Articles published in February 2014
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Learning how to fish: Or, why it’s essential to know how to learn
Learning how to learn Chinese is an essential skill for any student, regardless if you study on your own or in a course. This article explains why going to class is not enough.
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Two reasons why pronunciation matters more than you think
Good pronunciation matters, whether you like it or not. In general, students (and teachers) tend to stop caring about pronunciation much earlier than they should. You don’t need to aim for native-like pronunciation, but clear and easily-understood Chinese should be the goal of all students. In this article I present two arguments: one about the fact that pronunciation and communication are closely linked, one about how pronunciation reflects both you as a person and your other skills.
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Habit hacking for language learners
Forming language learning habits is a key ingredient in any successful recipe for mastering Chinese. This makes sure that we learn regularly and that it becomes a natural part of our lives, rather than something we do artificially only occasionally and perhaps a little bit reluctantly. This article deals with the basics of how to form habits and how they can be used to boost your language learning.
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Hacking Chinese 2013/2014: What was and what will be
2013 was a good year on Hacking Chinese, even though I didn’t publish any of the e-books I have in the pipeline. In 2013, another 56 articles were published, reaching more than twice as many readers as last year. This article details some of the most important developments in 2013, as well as my thoughts on the future of Hacking Chinese.
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