Articles in the ‘Attitude and mentality’ category Page 7
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The nine principles of learning (and the mistakes from failing to follow them)
In 2014, Scott Young spent 100 days learning Chinese, after which he was able to speak freely on a wide range of topics, as well as pass HSK 4. Since then, he’s continued exploring effective learning and has now published a book called Ultralearning. He hasn’t abandoned Chinese, though, and in this article, he discusses nine important principles for effective learning and how they relate to studying Chinese.
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101 questions and answers about how to learn Chinese
This is the biggest collections of questions and answer about how to learn Chinese anywhere. The questions are sorted into categories, and each question is answered briefly before links to further information is provided. If you have a question about how to learn Chinese, you’re very likely to find the answer here! If your question hasn’t been answered, please consider leaving a comment!
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Training your Chinese teacher, part 1: Introduction
Finding a good Chinese teacher is not easy, but there are many things you can do to get more out of the time you spend with a teacher, and in a sense, train him or her to better suit your needs and preferences.
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8 tips for learning Chinese as an introverted student
Introverts are not necessarily worse language learners than extroverts, but not taking or creating opportunities to speak Mandarin will slow you down. In this article, I share some methods I’ve used to compensate for this as an introvert learner.
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Learning to unicycle, learning anatomy and learning Chinese
Is learning Chinese more like learning to unicycle or like learning anatomy? It strongly depends on what we’re talking about more precisely. Some aspects of language learning are skills akin to unicycling, others are more about knowing and understanding.
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Will reading or listening to Hacking Chinese help you learn Mandarin?
Is learning how to learn worth your time, or should you just engage directly with Chinese instead? The answer depends, but the longer your perspective, the more important it becomes to tweak your method!
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Is it necessary to learn the stroke order of Chinese characters?
Stroke order can feel difficult and pointless for beginners, but if you want to be able to write Chinese characters, it’s important to get it right from the start. Instead of taking my word for it, let me explain why stroke order matters!
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Task-based Chinese learning and teaching
Task based language learning and teaching is built around working with tasks in the target language with a clear focus on meaning (communication). Focus on form should come after the task has been completed.
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How I learnt Chinese, part 6: Graduate program in Taiwan
I’ve spent two years in a master’s program for teaching Chinese as a second language, designed for native speakers and taught in Chinese. Here’s what I learnt from the experience!
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Learn Chinese faster by leaving your comfort zone
If you want to learn Chinese faster, you have to make sure you leave your comfort zone and challenge yourself as much and as often as you can. There are many things of doing this, including immersing yourself in language above your current level or putting yourself in situations that demand a higher level of performance. Leave your comfort zone!
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