Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles tagged with ‘Motivation’ Page 2

  1. Using the HSK as a roadmap to learning Chinese

    For some students, the HSK is not just a proficiency test, but also a roadmap to learning Chinese. Is treating it as such a good idea? And if you do, what should you keep in mind?

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  2. How to study Chinese when you don’t feel like it

    The more you study the better, but what if you don’t feel like studying at the moment? Instead of giving up, gear down and find ways of learning Chinese that suit your current state of mind.

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  3. 7 things Chinese students should do during the winter vacation

    What should Chinese students do on the winter vacation? Apart from recharging batteries, there are a number of things you should consider if you want optimal long-term results!

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  4. Chinese is fascinating and exciting, not weird and stupid

    Languages are neither negative or positive in themselves; it’s all in the eye of the beholder. But does it matter what you think about Chinese language and culture? Is it harder to learn Mandarin if you think the language is weird and stupid? This article looks closer at this question, and argues that deliberately adopting a positive approach will lead to better and more enjoyable learning.

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  5. How I learnt Chinese, part 6: Graduate program in Taiwan

    We can still make progress, of course, and if we enjoy it, we can also achieve a lot. But it's not easy.

    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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  6. How I learnt Chinese, part 1: Where it all started

    This is the first part in a series of articles about how I learnt Chinese. It covers the very beginning, why I became interested in learning Chinese and how that transformed into an opportunity to actually learn.

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  7. How to find the time and motivation to read more Chinese

    How to find the time and motivation to read more Chinese

    Learning to read in Chinese requires time and motivation, and this is what this article is about. How do you make yourself read more? How do you stay motivated when learning? Don’t forget to share your own experiences in the comments!

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  8. Why you need goals to learn Chinese efficiently

    Learning without goals might seem like a reasonable choice at first, but after a closer look, it isn’t such a good idea. First, it’s hard to imagine not having any goal at all, so setting goals is more about making your implicit goals explicit. Second, focusing only on having fun will lead to some very unusual learning strategies.

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  9. You might be too lazy to learn Chinese, but you’re not too old

    Children learn languages neither quickly nor effortlessly, but there’s still a lot we can learn from them. You might be too lazy, but you’re definitely not too old to learn Chinese.

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  10. Language is communication, not only an abstract subject to study

    I won’t join the group of language bloggers who claim that classroom learning is meaningless, but I do believe there are good reasons to create links to the real world. Not only is this a motivational booster, it’s also an excellent way of identifying problems you might have with your Chinese.

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