Category — How to learn a new language

Another informative post by Mike Shelby.

Podcasts are a great tool for improving Chinese listening and speaking skills because you can download the audio files onto your phone or mp3 player and listen to them on your spare time. You can play them while driving, waiting in line at a grocery store, or jogging in the morning. Podcasts give you the opportunity for frequent exposure to the sounds of the language so that your ear becomes more accustomed to the nuances and patterns of the spoken language.

Since Mandarin Chinese is the number one most widely spoken language in the world, there will undoubtedly be many wonderful resources for learning it. ChinesePod (http://chinesepod.com/) is just one of those resources. ChinesePod contains a lot of self-study materials for Mandarin Chinese for reasonable prices. ChinesePod’s services include audio lesson podcasts, web and smartphone tools, as well as live tutoring lessons with teachers over Skype or telephone. It is free to create an account, but the basic, premium, guided, and executive plans all cost a different amount, ranging from $14 to $199 and up per month. For descriptions of the packages, visit (http://chinesepod.com/packages/subscriptions#basic).

Depending on your needs, you can pick the one that best suits your language learning needs. When you first sign up for a free membership on ChinesePod, you will be given the option to select your skill level among newbie, elementary, intermediate, upper intermediate, and advanced. A 7-day trial subscription is available for you to test out ChinesePod once you verify your e-mail address.

Chinese Lessons with Serge Melnyk (http://www.melnyks.com/) is another paid resource with over 200 lessons about Mandarin Chinese. They can be streamed from the site or downloaded onto your computer. The lessons are unique in that they are theme-based and progressive. Serge Melnyk designed his lessons so that a student with zero experience in Mandarin Chinese can speak fluently on a variety of topics after completing the entire course. Lessons come with transcripts and worksheets, and later lessons will reinforce material and vocabulary covered in previous lessons. A full list of all the available topics covered can be found here (http://www.melnyks.com/site-map/). For more information on the packages and pricing for Chinese Lessons with Serge Melnyk, see (http://www.melnyks.com/amember/signup.php).

While paid podcast packages may be better organized for efficient learning and well worth the investment, you can still get a lot out of the many free resources available for learning Chinese. One free podcast resource, eChineseLearning (http://sina.echineselearning.com/english/contents/chinese-podcast/index.html), offers downloadable online Chinese lessons, complete with audio files and the transcript. The audio files are in mp3 format and are selected from ChineseCast, a daily online broadcast program for Chinese language learners. There are many lessons available, including Chinese culture lessons about calligraphy, tea, and kungfu. For a complete list, see (http://sina.echineselearning.com/english/free-chinese-recording/download-chinese-lesson-list.html#s1).

LearnChinesePod (http://learnchinesepod.com/) contains several free lessons that are theme based. To download the actually lessons, visit here (http://learnchinesepod.com/download/).

Another resource that offers some free content can be found here (http://www.learnchineseez.com/lessons/mandarin/pinyin/). The first 15 lessons, which cover basic greetings to simple sentences such as “I can go”, are free.

OpenCulture has a neatly compiled list of Chinese language learning podcasts that are available through iTunes for the iPod and iPhone. The list can be found here (http://www.openculture.com/freelanguagelessons) under category “Chinese”.

All of the above resources, including the paid packages, offer different materials for free in order to lure you into paying for access to better and more comprehensive content. You do not necessarily need to pay to learn basic conversational Mandarin. Scrounging around and practicing with all the free lessons that are available will be more than enough to get you started in the right direction.

If you are wondering how to use a Chinese language dictionary, then you have come to the right article. The Chinese language does not have a phonetic alphabet system, which makes it difficult to classify and sort words in the alphabetical manner that people who know Greek, Roman, or Latin based languages are familiar with. Chinese words are made up of unique characters, which in turn are formed from strokes and in many cases, special sub-characters called radicals. Fortunately, there are many tips for using Chinese dictionaries, and they will be discussed in some detail in this article.

