The Fluent Listener:
Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water
⚡Become a fluent listener now – $128
⚡Unlock fluent listening with personal guidance – $288
⚡Become a fluent listener now – $128
⚡Unlock fluent listening with personal guidance – $288
This course is currently under construction and is not open for enrollment yet.
If you are interested in the course, please leave your email address here.
Listening is the foundation of language learning.
The more you understand, the more you learn.
Improving your listening ability unlocks many benefits:
In contrast, if you struggle with listening, conversations become frustrating for both you and the person you’re speaking with. Not understanding limits how much you learn from social interactions and listening practice.
Learning to understand spoken Mandarin isn’t easy. Many students find listening to be the most difficult part of their language journey.
In fact, in a survey conducted with several hundred learners, the majority identified listening as the most challenging aspect of learning Chinese.
I can ask questions, but when a native speaker replies, I’m completely lost.
Even when I know the words, I still can’t follow because they speak so fast!
Listening to Mandarin feels like guessing, so many words sound the same!
I understand my teacher, but anyone else might as well be speaking Martian.
I know I need to listen more, but with so much to do, I keep putting it off!
These are genuine concerns that need to be taken seriously. Listening in Mandarin is indeed harder than in many other languages.
There are several reasons for this. One key challenge is that many words in Mandarin sound similar, which becomes even more problematic if you struggle to distinguish tones.
Additionally, while Chinese grammar can make speaking easier, it places more responsibility on the listener.
Mandarin relies heavily on context, and if you miss crucial parts of the conversation, understanding the rest can feel impossible!
It’s unfortunate that many students struggle with listening comprehension, especially since improving it is easier than you might think.
By following a few key principles, you’ll be on your way to understanding spoken Mandarin.
Listen more: Relying on a teacher, textbook or podcast isn’t enough. Create your own immersion environment and listen as much as possible.These principles are easy to describe but difficult to apply, which is why I created this course!
A fluent listener is someone who can process spoken Mandarin effectively and navigate conversations in various situations.
But becoming a fluent listener isn’t just about improving your ability to understand, it’s also about recognising and addressing common listening challenges and building a long-term strategy for continuous improvement.
Fluency in listening is possible at any level, but the content you engage with will differ:
Beginners will learn to become fluent with content related to everyday life and familiar topicsWhatever your current level, this course will equip you with the tools and strategies to improve your listening skills and thrive in real-world conversations.
To help you immerse yourself in Mandarin, no matter where you are, this course includes a carefully curated audio resource library.
Each resource is tagged by difficulty level, topics, content type, length, platform, transcript availability, and more. Sort, filter, or search resources to find the perfect fit for your needs!
Learning alongside others can make even the toughest challenges more manageable. When you enrol in this course, you’ll gain access to an exclusive community on Discord, where you can chat with fellow learners.
Share tips, resources, and progress updates with others who are also working to improve their listening comprehension.
⚡Become a fluent listener now – $128
Personal feedback on your study plan: I will review your study plan and provide specific advice on how to optimise it for your goals and learning situation.⚡Unlock fluent listening with personal guidance – $288
Hi! I’m Olle Linge. I began learning Chinese at the age of 23 and have since studied in various settings: immersion programs abroad, intensive courses at home, online learning, and part-time while balancing work and other commitments.
I’ve also studied in a graduate program in teaching Chinese as a second language (taught entirely in Chinese) and have many years of experience teaching Chinese, including professional development courses for teachers.
Through all this, I’ve come to deeply understand the importance of listening in language acquisition. I’ve spent the past five years researching listening comprehension with the ultimate goal of helping students like you improve not only your listening skills but also your overall proficiency in Mandarin.
Section 1: Navigating spoken Mandarin like a fish in water
Lesson 1: Welcome to the Course!
