{"id":2445,"date":"2016-03-08T16:46:11","date_gmt":"2016-03-08T16:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/?p=2445"},"modified":"2016-07-05T14:09:52","modified_gmt":"2016-07-05T14:09:52","slug":"mistakes-to-avoid-when-learning-chinese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/mistakes-to-avoid-when-learning-chinese","title":{"rendered":"Mistakes to Avoid when Learning Chinese"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re studying martial arts in China whether north or South, the chances are you might also be\u00a0learning the language or at least have it as one of your goals. Whether your motivation is a deeper understanding of your Shifu and the various martial arts concepts he or she is teaching you or whether it is simply to make\u00a0living\u00a0in China\u00a0easier, learning the language makes your experience more colorful and opens greater possibilities. And yes and those possibilities also improve your chances of\u00a0success with the opposite sex. Below I highlight 9 mistakes to avoid when learning Chinese at a kung fu school in China.<\/p>\n

This article is specifically tailored to highlight the common mistakes that martial arts students and adventure travelers often make when attempting to learn the language.<\/p>\n

\"71martialarts-clanofthewhitelotus<\/a><\/p>\n

Mistake #1:\u00a0Assuming the language learning classes at the kung fu school will be enough<\/h2>\n

Over the past 10 years many kungfu schools in China have developed specifically to cater to international kung fu students. Many of these have divided and sub divided over the years. The result has been many schools are hard to tell apart except for their locations. The heads of these schools through their shared experiences have caught onto the fact that many of their potential students are looking for a total experience. They are not just after expert kung fu tuition from \u2018Shaolin masters\u2019 they want language learning classes, buddhism classes, calligraphy and even TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). So with one school offering this the rest attempt to follow suit. Promising to over deliver on value for money with these optional evening classes.<\/p>\n

The truth is however, that the optional evening classes most schools offer are generally very basic and only meant to be introductory at best and at worst are poorly structured, and a total waste of time. For the purpose of this article I am going to concentrate on the mandarin classes.<\/p>\n

Generally, these are taught by inexperienced translators working at the\u00a0schools who often have little or no teaching experience. This makes the class itself,\u00a0structure and content rather\u00a0random. Another additional challenge you will face is that these classes are often open to all school new comers who have a varying degree of seriousness about learning the language. The result is that every few sessions you might be back to learning, \u2018<\/p>\n