Before you start attempting to navigate a Chinese dictionary, make sure you have the one that contains the characters you actually know – simplified versus traditional. For more information on the difference between simplified and traditional characters, visit the other articles about those topics.

1) Alphabetically by Pinyin

Although the actual Chinese characters themselves cannot be sorted alphabetically by sound, their romanization, or transcription into English sounds, can be sorted alphabetically. The Romanization of Mandarin Chinese is called pinyin. Pinyin is a system that uses the American alphabet to roughly spell out the Chinese pronunciation of a Chinese character. Therefore if you know the pronunciation of a character but do not know its meaning or what it actually looks like, you can look up the Romanization as if you were looking up an English word in the dictionary.

2) Classification by Radical

If you are trying to look up the definition for a character whose shape you can identify and describe, then you can navigate the dictionary by looking for the radical that classifies the character. This method is much trickier than the first and requires that you have some knowledge of radicals to be able to correctly identify which part of the character is the radical. After identifying the radical, you will need to consult the radical index under the proper radical to find the character you are looking for. You will then be directed to the page that contains that character.

For a complete list of the 214 most commonly used radicals, check out a related article on learning the Chinese alphabet, or visit this website: (http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/radicals.php). For more information on radicals in general and how their role in the Chinese language, see (http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Radical_index.htm). These are just a few of the many free resources out there for Chinese language learners. A simple Internet search will yield many more resources. Find one that works for you!

3) Classification by Stroke Number and Initial Stroke

Still other dictionaries will contain a stroke number index, which allows you to find characters based on the total number of strokes and the initial stroke needed to write the character properly, including the radical. The index will list a corresponding page where you can find the character. For more information about how to count strokes or how to know what the initial stroke is, visit this site.

Remember that the first method, or the alphabetical search method, requires knowledge of the pinyin for the Chinese character. You will also need to know the correct tones in order to identify the correct word you are looking for. The second method, which is searching by radical, requires knowledge of what the common radicals are so you can identify them quickly in a character. The third method requires knowledge of proper stroke order and count of each character. Each method has its own difficulties, although the first method is probably the easiest and most commonly found of the three.

ClearChinese offers a wonderful tutorial on the aforementioned methods for using a Chinese dictionary here. This site has step-by-step examples of how to use the dictionary, especially if you are trying to use the radical search method.

A helpful online Chinese-English dictionary can be found here. You can search for words by the pinyin, the actual character, the total stroke count, or the English word equivalent.

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between tradition and simplified Chinese characters, and which ones you should learn? How did the two different character systems emerge?

The short answer to the question about the difference between the two character systems is that traditional Chinese characters refer to those which were created and used before 1946. Most of mainland China had adopted simplified Chinese characters after 1949, while Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan still use the traditional system.

Traditional Chinese characters have been used in China for thousands of years – hence they are called traditional. Many ancient Chinese texts are written in traditional characters, and hence for those who wish to become familiar with Chinese classics, learning traditional characters is a good idea. However, in many places in mainland China, the simplified system is preferred. Even many common Chinese newspapers will prefer the simplified characters

Chinese characters were simplified, among many reasons, to encourage more of the population to become literate. Simplified Chinese symbols have reduced strokes compared to their traditional counterparts, and hence are easier to learn to write for many beginning learners. Learning simplified characters is a safer bet because of its commonality and simplicity. Some may argue that simplified characters are uglier, but for a beginning Chinese learner, simplified symbols are undoubtedly easier to master. Choosing which system to learn will largely depend on what you hope to do and where with your Chinese skills. Luckily, many simplified characters resemble their traditional equivalents, and the observant Chinese learner will notice many patterns that will help them pick up the other system easily if he or she already knows one.

Since simplified characters are so commonly used, we can expect there to be many resources that teach how to read and write these characters. Learn Chinese EZ (http://www.learnchineseez.com/read-write/simplified/) contains several character lists that will teach you over 4,000 characters, allowing you to reach almost complete literacy if you master every single character. However, keep in mind that even to read and understand a newspaper article, the average person only needs to know about 3,000 characters. The characters come with definitions and examples of its usage. The characters are ordered by their frequency of occurrence in written and spoken Chinese, so learning the first few lists will be essential for basic reading and writing skill in Chinese.

