How to optimise learning here?

Question

Hello, 
Can anyone suggest a best-practices methodology for using the site to improving in a systematic way?
Perforce of circumstances, I'm learning on my own, but hope to get off the B1-B2 plateau that I've settled on via my piecemeal learning.
FWIW, I spend ~15 hours per week studying French.
Thanks in advance,
D

Céline Pickard · Accepted Answer

Bonjour D,
The B1–B2 plateau is a common challenge for any learner but with a clearer plan you can move past it.
First of all, your Brainmap and Notebook are your first port of call. The Brainmap visually tracks your progress and shows you which topics you’ve mastered and which still need work. Concentrate on the areas marked in yellow or red (i.e. "Growing confidence / Mistakes Untested) which track your weaker spots. Your Notebook, on the other hand, allows you to organise lessons and quizzes, including those you haven’t learned yet or want to revisit. It’s a great way to stay on top of your learning.
For each topic, try to follow a simple cycle: read the lesson, take the related micro-quiz, review any mistakes and retest until you feel confident (ideally 90% or higher). Don’t just read the answers: take a moment to say them aloud or explain them to yourself. This small habit strengthens retention and helps transfer knowledge to active use.
If you wish to keep your 15 hours a week of learning, try the following: 3 to 4 hours on grammar lessons and quizzes, 3 hours practising writing or speaking (using the grammar you’ve just learned), 4 to 5 hours on listening and reading activities like podcasts or news articles, and the remaining 2 to 3 hours reviewing mistakes and revisiting tricky topics. This mix helps reinforce grammar while also developing the real-world skills that often lag at the intermediate level.
To move beyond the plateau, you’ll want to focus on activating more complex structures, like the subjunctive, relative pronouns, and compound tenses. Kwiziq is especially strong at drilling these, with targeted tips and examples that go beyond memorisation. Look out for useful connecting phrases and sentence structures and don’t hesitate to write or speak using them, even short journal entries or translating bits of conversation can help.
Finally, make reviewing a habit. Each week, set aside some time to go back through previous quizzes, review explanations and push more topics into the “good confidence” (dark green) category in your Brainmap. This keeps your progress steady and your confidence growing.
Hopefully, by following this approach, you will build depth and fluency step by step.
Bonne chance !