'Ni hao'<\/strong><\/pre>\n
\u4f60\u597d<\/strong><\/pre>\n
And listening to your new class mates ask questions such as, \u2018how do I say you are beautiful in Chinese?\u2019 or \u2018how do I say this is too expensive!\u2019<\/p>\n
The solution is to not expect too much from the free language learning classes and instead to take control of your own learning. \u00a0I recommend you buy structured Hanban HSK Chinese language learning books, Practical Chinese Reader. And work toward completing the HSK exams. This will help you set achievable incremental goals. HSK books generally have\u00a0a text book, workbook and audio files\/cd\u2019s, dvd\u2019s. These books start from beginner level and work up to advanced. HSK Level 1-6.<\/p>\n
Using these books as the main foundation for your course material will give your Chinese class structure and provide the teacher with set lessons to help you complete the books.<\/p>\n
NOTE: If you would like us to send you any of these books please let us know and we will order them and send them direct to your school so they are either ready for you on your arrival or soon after.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
So the language classes at the kung fu schools might not be the best. However, they are great value for money and with the right attitude and some dedication they can still get you the basic Chinese and the foundational level you want.<\/p>\n
\"26BBAE0C00000578-3000324-image-a-13_1426675428565\"<\/a><\/p>\n
Mistake #2: Not mastering tones<\/h2>\n
If you speak Chinese without proper tones you might as well be half deaf and dumb. The tones are the foundation of the language so time spent here and reviewing this will really help you get your learning off on the right track. If you don\u2019t almost no one is going to understand you. No one except your classmates\u00a0and your, teacher, the same teacher that\u2019s used to students mangling his or her language. Once you step outside the warm cocoon of the classroom, everything changes.<\/p>\n
But Chinese people can guess what you\u2019re trying to say, right? Wrong.<\/p>\n
The reason why is simple but hard to fathom for people who didn\u2019t grow up speaking a highly tonal language \u2014 to a native speaker of Chinese, the different between tones is just as pronounced as that between consonants \u2014 perhaps even greater. Now, I\u2019m sure you will debate time and time again with your fellow foreign friends\u00a0but surely the context makes it clear! Trust me save yourself some pain, embarrassment and frustration. Master the tones early on.<\/p>\n
Here are some articles that might help speed up the process:\u00a0Master the Tones<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Mandarin Tone Tricks<\/a>.<\/p>\n
In addition to this in the\u00a0SMA Welcome Pack\u00a0provided to students who book their training through\u00a0www.StudyMartialArts.Org<\/a>\u00a0we\u2019ll provide you with a\u00a0Michelle Thomas Audio\u00a0that will help you distinguish the tones and make you familiar with them in quite a unique way. Green Thumb Up!<\/p>\n
\"Kung<\/a><\/p>\n
Mistake #3: Not learning characters<\/h2>\n
What about characters \u2014 won\u2019t leaping over them help you reach conversational fluency faster? Sure, in the beginning, Pinyin is easier, after all, and you\u2019ll free up time to practice conversation. But characters are nothing if not an aid to your learning at the higher levels. They help you watch TV, get around town, and do pretty much everything you need to live in China without assistance. The other thing is that visual learners find learning characters re-enforces their existing learning.<\/p>\n
Wouldn\u2019t living in China be even better if you could read those old kung fu manuals. What price would you put on learning the ancient buddha palm? Like in the movie \u2018kung fu hustle\u2019?<\/p>\n
It is true however that not everyone is interested in characters. Maybe your goal is just simple conversations for the heck of it. In that case you don\u2019t need to learn characters. If you want to get any further, characters will help you when you want to go. And luckily for you there are lots and lots of apps, websites and free materials you can get your hands on to help you learn characters.<\/p>\n
Here\u00a0is a good app for learning how to write Chinese Characters, its called Skritter.\u00a0Skritter<\/a>\u00a0allows you to write Japanese and Chinese characters with a mouse or a tablet and get a score and suggestions on how to improve your handwriting. And here is another app its called Memrise.<\/p>\n
Memrise<\/a>\u00a0is\u00a0community based learning app that uses images and science to make learning easy and fun. It does this through connecting audio, imagery, pinyin and character recognition.<\/p>\n
Mistake #4:\u00a0Not being\u00a0consistent and\u00a0persevering<\/h2>\n
Use all the opportunities available to you to learn. Pick a day each week where you force yourself just to use Chinese. The trick is to use the language when the opportunity presents itself. Immerse yourself in the language and the country and enjoy the experience. To do this you must be consistent and persevere. Making a learning plan with set learning goals for each week will definitely help but remember having goals is not the be all and end all.<\/p>\n
\"563373_2994181535231_1282963545_3218727_417877125_n1\"<\/a><\/p>\n