Besides having definitions and examples of usage, each character in the lists mentioned above also have a short animation that shows you the stroke order of each character. Stroke order is not only a good habit to have, but it is also very important for getting the correct form of the character. The characters can also be magnified so you can see clearly what each stroke looks like as you practice writing them on your own.

You can also check out (http://www.learnchineseez.com/read-write/traditional/), which contains same exact character lists, but in traditional Chinese. You will notice that the traditional and simplified versions of more than half of the characters are the same.

A great compilation of useful resources for learning Chinese characters in general can be found here at this California State University at Long Beach webpage (http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/character.htm). There are links to online flashcards, character practice sheets, tests, and cartoons and animations for learning Chinese. There are even useful links for tourists, such as common signage to expect and read when visiting China. There are also resources for understanding and learning radicals, which are an important part of a Chinese character, whether it be traditional or simplified. For more information on radicals, you can also read the other articles about Chinese characters, Chinese writing, and Chinese dictionary use.

If you want to read more about the difference between traditional and simplified characters, you can read this short article in the Chinese Outpost (http://www.chinese-outpost.com/language/characters/traditional-vs-simplified-chinese-characters.asp). This article provides some examples of the traditional characters and their simplified counterparts.

Learning to speak Chinese online has never been easier with the advent of so many video and audio language resources on the Internet, many of which are free. However, before you attempt to learn how to speak Chinese online, be sure to check out the articles on Mandarin and Cantonese tones since they are the foundation for speaking accurately. Even the slightest tonal differences can imply entirely different words and meanings. This article will cover mostly learning to speak Mandarin Chinese online. For information about learning Cantonese, please refer to the Cantonese-related articles.

Podcasts are generally great tools for improving Chinese speaking (and listening) skills because you can download the audio files onto your phone or mp3 player and listen to them anywhere, anytime. You can play and practice speaking along with them while driving, waiting in line at a grocery store, or jogging in the morning. Podcasts give you the opportunity for frequent exposure to the sounds of the language so that your ear becomes more accustomed to the nuances and patterns of Chinese, which in turn will help you speak the language.

Many existing articles already cover a variety of podcast resources for learning to speak Chinese online. If you want to learn to speak Mandarin, refer to the article about podcasts for learning Chinese. Services by ChinesePod.com, Chinese Lessons with Serge Melnyk, eChineseLearning.com, LearnChinesePod.com, and many more are covered in the podcast article.

One great way to learn to speak Chinese online is by using video or voice chatting to work with a live tutor in real time. Verbal Planet (http://www.verbalplanet.com/learn-chinese.asp) offers such a service that allows you to pick your own tutor and times. These tutoring sessions throw you right into real conversations with a native speaking Chinese person. Lessons can be tailored to meet your own personal development needs. In addition to tutoring, Verbal Planet also offers mp3 Mandarin lessons for iPods, online and desktop dictionaries, as well as handy phrase books you can keep with you on the go. For information about pricing, visit (http://www.verbalplanet.com/whatitcosts.asp).

ChineseSphere (http://www.chinesesphere.com/) offers language lessons targeted for children K – 12^th grade. The lessons focus on Chinese as a spoken language and listening comprehension, then reading comprehension, and eventually writing once the students master around 1,000 vocabulary words. Lessons will also teach students Chinese characters and the importance of proper stroke order. Advanced Placement Chinese and SAT II Chinese are also covered for high school students. For more information on pricing, see (http://www.chinesesphere.com/about-us/pricing/).

Learnissimo (http://www.loecsen.com/travel/discover.php?lang=en&to_lang=18) is a website that has a Macromedia flash application with free audio lessons that can teach you how to speak basic Mandarin Chinese. Many different categories are covered, including the bare essential greetings, time tracking, bar/restaurant scenarios, numbers, colors, feelings, and much more. You can download the corresponding mp3 and PDF files for studying at your own pace offline.

