| All of these are valid methods for Learning Chinese | | | | The Asia Society just put out a report (see the |
| although I can’t speak personally for the osmosis | | | | internationaled.org Web site) on how more Americans |
| system (I do think you learn well by playing a Chinese | | | | can Learn Chinese. There was a world conference on |
| MP3 just before going to bed though). The point here | | | | the subject last month in Beijing. Chinese Language |
| is to immerse you in the learning and the Chinese | | | | instruction is, obviously, a good idea. China is our |
| Language. To Learn Chinese intensively, even to listen | | | | biggest trading partner, after Canada and Mexico. The |
| to Chinese radio stations or watch Chinese films. I find | | | | country reminds me in some ways of America in the |
| listening to Chinese news very helpful – you get a | | | | 1870s. It is recovering from horrid domestic events, |
| good mix of different stories and the subjects are | | | | getting stronger, with the potential to be the most |
| constantly changing. If you have the facility to record | | | | important nation in the world. Chinese, along with |
| them you can play them back with Chinese to your | | | | Arabic, should be among our top foreign language |
| language dictionary at hand. Even if you don’t get | | | | priorities. |
| all of it, you’ll be surprised how much sinks in if you | | | | But let me -- just this once because I don't like recalling |
| do it regularly. | | | | the pain -- tell you that Learning Chinese is not going to |
| This is the essence of the immersion technique and it | | | | be easy. |
| works very well, but clearly it’s not practical for | | | | Chinese culture -- its philosophy, its art, its code of |
| everyone. The expense involved is a stretch for some, | | | | conduct, its food, and its literature -- is one of the |
| the time commitment is another drawback and the | | | | wonders of human civilization. It is so humane and so |
| availability of suitable courses can prevent some from | | | | productive that I share few of the fears that the rise |
| taking Chinese classes – though I would urge you to | | | | of Chinese economic and military power inspires in |
| do so if at all possible. | | | | some Americans. |
| So if we have to make a choice of one style of | | | | But the Chinese, despite all their good points, have a |
| Chinese Learning, which should it, be? Not long ago we | | | | very difficult and in some ways inefficient language. |
| would have been restricted to either trying to learn | | | | Those Americans ready to pursue the worthy goal of |
| from a book, a tape or a class. Now we have the | | | | Learning Chinese it should be ready for a long, hard |
| additional resource of the pc and the internet and | | | | march. |
| it’s a revolution in teaching. | | | | Unkind people are saying at this point: Mathews may |
| For the first time we can buy a single program which | | | | have been too dumb or too lazy to master Chinese, |
| will allow us to listen to MP3s in the car, on the train or | | | | but the Chinese themselves seem to be handling their |
| just walking around. The same program can challenge | | | | language fine. That is true. It is one more indication of |
| us with games and puzzles on the PC and give us | | | | the drive and ambition of those 1.3 billion people that |
| written exercises as well. It lacks just a physical | | | | most of them have become fluent and literate in a |
| teacher to be the complete educational resource. | | | | spoken language that includes four tones and a written |
| So if you were looking for a single method to learn to | | | | language based on ideographs that give few clues to |
| Speak Chinese fluently I would recommend one of the | | | | pronunciation and sometimes drive typists mad. |
| downloadable systems available online. If you’ve | | | | But it is also true that having to learn thousands of |
| been looking into Chinese CDs you’ll probably have | | | | ideographic characters instead of just the two dozen |
| seen price tags in the $300 range but there are much | | | | or so letters of the Western alphabet has forced |
| more affordable and more extensive programs | | | | Chinese Language education into a deep, narrow |
| available for a third of the price or less. | | | | groove. Chinese students and teachers have grown |
| I spent several years, and some of your tax dollars, | | | | accustomed to relying on memorization, the way they |
| trying to Learn Chinese, so I need to say something | | | | learned to read. There is less creative thinking in the |
| about a new campaign to get that language into U.S. | | | | schools as a result, some scholars think. |
| schools and colleges. | | | | |