Lesson 2: Why Listening Is the Most Important Skill
Lesson 3: Why Listening in Chinese Is Hard and What to Do About It
Lesson 4: How to Listen to Understand More and Learn More
Lesson 5: The Role of Listening in Your Learning Approach
Lesson 6: Beginner Listening: The 10-Hour Listening Journey
Lesson 7: Intermediate Listening: The 100-Hour Listening Journey
Lesson 8: Advanced Listening: The 1000-Hour Listening Journey
Section 2: A deep dive into Chinese listening comprehension
Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 2: From Sound to Meaning in Mandarin
Lesson 3: Learning to Hear the Sounds and Tones of Mandarin
Lesson 4: How to Improve Your Chinese Listening Speed
Lesson 5: Leveraging What You Already Know to Understand More
Lesson 6: Acquiring the Knowledge Necessary for Successful Listening
Lesson 7: Becoming a Fluent Listener
Section 3: How to listen to understand and learn more
Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 2: How Difficult Should Your Listening Materials Be?
Lesson 3: Extensive Listening: Why You Need It and How to Get It
Lesson 4: The Input Pyramid: Listening for Any Situation
Lesson 5: How to Make Mandarin Easier to Understand
Lesson 6: Conversations, Monologues, Movies and Broadcasts
Lesson 7: Dealing with Challenging Listening Content in Chinese
Lesson 8: Learning to Swim in a Sea of Accents
Lesson 9: Digital Listening: Speech Synthesis and Audio Flashcards
Section 4: How to listen to understand and learn more
Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 2: What You Need to Know to Become a Successful Listener
Lesson 3: Effective Strategies to Boost Comprehension
Lesson 4: Navigating Conversations Like a Fish in Water
Lesson 5: How to Nail Listening Exams Such as HSK and TOCFL
Lesson 6: Listening Again vs. Listening to Something New
Lesson 7: Subtitles and Transcripts: Reading Before, While or After Listening
Lesson 8: Chinese Listening, Fast and Slow
Lesson 9: MaximisingLearning with Support from a Teacher
Section 5: Creating a Chinese immersion experience
Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 2: Immersion at Home: Bathing in Chinese in the Comfort of Your Home
Lesson 3: Making the Most of a Stay Abroad
Lesson 4: Finding Time to Listen More
Lesson 5: Streamlining Your Listening Practice
Lesson 6: Habit Hacking for More Learning with Less Effort
Lesson 7: Channelling the Ebbs and Flows of Long-Term Motivation
What do I get when I enrol in the course?
You’ll get full access to all course content. You can watch the video episodes and work through the materials at your own pace. If you enrol with professional guidance, you’ll receive personal feedback and support as well.
How long is the course?
The video episodes total around twelve hours, but going through all the content will take much longer. The included listening journeys will take tens, hundreds, or even thousands of hours to complete, depending on your level. Listening skills aren’t built overnight!
How much will I know when I’ve completed the course?
By the end of the course, you’ll understand how listening comprehension works, what to listen to and when, how to listen for the best results, and how to fit this practice into your daily schedule. While the amount of Mandarin you learn depends on how much time you invest, this course gives you the tools to maximise your progress.
I’m an advanced student. Is this course relevant to me?
Yes! While the course offers listening strategies for all levels, the video content is in English and focuses on teaching you how to get the most out of your Chinese listening practice. So, no matter your current level, the course is designed to help you improve.
When does the course start? When does it end?
The course opens for enrolment when I’m available to work with a new group of students. Once enrolled, you’ll have permanent access to the course content, including any updates I may release in future versions. There’s no end date, you’ll always have access!
What if I don’t like the course?
No problem! I offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you enrol and find the course isn’t for you, I’ll refund your money, no questions asked. However, please note that if you enrol with feedback, refunds aren’t available once I’ve provided personal feedback.
What do I need to take the course? Is everything included?
You just need a device with an internet connection. All course content is available online and can be downloaded for offline use as well. The course is self-contained, so no additional purchases are required. I recommend various listening resources, including free options.
How can I get in touch if I have more questions?
Feel free to contact me directly at editor@hackingchinese.com.
40+ video lessons across 5 sections, offering more than 12 hours of content⚡Become a fluent listener now – $128
⚡Unlock fluent listening with personal guidance – $288