Chinese-Tools (http://www.chinese-tools.com/songs) offers many popular Mandarin rock, pop, and R&B songs for download that you can memorize and study the lyrics to and learn spoken Chinese from. Artists include Jay Chou, F.I.R., S.H.E., and many more. Songs provide a fun way for memorizing vocabulary and learning the intonation of the language.

The resources I have mentioned here are only a few of the many possibilities that are out there. Of course, the cheapest and quickest way to learn to speak Chinese is probably to have a Chinese friend teach you and converse with you on a regular basis, although you may be learning colloquialisms rather than proper standard Chinese. However, these resources are a good start. For more information on learning how to read, write, and understand spoken Chinese, visit the other articles on Chinese-related topics.

Learning to write Chinese characters is one of the hardest parts of learning the Chinese language. There are thousands of characters that are all unique. They are not made up of a logical, phonetic alphabet. Each character has its own form which must be memorized individually and practiced by hand consistently in order to be able to write it correctly. Fortunately, there some tricks that can help ease the learning process.

Lack of an alphabet makes the Chinese character system appear a bit disorganized to the beginner level learner, there is a method to the madness. A good understanding of Chinese radicals, or any of the 214 ideographic elements used to form, categorize, and sometimes to identify Chinese characters, will help greatly. For a complete list of the 214 radicals, visit this website: (http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/radicals.php). For more information on radicals in general and how their role in the Chinese language, see (http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Radical_index.htm).

In addition to radicals, stroke order of the character you are learning is also important to memorize. Proper stroke order leads to correct form of the character you are trying to write. The Chinese written language considers balance, proportion, and form of the character to be very important. An ugly Chinese character will almost always be frowned upon. There are several basic rules to keep in mind when practicing stroke order. In general, strokes start from the left to right and from top to bottom. Horizontal strokes are generally written before vertical strokes, and both occur before horizontal and vertical strokes that cross over other strokes. Outside strokes are generally written before inside strokes, but the bottom enclosing stroke should be written after all the inside strokes are completed. These are just very general rules that apply to many characters, but of course there will always be exceptions. For a step-by-step guide to better understand stroke order, see this About.com guide (http://mandarin.about.com/od/characters/ss/stroke_order.htm).

Both the radical and the stroke order are key elements that help group Chinese characters in dictionaries, so paying attention to both characteristics when learning a Chinese character is extremely important. When practicing writing Chinese characters, it is useful to have a character sheet handy because writing the characters within the boxes or gridlines in the sheets will help you proportion and balance your characters. For samples of character sheets that you can print and use, see this site (http://www.uvm.edu/~chinese/characte.htm).

A great compilation of useful resources for learning Chinese characters in general can be found here at this California State University at Long Beach webpage (http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/character.htm). There are links to online flashcards, character practice sheets, tests, and cartoons and animations for learning Chinese. There are even useful links for tourists, such as common signage to expect and read when visiting China. There are also resources for understanding and learning radicals, which are an important part of a Chinese character, whether it be traditional or simplified. For more information on radicals, you can also read the other articles about Chinese characters, Chinese writing, and Chinese dictionary use.

Yet another great tool for learning how to write Chinese characters and strokes is Mandarin Tools (http://www.mandarintools.com/shufa.html).

There are also a number of great workbooks and study guides with more useful tips by professional Chinese language instructors that can help you speed up the process of learning Chinese characters. A simple search online will reveal many of these products for reasonable prices.

Constant exposure by reading Chinese materials and flashcards and writing practice will steadily improve your ability to read and write Chinese characters. There is no shortcut for learning a language as complex as Chinese, but there are numerous tools ease the process and make it more fun and rewarding. This article should have provided you with the necessary tools to start.

