Deciding to learn Chinese can be the most rewarding decision you’ve ever made. Due to the growth of China’s economy and political power, many people predict that the Chinese language will be the language of the future. Knowing Mandarin Chinese will benefit your professional career and life. Naturally, Chinese appears as one of the most exotic languages to native English speakers. However, once you have the determination and knowledge of the right techniques, you will succeed. There are several methods that have proven useful for all language learners.
1. Mnemonic methods.
It can be very difficult to remember new vocabulary, but once you associate the foreign word with an English word that sounds similar and form a mental picture of the new word; the chances of remembering the foreign word increase enormously.
The link and story method. Probably many of you have had trouble remembering a list of words. But how many of you have tried to build a story with the new words in it. Creating a story with the words you are trying to remember will help make the memorization process more natural and efficient.
The Roman space system. This is one of the oldest mnemonic methods combining linking and pegging. This method takes advantage of the fact that the basic vocabulary of a new language can usually be found in a familiar environment. For example, if we want to remember a Chinese word for table, you can imagine your family sitting down and having dinner. Placing the new words in a familiar environment will help everyone make an association more quickly.
2. Make your own flashcards. Not only can creating your own flashcards help you review the vocabulary you’re trying to learn, but the physical act of writing reinforces the words in your memory. Code the cards by part of speech: verb, noun, adjective, adverb, etc.
3. Play online games. There are many online tools designed to help you learn a foreign language faster. For Chinese learners, I highly recommend Tonmeister, a simple game that will help you recognize the four tones used in Mandarin Chinese.
4. Label your house or apartment. With this simple and effective technique, vocabulary cards are created and placed on the appropriate objects. For example, write sofa in Chinese and place the card on a sofa. This method almost forces you to remember the words as they become a part of your natural environment.
5. Immerse yourself in the language, listen to Chinese radio, Chinese music, watch Chinese movies, even if you want to recognize a word, this method will help you get acquainted with the sounds and melody of the language, you want to learn.
6. Practice in real life, nothing accelerates the learning process more than practicing in a real life situation. This not only allows you to use the vocabulary you have already learned, but also gives you the feeling of having achieved something. Go online, look for sites that offer language exchanges. Find a partner who is learning your native language and arrange a language session. Have fun practicing and making new friends.
Thanks to Joanna Corvino | #methods #language #learning
