book in your target language while simultaneously listening to the audiobook - in a single day, even a single session. This immersive and intense approach aims not just for language acquisition but for a memorable experience within the literary world of your chosen language.
Today, I'm excited to briefly share some insights from my latest milestone: 50 books in 50 days.
COMPREHENSION and VOCABULARY EXPOSURE
As someone who started learning Polish just 5 and a half months ago with an A1 ability according to CEFR, my ability to follow along with native-speaking narrators, even at 2x speed, has improved radically. My exposure to Polish vocabulary and the way words are combined continues to grow rapidly. I'm also now familiar with many Polish words in their various grammatical forms.
CHALLENGES and INSIGHTS
Blitzing isn't always easy. Some books, like the Polish translations of H.G. Wells' stories or Peter Thiel's "Zero to One," required a very high comprehension level. I spent a lot of time translating or making wild guesses about certain passages. Business and technical books in Polish are definitely not recommended for beginners like me.
Other times, the book felt too long for a one-day reading, like with one particular Polish version of "Heart of Darkness." Luckily, tools like the Natural Reader app, which reads the text aloud and highlights as it goes, helped me power through without losing my place.
The key to getting through any book, I've found, is knowing and using the levers of flow. A flow state enhances cognitive performance and learning by reducing frontal brain activity, which minimizes mental interference and distraction. I'm going to share my findings after a bit more experimentation and fine-tuning.
Technology is also an invaluable ally in Bimodal Blitzing. From LingQ and Readlang for quick translations to Natural Reader's excellent TTS feature that kept me on track even during a treadmill session, these tools have made it possible to persevere through challenging texts and long reading sessions.
LOOKING FOWARD
Fifty days and fifty books later, my understanding of Polish has deepened significantly. While I've encountered challenges, such as committing words to long-term memory and comprehending complex texts, the journey has been rewarding. Bimodal Blitzing has not only improved my language skills but also allowed me to explore a wide range of literature that I wouldn't have otherwise experienced.
As I look forward to the next fifty days, I'm stoke about the stories that await and the progress I'll continue to make. The Bimodal Blitzathon is more than just a language learning challenge; it's a feast of language and ideas, one book at a time.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights here on Goodreads and on my Twitter/x feed: https://twitter.com/bimodalblitz. And for those intrigued by the Bimodal Blitz method, I encourage you to dive into a book in your target language and experience the immersive world of bimodal reading and listening.
P.S. A book on how to Bimodal Blitz will eventually be released explaining the method in detail.
The Bimodal Blitz, my experimental language learning method, involves reading a book in your target language while simultaneously listening to the audiobook - in a single day, even a single session. This immersive and intense approach aims not just for language acquisition but for a memorable experience within the literary world of your chosen language.
Today, I'm excited to briefly share some insights from my latest milestone: 50 books in 50 days.
COMPREHENSION and VOCABULARY EXPOSURE
As someone who started learning Polish just 5 and a half months ago with an A1 ability according to CEFR, my ability to follow along with native-speaking narrators, even at 2x speed, has improved radically. My exposure to Polish vocabulary and the way words are combined continues to grow rapidly. I'm also now familiar with many Polish words in their various grammatical forms.
CHALLENGES and INSIGHTS
Blitzing isn't always easy. Some books, like the Polish translations of H.G. Wells' stories or Peter Thiel's "Zero to One," required a very high comprehension level. I spent a lot of time translating or making wild guesses about certain passages. Business and technical books in Polish are definitely not recommended for beginners like me.
Other times, the book felt too long for a one-day reading, like with one particular Polish version of "Heart of Darkness." Luckily, tools like the Natural Reader app, which reads the text aloud and highlights as it goes, helped me power through without losing my place.
The key to getting through any book, I've found, is knowing and using the levers of flow. A flow state enhances cognitive performance and learning by reducing frontal brain activity, which minimizes mental interference and distraction. I'm going to share my findings after a bit more experimentation and fine-tuning.
Technology is also an invaluable ally in Bimodal Blitzing. From LingQ and Readlang for quick translations to Natural Reader's excellent TTS feature that kept me on track even during a treadmill session, these tools have made it possible to persevere through challenging texts and long reading sessions.
LOOKING FOWARD
Fifty days and fifty books later, my understanding of Polish has deepened significantly. While I've encountered challenges, such as committing words to long-term memory and comprehending complex texts, the journey has been rewarding. Bimodal Blitzing has not only improved my language skills but also allowed me to explore a wide range of literature that I wouldn't have otherwise experienced.
As I look forward to the next fifty days, I'm stoke about the stories that await and the progress I'll continue to make. The Bimodal Blitzathon is more than just a language learning challenge; it's a feast of language and ideas, one book at a time.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights here on Goodreads and on my Twitter/x feed: https://twitter.com/bimodalblitz. And for those intrigued by the Bimodal Blitz method, I encourage you to dive into a book in your target language and experience the immersive world of bimodal reading and listening.