Unlike the Greek, Roman, and Latin based languages, Chinese does not have an alphabet. An alphabet is a phonetic system in which individual sounds of a language are represented by letters. Letters are symbols that represent a specific sound but have no real meaning when standing alone. The letters of a word are meant to operate with each other in order to be understood as a concept, but by themselves, they are nothing but a vocal creation of the articulators in your mouth.

Chinese words are not made up of individual phonetic letters, or an alphabet. Chinese words are made up of characters, which are made up of different strokes. A stroke is not phonetic and does not necessarily contribute to the way the word sounds, although in some cases it does. The early Chinese people developed their written language as a system to graphically record ideas and events. Many Chinese characters physically look like the object or concept they represent. However, most characters today do not necessarily have a link between shape and definition, so for the most part, you should not assume there to be any relation.

Because the Chinese language does not utilize an alphabet, the amount of symbols (or characters) one must know is significantly greater. In most cases, it is recommended that the typical Chinese reader know at least 3,000 characters before attempting to read and understand a newspaper or book. In the entire history of the Chinese language, there are more than 100,000 characters. The process of acquiring knowledge of 3,000 characters will take several years, let alone 100,000 characters, so don’t expect to know everything there is to know in the Chinese writing system!

An important part of writing Chinese characters is understanding the radicals that may be present in a character. For more comprehensive listings and descriptions of the 214 radicals that exist, please visit ChinaKnowledge’s webpage: (http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/radicals.html). Radicals help to classify Chinese characters by meaning. Many dictionaries use radicals as a means of organizing the characters, so it will definitely be helpful to understand what they are, how they work, and what meanings the most commonly used radicals imply. For even more information about Chinese characters and radicals, here is another resource: (http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Radical_index.htm).

Once you learn a little more about radicals, you’ll have more tools to help you make educated guesses about the meaning and sometimes even pronunciations of a character you’ve never seen before. One way to easily remember many of the characters is to make up stories about the character based on the radical and stroke components that make up the character. See (http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Radical_index.htm#How is a Chinese character formed) for some examples. Radicals will also help you describe Chinese characters to another person. They will also help you navigate many Chinese dictionaries.

When learning Chinese, the important point to remember is that there really is no such thing as a Chinese alphabet, which means there’s no systematic way of learning to spell or sound out Chinese words. Chinese language learners only have the choice of the brute force method, which involves memorizing basic, introductory level characters, radicals, and strokes. The best way to learn Chinese characters is really by constant exposure to the symbols, memorization and practice, and eventually, recognition of patterns in the strokes or radicals that are present.

Mandarin is the number one most commonly spoken language in the world. Therefore it is no surprise that there are numerous software packages to help students learn and study Mandarin on their own. Learning Mandarin from software has many advantages. Many software programs are affordable and offer a lot of content to learn from. Best of all, students can learn at their own pace. Software will also be particularly useful for listening and oral exercises compared to books and worksheets.

According to reviews of many Mandarin language learning software on Amazon.com, the most popular choices are:

1) Fluenz Mandarin

2) Rosetta Stone Mandarin

3) Instant Immersion Chinese

Fluenz Version F2: Mandarin 1+2 is a software package that works for both Windows and Macintosh operating systems. It was developed by an intelligent team of Harvard and Cornell University graduates, some of whom actually went to China to experience firsthand the difficulties in learning Mandarin. The package contains software DVDs, audio CDs, podcasts, and more. This software is targeted for helping English speakers learn Mandarin, and leverages knowledge of English to accelerate learning. The multimedia applications feature a real teacher who brings classroom learning to the home.  The program emphasizes useful Mandarin in real life situations so that Mandarin learners can immediately apply what they’ve learned.

To find out more about the Fluenz Mandarin software, see the descriptions and reviews from Amazon users who have bought this product: (http://www.amazon.com/Fluenz-Version-F2-Mandarin-Navigator/dp/B000PRBV74/ref=sr_1_1?s=software&ie=UTF8&qid=1287372800&sr=1-1)

The Rosetta Stone Chinese Mandarin packages work in both Windows and Macintosh operating systems. Users will master basic conversational skills and receive immediate feedback on their speech via the speech recognition technology. Rosetta Stone offers on the go audio files for CD and MP3 players, as well as iPhone and iPod Touch applications. Rosetta Stone also offers live online lessons with native tutors and games to enhance and supplement the software. The features of Rosetta Stone are endless and focus on helping the user speak Mandarin with confidence and ease.

