PREPARING FOR CLASS
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Humanly speaking, you--the language learner--are the most important factor in the language learning process. Success or failure will, in the end, be determined by what you yourself contribute. It is vitally important, therefore, that you take charge of your language learning program. Plan your study time--and stick rigidly to it. Program in talking time--either straight after class or in the evenings--and go out and talk! Try to maintain this balance between 'input' and 'output' right from the start.
People learn in different ways. Some need to be very analytical: they need a rule for everything. Others are more intuitive: they gather examples and imitate. Some need lots of repetition, others less. You know yourself best and therefore will need to experiment in order to discover what works best for you.
Learning a new language involves remembering many rules about grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. Although your textbook and teacher will organize this information in certain ways, you will still need to systematize the material for reference and review.
It is also vital that you establish a regular schedule and stick rigidly to it. Strict self-discipline is essential to mastering any language--especially Chinese! However, ensure variety in your studies by 'ringing the changes' from time to time. Don't keep on with the same thing until you are bored with it. Here are some suggestions which should help give you a varied approach to learning Chinese. Try them out and discover the ones which best suit you:
Chinese Vocabulary- a. Write the vocabulary items on individual cards or slips of paper with their translation on the reverse side. See how many words you can remember from the English definition by turning them over one by one; then try it the other way round. (This game is more fun if played with two or more people!) Separate out the ones you find hard to recall and carry them around with you in your pocket, reviewing them while waiting for buses, standing in line to buy tickets, etc.
- b. Learn the words in the context of the sentences in the dialogues of your textbook.
- c. Say the words out loud as you study them.
- d. Write down the words you find most difficult to memorize on a separate sheet of paper and give extra time to them.
- e. Record the words and their definitions; then listen to it several times. Use the 'pause' button to test yourself.
- f. Associate words with pictures.
- g. Group them by generic categories, e.g. furniture, foods, etc.; or according to the situations in which they occur, e.g. under 'Post Office' you can put stamps, aerograms, printed matter, etc. Another way is by function, e.g. greetings, partings, thanking, conversation starters, etc.
- h. Make sentences using the new vocabulary (and grammar patterns) ready for use in class.
Chinese Dialogue
Always try to obtain recordings of the dialogues and the new vocabulary of your textbooks. First listen to the recording of the dialogue just to get a feel for the content of the lesson. Use the 'pause' and 'rewind' buttons on your player to give yourself time to absorb the content. Only when you have listened to it several times and have understood the meaning should you try reading along with the recording. This will aid fluency and intonation. Listen to the tape or CD as many times as possible before class -- you can't listen to it too much!
Chinese GrammarSome people perform better when first given a rule and then told to use it to make sentences. Others prefer to be given lots of input and deduce the rules for themselves. Find out which method works best for you. Keep a notebook in which to write down the major grammar patterns. Then use this for review, adding any new information you may acquire. Memorize the key sentences in the dialogues. If there is something in your textbook you don't understand, leave it for a while. A week or so later, you'll suddenly discover that you understand it now!
Ear or Eye?Use both your ears and eyes. Experiment to see if some tasks are better accomplished through the eye while others are better accomplished through the ear. For example, you may find that listening to tapes & CDs helps you improve your oral comprehension and memorization of dialogues; but you may retain vocabulary better if you use flash cards. Remember that applying the same strategy to all tasks does not work. And try to find strategies that will help you compensate for your weak areas.
