Many people study for the HSK exam but will focusing your language learning on your interests and needs be better and faster? Well, yes…maybe! In this episode John and Jared discuss how to bring better focus to your studies so you can beat the pants off the HSK. Guest interview is with Ben Whatley, avid Chinese learner and co-founder of Memrise.

Links from the episode:

Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) | Wikipedia general info

HSK-Mod | Live, one-one-one online courses by AllSet Learning

No links for too much sugar in your Chinese food… no one needs that

Simply Chinese | Comprehensible input YouTube channel

Memrise | Co-founded by guest Ben Whatley 

Does a musical background make you better at Chinese? Believe it or not, there is research on this very subject that John and I are going to delve into. Guest interview is with Murray James Morrison, jazz musician, composer, and professor at NYU Shanghai.

Research Paper | Identification of Mandarin tones by English-speaking musicians and nonmusicians

Sherlock Holmes and a Scandal in Shanghai | New Level 2, 450 Words, Mandarin Companion Graded Reader

Sinica Podcast hosted by Kaiser Kuo

The China Project | Rebranded name for The China Project

Anyone can learn a language, but in this episode, John and I are going to talk about five qualities of good language learners. Call them qualities, call them attitudes — these adjustments will help maximize your learning results.

Guest interview is with Zachary Gidwitz, who despite having a Chinese teacher tell him to give up, later progressed to a level that opened up job opportunities with one of China’s largest ecommerce giants.

YCLC #7 The Myth of Learning Chinese Like a Child

Tolerance of Ambiguity and Use of Second Language Strategies

Sherlock Holmes and a Scandal in Shanghai (Mandarin Companion’s next book!)

The Six | Documentary about 6 Chinese survivors of the Titanic

The Ultra-Traditional, the “Buddy”, the Know-it-All, and the “Too Nice” are all teacher types that John and Jared are going to break down and you should consider avoiding. That being said, they have some redeeming qualities too!

Interview is with Brad Johnson whose interest and friendships were the driving force in improving his Chinese skills to the level where he now hosts a podcast in Chinese.

#87 The 6 Types of Chinese Learners

#79 Why typing characters is better than handwriting

Emma 《安末》 (Mandarin Companion Level 1 graded reader)

Brad Johnson’s Podcasts | MianBao.fm

Xiaoyuzhou podcast app

Top 100 Podcasts on Xiaoyuzhou

In this special episode, John and Jared interview game-based learning expert Fred Poole who is a professor at Michigan State University, an avid gamer, and also an advanced speaker of Chinese and Spanish.

Fred Poole at Github

Game and Activity Book by Fred Poole (PDF)

Identity RPG game

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Curly Haired Company | Mandarin Companion Level 1 graded reader

Have you ever had comments in Chinese about your weight, asked how much money you make, or experienced just a general lack of “please” and “thank-you”? John and Jared talk about common usages of Chinese that at times can be perceived as “rude” by non-native speakers. Plus we’ll talk about how YOU can avoid being perceived as rude to Chinese speakers. Interview is with Randy Telfer who was first drawn to Chinese by martial arts and today has built a life and career around Chinese.

How long can you use Chinese before your “brain is full”? John and Jared talk about endurance in Chinese, how to build stamina, and what to expect as your Chinese progresses to the next level. Interview is with Tyler Christler, an American based in Dalian speaking Dongbei-flavored Mandarin who produces videos on Chinese social media.

Chinese Vocabulary Wiki | AllSet Learning

#30 Second Language or Foreign Language: What Type of Learner Are You?

Tyler Christler is “铁蛋儿Tyler” on Douyin and Bili Bili

What do you do when your dictionary says one thing but native speakers say it differently? John and Jared will talk about how to handle this and put it to use in your own studies.

Interview is with Ryan Alexander Holmes, an actor, popular TikTocker, and black Afro Asian American, or Blasian.

Prescriptivism vs. Descriptivism | YouTube

Pronunciation Variants | Chinese Pronunciation Wiki

The Ransom of Red Chief | Level 1 Graded Reader

Reading is the original SRS | Sinosplice

Ryan Alexander Holmes | TikTok and Instagram

Jared and John discuss a research paper on learner engagement with vocabulary apps. Whether you’re an independent learner or a teacher, there are plenty of surprises and takeaways!

Interview is with Jonathan Coveny, whose obsession with Chinese took him on a winding path of learning the language. Especially for all you study nerds out there, don’t miss this one. 

 Links from the episode:

Research Paper: Stimulating learner engagement in app-based L2 vocabulary self-study: Goals and feedback for effective L2 pedagogy by Xuehong (Stella) He, Shawn Loewen

Episode 40 How to Set Goals for Learning Chinese

Xiao Ming, Boy Sherlock | Breakthrough Graded Reader

The Chinese Nickname for “Love, Death & Robots” | Sinosplice

Stories from our Readers: From Flash Cards to Martial Arts -Jonathan’s Story | Mandarin Companion

Episode 61 interview with Jonathan Becker | You Can Learn Chinese

Learning a language is much more than learning vocabulary. This includes understanding and anticipating interactions within a cultural context. John and Jared discuss exactly what this means and what you should know to maximize your gains.

Interview is with Elise Ferrero, a native of Italy who learned English to learn Chinese and today is a Chinese teacher to Spanish speakers in Argentina.

AllSet Learning 1-on-1 Live Lessons

You Can Learn Chinese in Taiwan (even now!)

HSK Level | vocab level assessment

Elisa Ferrero website | ElisaLaoshi.com (Spanish)