To find out more about Rosetta Stone Chinese Mandarin products, see the descriptions and reviews from Amazon users here: (http://www.amazon.com/Rosetta-Stone-V4-TOTALe-Mandarin/dp/1608299627/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1287372368&sr=8-5).

Instant Immersion Chinese is yet another option in Mandarin learning software. Although it is not as popular as Fluenz Mandarin or Rosetta Stone Mandarin, it is much more affordable and contains some of the same features. Users can expect to get extensive vocabulary and phrases for real-world situations, such as dining out in restaurants, giving directions, and more. Instant Immersion Chinese also offers language games to enhance learning. Story speeds for dictation and comprehension exercises are adjustable for user preference, and audio lessons for your MP3 player are also available. You can also record your voice and compare it to the instructor’s voice in order to improve your pronunciation.

Instant Immersion Chinese may be a good buy in conjunction with other Mandarin learning resources, such as books, dictionaries, courses, or private tutors. To see what people who have tried this product have to say, visit: (http://www.amazon.com/Topics-Entertainment-80945-Instant-Immersion/dp/B0011DRACQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1287372368&sr=8-3).

These software packages may be expensive, but they are tailored to help the beginner learner master basic conversational Mandarin and have been proven to be effective by many past users. Compared to the fees associated with taking an official course, the software package is much more affordable and allows the learner to go at his or her own pace. If you are looking for a software package that is for you, research any of these three and see which one has the features that will help you the most. Whether it is podcasts, live tutoring sessions, or games that help you learn best, these software programs are worth investigating.

This is another great post from Mike Shelby who requested to share his ideas on this blog.

I have developed my own unique suggestions on mastering English conversation and vocabulary. They are based on my experience and knowledge, and my tips and advice may be valuable for all students of English. I hope that they will  become a short but indispensable guide for many learners of English. I have thoroughly read on the issue of effective methods and aids for learning English. Those aids include audios, videos, websites, study books, etc. I want to share with you that information for English language learners. Of course, everyday talking in English to native English speakers on a variety of topics helps best in order to be able to speak English fluently. But relatively few learners of English have such long-term opportunity. To eventually be able to speak English fluently, first of all learners of English must have materials with important content on all everyday topics (audios, videos, printed texts/study books, etc.) for beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of study. The materials must include dialogues, monologues (thematic texts), questions – answers with important content, thematic lists of difficult word meanings and phrases (expressions) with usage sentences, and comprehensive vocabulary on all everyday topics. I believe that learners can master English conversation and vocabulary with the following methods:

1. Learners of English must listen to each sentence in conversations (thematic dialogues) in audio materials several times and see their transcripts at the same time, and understand everything in those sentences clearly.

2. It is necessary that learners of English read (pronounce) each sentence aloud and compare their pronunciation to the narrator’s pronunciation.

3. Speaking activity with self-control. It is essential for learners to check if they can orally convey the content of those dialogues closely to the original dialogues as much as possible. That means they must try to be an actor for both speakers in the dialogues. The most important thing for them is to speak English, and to check in the transcript of conversations (dialogues) whether they have made any mistakes in speaking.
Learners can also make their own written questions on the dialogues that require long answers contained in the dialogues to facilitate (make easier) imitation of the dialogues. Alternatively, learners can write key words and phrases, or main ideas as a plan to make easier for them to imitate those dialogues.

4. It is important that learners prepare potential questions and answers with important content on all everyday topics, and practise speaking. To show different ways of expressing a particular thought they can make several potential questions and answers on one point in this speaking activity. There are two websites that contain a lot of ready-made questions in English on a wide variety of topics.

