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You can’t learn Chinese characters by rote

By On December 25, 2012 · 29 Comments · In Advanced, Attitude and mentality, Beginner, Distinctively Chinese, Intermediate, Learning outside class, Vocabulary

My conclusion after five 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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If you can only stay abroad for a short time, don’t go immediately

By On September 20, 2010 · 4 Comments · In Beginner, Immersion and integration, Learning outside class, Organising and planning

This article isn’t about discouraging people to go abroad. Instead, it’s a rational analysis of when to go abroad to learn Chinese if you’re limited by money or time. My conclusion is that you should not go immediately, but wait until you’ve learnt some basics at home.

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