P.S. A book on how to Bimodal Blitz will eventually be released explaining the method in detail.
April 2, 2024
My Polish Progress: Blitzing 40 Books in 40 Days
I've been learning Polish with an experimental method called the Bimodal Blitz. It requires reading an entire book in your target language in a day, or even a sitting, while listening to the audiobook at the same time. Since I've "blitzed" 40 Polish books in 40 consecutive days, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on the method so far.
First, when I "blitz", I'm looking for an immersive, memorable experience in my target language. Learning is merely a byproduct of that. That's why I choose novellas and non-fiction books I think I'll enjoy.
With that said, as someone with an A1 ability according to CEFR (I started learning Polish 5 months ago), my ability to follow along with a native-speaking narrator, even at 2x speed, has improved exponentially. My exposure to Polish vocabulary has also exploded, and I'm familiar with many Polish words in their various grammatical forms. However, I haven't committed as many Polish words to long-term memory as I'd like. Many meanings are still fuzzy, like a word on the tip of the tongue. I think I just need to see these familiar but fuzzy words in more diverse contexts before they are nailed down. That means more blitzing!
Since many of the ebooks I read are 2-5 hours long, I haven't had much time or mental energy left to write blog posts about my method. However, I've left lots of hints in my reviews, so check them out if you're interested in blitzing.
FYI: I'm trying to blitz 100 Polish books in 100 days. You can follow my Bimodal Blitzathon via my bimodalblitz bookshelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list.... Feel free to connect with me via @BimodalBlitz on Twitter/X or here.
First, when I "blitz", I'm looking for an immersive, memorable experience in my target language. Learning is merely a byproduct of that. That's why I choose novellas and non-fiction books I think I'll enjoy.
With that said, as someone with an A1 ability according to CEFR (I started learning Polish 5 months ago), my ability to follow along with a native-speaking narrator, even at 2x speed, has improved exponentially. My exposure to Polish vocabulary has also exploded, and I'm familiar with many Polish words in their various grammatical forms. However, I haven't committed as many Polish words to long-term memory as I'd like. Many meanings are still fuzzy, like a word on the tip of the tongue. I think I just need to see these familiar but fuzzy words in more diverse contexts before they are nailed down. That means more blitzing!
Since many of the ebooks I read are 2-5 hours long, I haven't had much time or mental energy left to write blog posts about my method. However, I've left lots of hints in my reviews, so check them out if you're interested in blitzing.
FYI: I'm trying to blitz 100 Polish books in 100 days. You can follow my Bimodal Blitzathon via my bimodalblitz bookshelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list.... Feel free to connect with me via @BimodalBlitz on Twitter/X or here.
March 13, 2024
Bimodal Blitz: Language Learning, Overclocked
The Bimodal Blitz is a language acquisition technique. The learner reads a book in their target language while simultaneously listening to the audiobook. To translate, you'll rely on your existing knowledge, quick look-ups, context clues, and the audiobook's narration (inflection, pacing, etc.). You can play the audiobook faster or slower, but the goal is to finish the entire book in a single day, or even a single sitting, without pausing the audiobook.
I'm trying to blitz 100 Polish books in 100 days. You can follow my Bimodal Blitzathon via my bimodalblitz bookshelf. Feel free to connect with me via @BimodalBlitz on Twitter/X or here on Goodreads.
MORE POSTS
- My Polish Progress: Blitzing 40 Books in 40 Days: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
- 50 books in 50 days - My experiment in Language Learning: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
- Overclocking My Brain: Adapting to Faster Audio and Reading Speeds: https://buttondown.email/bimodalblitz...
- Updated Definitions: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
- Learning a Language? Here's Five Tips for Picking Books that "Blitz": https://buttondown.email/bimodalblitz...
- Learning a Language with Bimodal Blitz: Easy as Riding a Bike: https://buttondown.email/bimodalblitz...
I'm trying to blitz 100 Polish books in 100 days. You can follow my Bimodal Blitzathon via my bimodalblitz bookshelf. Feel free to connect with me via @BimodalBlitz on Twitter/X or here on Goodreads.
MORE POSTS
- My Polish Progress: Blitzing 40 Books in 40 Days: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
- 50 books in 50 days - My experiment in Language Learning: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
- Overclocking My Brain: Adapting to Faster Audio and Reading Speeds: https://buttondown.email/bimodalblitz...
- Updated Definitions: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
- Learning a Language? Here's Five Tips for Picking Books that "Blitz": https://buttondown.email/bimodalblitz...
- Learning a Language with Bimodal Blitz: Easy as Riding a Bike: https://buttondown.email/bimodalblitz...