5. Learners of English must have lists of difficult word meanings and of phrases (expressions) on every topic with usage sentences. They must read those ready-made vocabulary usage sentences many times if needed. Longman Language Activator Dictionary (unique English Idea Production Dictionary) covers this issue thoroughly. It is essential that learners also make their own sentences with that vocabulary, taking into consideration real life situations.

6. Students of English can learn a lot of vocabulary on every topic from thematic English dictionaries. Good thematic English dictionaries provide clear word usage explanations and also a few usage sentences for each word meaning, which is especially important. It is essential that students of English also make their own sentences with difficult vocabulary. They should think about the real life situations where and when that vocabulary can be used.

7. Learners can also master new English vocabulary by reading thematic texts (materials), first of all on everyday topics with important content, for example: Practical Tips and Advice to Make Everyday Life Easier and Better (practical solutions for everyday problems). Such self-help books on settling everyday matters are available at book stores.
Learners must write down unknown vocabulary in whole sentences. It is essential that they practise telling the content of the texts that they have read. As people say, practice makes perfect.

8. Constant review of material ensures solid knowledge and success in learning.

9. It is very important that learners also make use of other important aids on a variety of topics to improve their English conversation and vocabulary skills: audios, videos (English learning videos, travel videos, etc.), Internet resources, English learning magazines, newspapers, newsletters, radio programmes (especially the BBC English learning programmes/materials), TV programmes (educational programmes, documentary films, movies, news), books and e-books on a variety of subjects, online communication with native English speakers (chat, email, Skype).
Good libraries have a wide selection of English learning aids.

Different regions in China will speak Mandarin with slightly different accents, although the standard is the Beijing accent, which is also the one taught in most schools. To speak any Mandarin Chinese, you first need a solid understanding of the tone system and the pinyin system. Both of these will help you pronounce Mandarin words accurately and with the correct intonation.

British Broadcasting Company (BBC) offers many language learning services and features, with Mandarin Chinese being one of the languages it supports. You can find many useful video and audio clips explaining the four tones from BBC’s The Real Chinese TV series here: (http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/chinese/real_chinese/).  Each video contains not only tips on pronunciation and grammar, but also information about Chinese culture and potential culture shocks as well. For example, did you know that you do not need to tip in restaurants in China?

BBC also offers a Chinese tone game (as well as a Chinese Character game) to help solidify your foundation in the four tones (http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/chinese/games/). The game involves selecting the correct choice of pinyin for the words that you hear. Each answer choice has a helpful description of why it is right or wrong.

This website (http://www.shufawest.us/language/tonedrill.html) has a good tone drill exercise that consists of 73 Chinese words listed in a random order. Every time you click the “Play Word” button, you will hear a Chinese word. You will then select the corresponding tone you think the word is. There is also a 2-character tone, found here (http://www.shufawest.us/language/dual-tonedrill.html) drill for those who are ready to move on to the next level of mastering Mandarin tones.

After you become familiar with distinguishing among the four tones, Chinese Learner (http://www.chineselearner.com/speaking/) is a useful resource for learning to speak introductory level, yet commonly used Mandarin sentences. This site offers a collection of audio lessons that teach you how to say greetings, good wishes, invitations, commands, reminders, cause and result, purpose, and much more. One special feature of Chinese Learner’s website is the list of 365 commonly used Chinese sentences, found here (http://www.chineselearner.com/speaking/lesson/everyday-chinese.html). There are no audio files provided for these sentences, but if you have a good grasp of the tones and the tone marking system, you will be able to understand the pinyin that is provided.

Other good ways to learn to speak Mandarin are by listening to Mandarin songs, memorizing the song lyrics, and singing along. Remembering the rhythm and melody of the song can train your ear to distinguish right from wrong when speaking various combinations of the tones. Listening to Mandarin music regularly will also help you pick up commonly used vocabulary quickly.

Many of the resources will prove helpful to you in your attempt to learn spoken Mandarin. With frequent exposure to the language and dedicated practice, you will be speaking basic conversational Mandarin in very little time!