Tonight I had my listening and reading tests for Dutch. The listening test started off pretty easy but definitely became harder by the end. Part 1 was about 20 short listening exercises, each with its own question. Part 2 was compromised over three longer listening exercises, each with 4-7 questions. In total there were 40 questions. Seven or eight of those were questions that I was less than 100% certain of. But it was kind of nice to hear all of the different scenarios, each with different people (and thus different accents).

The second test was reading, with 27 different questions. My nervousness about this test disappeared when the teacher said that it was a bit easy – and that her and another teacher kept meaning to make it harder but hadn’t found the time. This one was again different scenarios. The longest one was about grofvuil or the larger trash items that don’t fit into a trash bin — thus you have to ask the city to come take it away for you (couches, tables and similar). I had already read up on that when we had to get rid of the old couches, so the vocabulary wasn’t new. Out of the 27 questions I had 3 that I was not 100% sure of. So no problems there.

Between the two tests the teacher asked if anyone would like to know their grades for the listening test, but everyone seemed to content to wait until Thursday for the results. So after the reading test was done I very quietly asked and she said I had passed — which means that I am all but assured of passing B1 and going on to B2. Though of course it will be nice to hear it officially on Thursday!

Yesterday’s class was the final class before the two test days (tomorrow and next Tuesday). It was pretty relaxed though you could really tell who wanted to be there and who didn’t. Most people hadn’t done the homework. Just me (what else is new) and another woman who admitted doing it on the tram on the way over.

Tomorrow is the writing test as well as the speaking test. I am doing the speaking portion before the class itself begins, so luckily I can leave as soon as I am done with the writing component. That’s easily my strength thanks to all of the emails I sent to Marco while he was at work!

I was also able to find out what book we’ll be needing for the next course, B2. I was happy to find out that it was De Finale (The Final, or ‘The End’). I have seen that book before — it is a textbook that helps prepare you for the NT2-II exam. From what I have seen it does look look like a good book for that.

There’s a slight chance my B2 course might start in the first week of January. My teacher said that a B2 course started this week (since the school receives money from government of The Hague they probably wanted to get additional money on the 2013 books) so it will only run for two weeks before the holidays start. I wouldn’t mind joining in week 3. But even if that doesn’t pan out, there’s probably another B2 course starting next month as well.

We’ll see how it goes…

NOTE: If you’re noticing the falling snow on my blog, it’s a WordPress feature that comes around every December for the holidays. 

On Tuesday I had my first lesson with the other B1 class. (I switched to this B1 class because they were almost ready to take the final test, and that gets me into B2 two months sooner. I hope.)

Some impressions that I had: the class size was a bit smaller, with about 8 or 9 people. Half of those people liked to come 15-20 minutes late, though there was also the same problem in the other B1 class. In preparation for the switch I had pretty much finished the textbook, but this class didn’t get to the last two chapters . Although I did skip a handful of exercises each chapter that were predominantly speaking or writing. I don’t have much trouble with writing, so that is no big deal for me.

(Tip for learning a foreign language: force yourself to write whenever you can. For me, writing daily work emails to Marco has helped me writing skills tremendously. Though being fascinated with grammar is also a good motivation.)

The class is the same as the other one in other ways as well: most of the students are just as unmotivated. They do not do their homework, for instance. They don’t really try when answering a question. Everything is funny to them. A few times the teacher made mention of the fact that I had already done this listening exercise or that writing exercise but 1) I didn’t know how far they had gotten. 2) I wasn’t exactly sure what the test would be about, so I wanted to study everything.

So, I’m stuck hoping B2 is more challenging. Though my teacher did warn me that most people don’t do their homework in B2 either. But it should be more challenging in general — there’s a gap between B1 (normal job level of Dutch) and B2 (required for university level jobs). B2 isn’t for everyone – and here I am doing it for fun. I am weird!

The last few days have been pretty intense in terms of studying. I have hinted on this blog that the B1 course is too easy, although I am the weird nut that likes grammar. A few weeks ago my teacher asked if I would like to do the final exam for the class a few months early – so I would finish B1 just before Christmas, about two months earlier than expected. This just requires switching into a class that is almost done.

Of course I agreed, since 1) the class is too easy 2) if I can get into the B2 class a bit earlier, I might finish before the summer break. One can hope… Regardless, after B2 comes the NT2-II exam (for fun – the horror) so there is still a lot more work to do.

Officially I switch into the other class tomorrow, so I now go to class on Tuesdays and Thursdays (only). Thursday is a free day due to the Sinterklaas holiday, so tomorrow and the following Tuesday are the two class days before the tests begin. The tests are given on the 12th and 17th, with an individual speaking test given at some other time. We receive the results on the 19th.

Tonight’s class was a bit shorter – we had a test for chapters 4 through 6, though due to the craziness mentioned above I have finished the book (through chapter 12). Doing 5 chapters in under a week is a bit insane… but I did the same thing to able to skip the A1 class, way back when.

And the test over chapters 4 through 6? Just might be another 100%! But I have a feeling the final exam will be harder… But I’m ready for it.