Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water

如魚得水

 

⚡Become a fluent listener now – $128

⚡Unlock fluent listening with personal guidance  – $288

This course is currently not open for enrolment.
Please sign up for the waiting list here.

 

Member area

 

 

Unlock social interactions, cultural understanding, and accelerate your learning

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.

 

Most students struggle
with listening comprehension

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!

 

 

Developing listening comprehension
is easier than you think

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.

These principles are easy to describe but difficult to apply, which is why I created this course!

 

This course will help you become a fluent listener
no matter your current level

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:

Whatever your current level, this course will equip you with the tools and strategies to improve your listening skills and thrive in real-world conversations.

 

Find the right listening resources for you

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!


Connect with other learners for support and encouragement

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.


Track your learning and make progress

Follow a personalised listening journey with study plans detailing what to do at 1, 10, 100, and 1,000 hours, based on your level. Use the listening tracker to log sessions, set goals, and self-assess your progress, keeping you motivated on your path to fluent listening.

 

Learn on your own or
with personal guidance

⚡Become a fluent listener now – $128

 

  • Personal guidance and feedback: For $288 (including the basic course), you can opt for personalised support throughout your learning journey. This option includes:
    • 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.
    • Ongoing follow-up on learning goals: I will check in regularly to track your progress and adjust your goals if necessary.
    • Responsive coaching for challenges: If you run into difficulties or have any questions, I’ll be available to answer and offer advice, ensuring you stay on track.

⚡Unlock fluent listening with personal guidance  – $288

 

 

Built on more than a decade of learning and teaching Chinese

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.


The fluent listener: Video course content

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


 

Frequently asked questions

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 much Chinese does the course contain?
The course videos are in English, with examples in Mandarin. No single person can record all the listening material you need to go from a pure beginner to an advanced level. However, the listening resource library is an important part of the course and contains many recommendations for listening material in Chinees. A large majority of this is available for free.

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.

 

Enroll now and get instant access

 

⚡Become a fluent listener now – $128

⚡Unlock fluent listening with personal guidance  – $288