There's no doubt about it, learning any language requires a commitment of time and effort, even more so when there's a great difference between one's native language and the new one. Here are some suggestions to maximum your effectiveness, minimize the time spent, and make learning Chinese easier.
- Studying a little every day is more effective than studying for a long period just before a test. It's impossible to learn a language by studying only once a week, even if the study period is very long. Studying one to two hours each day throughout the term will make it easy for you to do well on tests without cramming at the end.
- To learn new vocabulary, using several short sessions (a few minutes at a time) is more effective than using one long session. You can use the time while riding the bus, eating breakfast, waiting for class to begin, waiting in line at the grocery store, and even walking across campus, to review new words.
- The only way to learn Chinese characters is to memorize them. Writing will enable you to use motor memory for recall, otherwise characters can be quickly forgotten. Rather than writing one word many times before doing the next one, write each word once or twice then go through the whole list again until you've done the required number of repetitions. This will put the new words more firmly in your memory.
- Make vocabulary flashcards. The physical act of writing reinforces words in your memory, while also giving you an easy way to prepare for tests. Code cards for word class (verb, noun, etc.) and carry them with you for review during spare minutes.
- To prepare for vocabulary quizzes, make a 3-column vocabulary sheet with characters, pinyin, and English definitions. Fold the paper so only one or two columns are showing and take practice written quizzes.
- By the end of the first year, you will notice that many characters have elements in common, either related to meaning or pronunciation. Learning new words becomes easier once you reach that point, so hang in there. Notice the common elements and use them to help you remember new characters. The animated characters application can help you, because it not only shows stroke order, but also points out the radical component and shows all the combinations that use each character.
- Make index cards for the sentence patterns. Writing the charts by hand reinforces the patterns. Having them on cards makes it easy to review for tests.
- Some find that a 5-minute review before going to sleep enhances memory. The review should be short, and not so late at night that your brain has already gone to sleep, even though your body seems to be awake.
- Get enough sleep in general or else you waste your study time. Don't stay up all night before an exam. Cutting into your sleep will hurt your performance and offset any possible benefit gained by cramming. Character production is the first skill that deteriorates. On tests such as the final exam, students can score a full grade lower than their true level simply due to sleep loss. Resist the urge to stay up too late--there's no gain.
- Do the practice drills with a study partner. Have one person read a line, then the other respond without looking at the book. To check understanding, have the first person put the response back into English. Alternate roles every line.
- Reading Chinese means understanding by looking at the characters, so cover up the pinyin while reading the text. Write vocabulary notes on a separate page, not on the text. Developing these habits now will make your further study of Chinese much easier.
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