How to Learn Chinese – Suggestions from a Professional Teacher

The importance of language in life and work goes without saying. I know everyone has some great ideas for learning languages. I`ve been a Chinese teacher for some years, but I’m still learning and I believe that life is limited, but knowledge is oceanic. I have some experience to share with those who want to learn Chinese or those are studying it now.

In China, grades are very important to students and parents, they only support learning languages if children get good grades, but it`s a little different now. And apparently, Westerners focus on how they can use languages in their lives. Practicality is the point of learning a language.

What should we do to learn Chinese?

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAFirst of all, from my point of view, it is necessary to do some mechanical memorization (some basic words, sentences or characters). Having a strong foundation is a pre-requisite. After all, it is our second language. Cramming is not necessarily a bad thing, we just need to find the balance here.

Then, after learning some sentences, speak the language. You can face a mirror to practice, which is what I did when I learned English. Most students were very great, though they struggled with the pronunciation. This can lead to great progress. There is something traditional in Chinese students that makes them so shy, and I want to say, “don`t be shy, just try”. Believe that this is your class, and the, teacher is just your assistant.

Third, if you have time, or maybe while you are doing your housework, listen to some Chinese programs, songs or movies. It`s a good way to get familiar with Chinese intonation, though many time we don`t understand what’s being said.

As we know, review is very important, so don`t forget it, as we don`t have much time to do that in class.

Hope these tips can help you learn Chinese. I`d like to share my experiences with everyone to encourage their desire to learn.

Comments are closed.