Articles in the ‘Organising and planning’ category
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Chinese language question triage: When to ask whom about what
When learning Chinese, questions about the language pop up all the time, but what’s the best way to answer them?
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Analyse and balance your Chinese learning with Paul Nation’s four strands
When learning Chinese, it’s hard to make sure you’re doing the right things. Paul Nation’s four strands allow you analyse and balance your learning!
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Time quality: Studying the right thing at the right time
Many students think that learning a language is limited to going to class, working your way through difficult texts or having conversations with native speakers. These all contribute to your learning, but learning is not limited to things you can schedule in your calendar. If you think of it like that, you’ll miss so many learning opportunities!
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How to start learning Chinese again after a break
Are you picking up Chinese again after a break, and struggle to find the words and characters? Does spoken Mandarin sound vaguely familiar but incomprehensible? Then this guide will help you get back on track!
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How to survive and thrive in a difficult Chinese course
How do you survive a Chinese course that’s too hard for you, regardless if you ended up there on purpose or because of circumstances? What are the key strategies to ensure you stay afloat and learn as much as possible?
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Learning Classical Chinese is for everyone (no, seriously!)
Classical Chinese is something all learners will encounter, whether it’s because it’s part of a course you take, because you’ve started learning formal, written Chinese or simply because you want to read the Art of War, the Analects or Tang poetry. How can you learn Classical Chinese and what resources should you use?
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Is taking a Chinese course that’s too hard good for your learning?
Chinese has a reputation for being hard to learn and it can be even harder if you take a course that is above your level. But why would you do that? What are the potential pros and cons of deliberately seeking out a learning environment where just keeping your head above water will be hard?
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Should you enrol in a Chinese course or are you better off learning on your own?
Some people think enrolling in a course is the best way to learn Chinese, but others say that courses are useless, and swear by the effectiveness of self-studying. So should you enrol in a Chinese course or are you better off learning on your own?
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Why your Chinese isn’t as good as you think it ought to be
Sooner or later, most students realise that their Chinese isn’t as good as they think it ought to be. Why is that and what can you do about it?
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Chinese language logging, part 3: Tools and resources for keeping track of your learning
Logging you language learning can be very useful, and there are many tools and resources out there to help you, but which are the best and how do you use them?Logging you language learning can be very useful, and there are many tools and resources out there to help you, but which are the best and how do you use them?
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