Language Learning Articles

These articles have been designed for easy reading and quick downloading

How to Study
Suggestions on how to prepare for class, making the most of class time, and reviewing lessons

Where and How to Practice
Gives suggestions for places to practice in China and how to make the most of these opportunities

Creating Safe Places for Practicing
Self-confidence is key, and is directly related to the Chinese people we chat with, the topics we talk about, and the places where we practice

Memorizing Vocabulary
A simple method for getting vocabulary into your long-term memory

What the Good Language Learner Can Teach Us
A look at the good language learner’s learning strategies

Introduction to Language Strategies
Language Learning Strategies I
Language Learning Strategies II
Language Learning Strategies I (in Chinese)
Language Learning Strategies II (in Chinese)
A list of helpful memory and communication strategies

Getting Help with Your Chinese
Useful ideas on how to elicit vocabulary plus techniques to clarify meaning

Improve Your Listening
Useful ideas on how to strengthen listening comprehension

Enhancing Memory
What methods help get the vocabulary into long-term memory more effectively?

Three Good Language Learners
A look at 3 good language learners and 3 poor language learners

Are You an Optimal Monitor User?
Getting the balance between gaining in accuracy and gaining in fluency

Measuring Progress (Where am I Going? How am I Doing?)
Sets out 5 levels of proficiency, as well as showing a way of how to measure your present proficiency level in Chinese

Learning Styles I
Learning Styles II
Learning Styles III
Learning Styles IV
Learning Styles (summary of the 4 articles in Chinese)
How our mind, body and personality all affect how we learn languages

Overcoming the Psychological Barriers I
Overcoming the Psychological Barriers II
A look at how our personality either helps or hinders our progress in learning Chinese

Maintaining Motivation I
Maintaining Motivation II
Maintaining Motivation III
How to maintain motivation both during and after full-time language study

Anxiety in Language Learning
A look at how anxiety can affect language learning progress and how to handle it

Where am I Aiming For?
Post full-time language study goal setting

Who are the High Achievers?
What are the characteristics of those who do well in Chinese?

Just How Competent are you in Chinese?
Competency isn’t only in the area of accuracy and grammar, but also in three other areas

Speaking Appropriately
We should be learning not only the structure of Chinese but also how to speak it appropriately

Keeping up your Chinese while back home
How to keep up your Chinese while back in your home country

10 Things to do with your Flashcards
Practical ideas how to use your flashcards to get new vocabulary into your long-term memory

10 Ways to Play with the Pictures in Chinese Made Easier Book 5
Useful ideas how to play with the pictures in Chinese Made Easier Book 5 to help get you using the vocabulary

Teacher: Motivate Me
How we can help our teachers to motivate us more

Teachers: How to Motivate your Students (in Chinese)
How teachers can help motivate their students

Older Language Learners
Helpful ideas for the older language learner

Teaching Older Language Learners (in Chinese)
Helpful ideas for Teachers on how to teach the older language learner

1000 Common Chinese Characters
1000 common Chinese characters (according to Chinese Made Easier)

Computer Vocabulary
10 vocabulary lists on different aspects of the computer and computer software

Language Learning articles: pdf file