Mistake #5: Focusing on progress over process<\/h2>\n
Having goals for learning Chinese is fine, and can take you a long way on the path to fluency. But you may end up going crazy long before you reach your destination. That\u2019s because a realistic expectation for learning Mandarin to true fluency might be five to twenty years!<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to get discouraged when you make mistakes or don\u2019t see rapid progress. So what can you do to stay sane?<\/p>\n
First, accept that you are not Chinese, and even after years of hard work you\u2019re still going to make stupid mistakes. The more the better, as we\u2019ll talk about in a moment.<\/p>\n
Second, enjoy the journey \u2014 make your goal using Chinese instead of mastering it. Focus on today, not where you want to be next year. That doesn\u2019t mean abandoning long term goals or not setting them at all. It means focusing on the here and now and being happy with your current level of Chinese and using it. And you can do that by avoiding a common mistake that Chinese language learners make:<\/p>\n
Mistake #6: Not making good Chinese friends<\/h2>\n
If you\u2019re really going to master the language, you need to get out there. That\u2019s because language can\u2019t be completely built within the warm confines of a classroom. You find the missing pieces by getting exposed to real Chinese. A lot of it. Making interesting Chinese friends is one way to get this exposure. If you feel awkward speaking to your Chinese friends in Chinese, you need to make more friends or learn more Chinese, or both. When you find a friend who doesn\u2019t mind speaking Chinese with you, see if you can get them to correct some of your mistakes. This is the advice that Tim Ferris gives best, from Why Language Classes Don\u2019t work: \u201cMake it your goal to screw up as often as possible in uncontrolled environments. Explicitly ask friends to correct you and reward them with thanks and praise when they catch you spouting nonsense, particularly the small understandable mistakes. I was able to pass the Certificatdo de Espanol Avanzado, the most difficult Spanish certification test in South America, in eight weeks, which is said to require near-native fluency and years of immersion. How? By following the above fixes and making more mistakes in eight weeks than most make in eight years.\u201d \u2013 Tim Ferris Make as many mistakes as you can, and try to get people to point them out to you. It may be awkward at first, but it\u2019s the best way to improve your speaking. But like you wouldn\u2019t jump into the Amazon without learning how to swim, you need to learn the basics before putting yourself out there. One way to do so better is by avoiding this common mistake:<\/p>\n
Mistake #7: Not using the best learning materials available<\/h2>\n
Most people think that having a great teacher is more important than having a great textbook. Personally, I agree with Tim Ferris and what he says in the article linked above: great textbooks + an average teacher > average textbooks + an great teacher. Whether or not you take formal language classes, the best learning materials will help you learn Chinese better.<\/p>\n
Here are three sources I highly recommend:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Chinesepod.com<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 Their podcasts and other audio aides make this the best choice if you can\u2019t attend real classes or get much time with a good tutor \/ language exchange partner.<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0Integrated\u00a0Chinese<\/a>\u00a0(Princeton University Press)\u2013 This is the most thorough textbook introduction to Chinese I know of. If you learn everything in the first two year\u2019s worths of books, you\u2019ll have succeeded in building a good foundation for later learning.<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0Fluentu<\/a>\u00a0is a website with the best Mandarin Chinese video content. It\u2019s fun, timely, and ideal for Chinese learners. It has\u00a0Chinese movie trailers, Chinese music videos, Commercials, and Business Chinese videos. No matter what your interest or level of fluency, we\u2019ve got what you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n
\"Learn-Chinese-in-China\"<\/a><\/p>\n
Mistake #8: Settling for\u00a0poor classes<\/h2>\n
A bad class can sometimes be worse than no class at all \u2014 spending time and energy on\u00a0average classes and with teachers who force feed you\u00a0the same lessons or that have no imagination or class\u00a0structure is not something you want to do. So\u00a0take control of your learning.<\/p>\n
The quality of the textbooks\u00a0\u2014 Don\u2019t settle for poor texts use New Practical Chinese Reader to being with.<\/p>\n
The size of classes\u00a0\u2014 For the most part will be small. The problem is the numbers are likely to fluctuate throughout the year during peak and quiet times at the school<\/p>\n
The levels of classes\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Most schools will have only one level it therefore will be up to you to put a case for adding extra levels. The most likely solution will be that you recommend the school has 1 level for beginners and new arrivals and another for students serious about learning Chinese.<\/p>\n
