Articles published in December 2012
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You can’t learn Chinese characters by rote
My conclusion after years of learning characters is that rote learning is useless. Spaced repetition software is good, but it’s still not enough. If adult foreigners are going to learn to write Chinese by hand, we really need another method. We need mnemonics, we need active processing, we need to quit rote learning and stop using SRS mechanically.
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How I used a notebook to learn more Chinese, and why you should too
The humble notebook is a powerful tool for learners of Chinese. Whether an exquisite leather-bound journal or a digital text file, a notebook offers more than a space to record information about vocabulary or grammar.
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Measuring your language learning is a double-edged sword
Spaced repetition software offers a great way of measuring progress, every step forward is recorded and clearly visible. However, this is also a trap, because even though SRS is useful, it’s just a tool, not a comprehensive strategy. Measurable progress is a great help, but only if you use it correctly.
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Have fun learning Chinese or else…
Having fun while learning, or at least making the best of every situation, is essential. Learning a language requires a lot of time and if we don’t enjoy the process, we aren’t likely to invest the time we need to master a language.
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