Articles in the ‘Learning outside class’ category

How to create mnemonics for general, abstract or overlapping character components

Mountains, trees and rocks are easy to use in mnemonics. But what do you do with character components whose meanings are general, abstract or overlapping?
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Chinese reading challenge, August 2026

It’s time for a Chinese reading challenge! It starts on August 10th, so enrol, set your goal and read as much as you can before the end of the month. This article contains more information about the challenge, as well as some advice about improving reading ability in Chinese.
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30 minutes of podcast, 3 minutes of Chinese

Most learners know they should “listen more”, but what they listen to matters. To improve, you need to make sense of spoken Mandarin, not listen to people explain Mandarin in English.
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Chinese writing challenge, July 2026

It’s time for a Chinese writing challenge! It starts on July 10th, so enrol, set your goal and write as much as you can before the end of the month. This article contains more information about the challenge, some important things to keep in mind as well as some advice about improving writing ability in Chinese.
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How much Chinese should you listen to every day?

Listening is the most important skill. To improve your listening ability in Chinese, you need to listen a lot, but how much should you listen every day?
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How technology can stop you from learning Chinese

Technology can make learning Chinese easier, but only if it helps you engage more with the language. Used poorly, the same tools can get in the way of learning instead of supporting it.
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How technology can make learning Chinese easier

Technology can make learning Chinese easier, not by doing the learning for you, but by helping you spend more time on what actually matters: listening, reading and communicating in Chinese.
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The Fluent Listener: Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water is open!

Develop essential Mandarin listening skills with my course, The Fluent Listener. Enrol now for lifetime access to video lessons, curated resources, tailored guidance, and a supportive learning community.
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The best podcasts for learning Chinese in 2026

Podcasts let you create your own Chinese immersion experience, with level-appropriate stories and authentic conversations. Learn flexibly on the go with the best podcasts for beginners, intermediate and advanced students!
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Effective progress or experience points? The double-edged sword of measuring your Chinese learning

Measuring your Chinese progress is a double-edged sword: it can keep you motivated, but it can also tempt you to chase numbers that don’t reflect real progress.
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