If your teachers have experience teaching foreigners\u00a0\u2014 part of the reason these classes can be so frustrating is that its likely your\u00a0teacher will be totally clueless about teaching foreigners Chinese \u2014 by forcing the structure of a text and workbook you can limit this. Finally, don\u2019t make this mistake as you will need it:<\/p>\n
Mistake #9: Not using kickass tools for learning Chinese<\/h2>\n
There\u2019re many tools for learning Chinese online. But these are some of the very\u00a0best:<\/p>\n
1. Google\u2019s Character writing software\u00a0There\u2019s no better character input system than Google\u2019s Pinyin input system. It reponds fast to your typing, guesses what characters you want incredibly well, and allows you to type out strings as long as you want. All that means a really convenient way of typing Chinese.<\/p>\n
2. Chinese\u00a0Pera-kun<\/a>\u00a0Have you ever wished you could hover your mouse over a character or group of characters and see its pinyin and meaning instantly? Well, a plugin for Firefox, and google chrome Chinese Pera-kun, can help you do this. It\u2019s not perfect but it comes close.<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0Anki<\/a><\/p>\n
\"\"<\/a>This fantastic piece of\u00a0(“SRS software”) lets you keep track of everything you\u2019re learning and study it efficiently. If you\u2019re starting out learning Mandarin (or any language), I\u2019d strongly recommend using Anki from the beginning. If you\u2019re already some way into the language, start creating flashcards as soon as possible. Anki\u2019s cool because it\u2019s fairly easy to get up and running, but the more you use it the more you come to realise how deep its features and capabilities go. It can\u2019t do everything for you, but it can make the time you put in much more effective. If you use nothing else from this list, use\u00a0Anki<\/a>.<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0Sinosplice<\/a>\u00a0\"\"<\/a>John Pasden\u2019s blog Sinosplice has a collection of very clear, accurate\u00a0guides for learning Mandarin<\/a>, particularly for the early stages. You can save yourself a lot of time by reading these and getting a few things right from the beginning (particularly tones and pronunciation in general).<\/p>\n
5.\u00a0MDBG<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Pleco<\/a>\u00a0\"\"<\/a>A good quality free dictionary had to make it on to this list somewhere, and I find\u00a0MDBG<\/a>\u00a0to be the\u00a0best Chinese dictionary. It\u2019s very fast and reliably online, and it\u2019s also the result of an admirable community project to build a free and open dictionary. I would have put\u00a0nciku\u00a0here, but I find it\u2019s either very slow or inaccessible, and when it actually does load, the interface is a overwhelmed by advertising. It has great content but really is hampered by these issues.\u00a0Pleco<\/a>\u00a0is a great free app.\u00a0It also supports the iPad, while many other iPhone dictionaries don\u2019t.\u00a0Pleco has an integrated dictionary \/ document reader \/ flashcard system with fullscreen handwriting input and live OCR.<\/p>\n
6.\u00a0Tatoeba<\/a>\u00a0\"The<\/a>Dictionaries are useful for quick checks on words, particularly from the target language into your own. But experienced language learners know that to accurately grasp the meaning of a word you need to see it in action. For this you need example sentences, and\u00a0Tatoeba<\/a>\u00a0is quickly becoming the best resource for this. It\u2019s already got a huge database of examples sentences, and more are being added every hour. The thing that makes Tatoeba stand out though is that it\u2019s more than a 1 \u2013 1 list of translations; it\u2019s a\u00a0web<\/em>\u00a0of translations. It\u2019s also a free, community-based project (you might have realised by now that I really like free, community-based projects). This means that if there\u2019s something you don\u2019t know how to express in Mandarin, you can just add it in English and wait for someone to come along and translate it.<\/p>\n
\"Screen<\/a><\/p>\n
So there you have. Watch out for the mistakes and enjoy your learning. For further information on the\u00a0best places to learn Chinese, visit\u00a0StudyMartialArts.Org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you\u2019re studying martial arts in China whether north or South, the chances are you might also be\u00a0learning the language or at least have it as one of your goals. Whether your motivation is a deeper understanding of your Shifu and the various martial arts concepts he or she is teaching you or whether it<\/p>\n
Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2446,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,62,134,5,135,57,84,87],"tags":[122,121],"class_list":{"0":"post-2445","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-china","8":"category-culture","9":"category-experiences","10":"category-featured-2","11":"category-gap-year","12":"category-martial-arts","13":"category-schools-and-masters","14":"category-travel","15":"tag-kung-fu-school-in-china","16":"tag-learning-chinese"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2445"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2850,"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445\/revisions\/2850"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studymartialarts.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}