Michele R. Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Anyone know anything about learning Chinese? The only curriculum I've heard of is Rosetta Stone, but I think there's probably more out there that's not specifically for homeschoolers. There are no Chinese tutors in our area so that's out. Any suggestions? I have a 10-year-old son who'd like to start learning and seems to have a knack for languages. Thanks! Michele R. (I'm new!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzdiva Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I don't know a curriculum that a non-native instructor can use, but I do know a nifty podcast that is very, very effective: ChinesePod.com. And it's free. Paying for membership gives you access to scripts (in both the Roman alphabet and Chinese characters) and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Hello Michele and welcome. I agree that Chinesepod is a great resource, but I would really not recommend learning Chinese without a tutor. The tones are crucial to learn and they have to be drilled. Sorry not to be much help, Laura (first started learning Mandarin in 1985. Eek. Two sons learning with a tutor/by immersion) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 http://www.ells.edu.cn/indexE.htm Here are the downloads: http://www.ells.edu.cn/aboutchengoE/chengo2.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyL Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 There is a wonderful online store in NY that has a great catalog. It is called chinasprout.com. The curriculum depends on the age of the student. Originally the material was mainly available for adult learners, finally they are now having more available for younger students. My daughter is using the "New Practical Chinese" Her tutor likes it because you get Textbook, workbook, DVD and CD's . (goes up to 6 levels)(I would say it's for middle-HS people as the dialogues seem a little mature. However now China Sprout has some other courses that appeal more to the younger people, and include answer keys for some. There is so much more available compared to just a few years ago. (I think the Chinese adoptions have really encouraged a lot of this material--looking through the catalog) I think the Neo Hou(spelling ) series is pretty well known. Have you tried Craigs List to get a reasonably priced tutor? Also the Middlebury College language camps starting this summer will have Spanish, French, Chinese and Arabic. Something to look forward to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 and they used a curriculum called Chinese for Children. Of course, this is for children, and I assume (because you're posting your request on this board) that you're looking for something on the high school level. I know absolutely nothing about Chinese, except that it is a tonal language, and I would second what Laura in China says: you will need a tutor. She brought her girls up to weekly Chinese classes in St. Louis. Sorry not to be more help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 This is what we planned to use with my son http://www.chinasoft.com.au/nihao.html but we did plan on a tutor. I wouldn't attempt it without one myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 http://www.betterchinese.com/ This has some materials, which we have not used, but I want to second the recommendations on finding a tutor. We had one for several months (we found her on Craigslist) who was a graduate student at a college just a few miles from us. She's back in Beijing for the summer, and we found her replacement through a Chinese church that meets in our church. I e-mailed the contact listed on their website, begging for help, and they hooked me up with a lovely woman within a couple of days. I was about ready to go stalking local Chinese restaurants. There also are tutors who work individually with students through the internet. I suppose they use VOIP or some other technology I don't understand. I haven't used them but found links via a Google search. Some seemed to be individuals in China, so they were very, very cheap. FWIW, we pay $15 or $20 an hour for a 2-hour weekly session for my 2 girls. They use Rosetta Stone and other materials the tutor prints off of the internet once during the week to review. Hope that helps. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makita Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 We have used and enjoy MangoLanguages.com ... most of the lessons are free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary in MI Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I noticed that you said there are no tutors in your area. I agree that having a tutor or native speaker with whom to converse is a great advantage. However, if you have a good ear and are willing to put in the time practicing with an audio component, Chinese really is no harder than other languages. Every language has its pronunciation pitfalls, and many people self-study lots of different languages. We're using Discovering Chinese from Better Chinese. It's set up for either self study or study with a tutor. I was fluent at one time, so it's been a blast to get back into Mandarin. We’ll also practice with a native speaker. I chose Better Chinese because its programs are geared to the US education system, from preschool through SAT2 and then AP levels. Numerous US school systems use Better Chinese. Before I made my final choice, I signed up for the free one-month trial of the on-line program. It's excellent. The "where should I begin?" link on the homepage will help you choose your series. http://www.betterchinese.com/Home.html BTW, we ordered the text and workbook for each student and will sign up for the on-line materials for level 1 in the fall, since our school year is wrapping up. I may also purchase the supplementary on-line Beginner Story Library. According to the nice fellow at Better Chinese, the teacher book is in Chinese. Check your library, too. We were surprised to find several "learn Chinese" videos, audio tapes and story books with CD's. Follow Jade is a nice set of videos, and although it’s geared toward younger kids I enjoyed it! It starts with exactly the same vocabulary as my college course (colors, etc.) and it’s nice to see the speaker’s mouth as you get started. I’m sure there are other videos somewhere for older kids. http://www.followjade.com/index.shtml Finally, DK's Get Talking Mandarin (comes with a CD) is a surprisingly complete introduction to the language (including an excellent introduction to tones, with audio practice), and very affordable. Get Talking Chinese, along with a free month from Better Chinese, might be an inexpensive way to dip your toes as you survey your options: http://www.amazon.com/Get-Talking-Chinese-DK-Publishing/dp/0756629020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.