Learning Journal: Documenting My Chinese Learning

[djlearns]

So, I recently started learning Chinese for work. Since, I have to do it in a short time, I want to document my journey and perhaps obtain a learning framework for learning languages. Hopefully, my journey will help everyone else as well. I generally am able to learn things within 24 hours (if you count the actual hours). And so I have a bunch of techniques I use to learn things. I am not sure if they'll work for Mandarin, but I will try them nonetheless. Also, I would like to mention that speed learning is a real thing. If you want to learn the framework, look up the video or book "How to Get Good At Anything in 20 Hours".

Learning objective: I should be able to converse in Mandarin fluently so as to conduct business meetings and communicate with people from the mainland.

Scouting learning resources

So, I went through a bunch of resources to see which one fits the bill. My goal was to find something that

A) I am comfortable yet fast. 

Is easily accessible for continuous learning. 

C) Is free.

So, with Mr. Google by my side, I started searching. I went to the bbc learning center online. I went through various other websites that claimed to teach Chinese. But, when I tried them out, I found them to be either too academic or too detailed (remember, I just want to converse and people will understand if I can't read literature). Finally, I googled "learn mandarin for business" and found this article and many like it about Zuckerberg. He's been learning Mandarin for 5 years now and he practices it everyday! Then, I went through a bunch of forums and reddits about it. Finally, I found a list of good android apps for learning Chinese. And I downloaded all the apps on the list and gave them a try. Out of all of those, I found Hello Chinese to be really helpful.

So, that is the app that I am using right now.

Low-Hanging Learning Objective: Learn Mandarin within 24 hours and then converse with someone in a real setting.

Yesterday, I met someone who's agreed to show me how to learn Mandarin within 24 hours, which as you know is what I like to do when it comes to learning something. So, I may be letting go of the aforementioned app or using it simultaneously. I have already ordered a fresh batch of index/flash cards numbering about 300. Hopefully, they'll help me learn faster.

I also read this article in the Guardian about this journalist learning Mandarin in 2 days and testing himself in an actual setting. So, I know it can be done.

Here's the plan for the next few days:

Stage 1. Find resources that claim to teach Chinese in 24 hours or less. Already found this site and this app.

Stage 2. Try them out one by one. Create flashcards for memorizing things. Practice speaking and reading the language for about 10 hours.

Stage 3. Practice listening to the language for 10 hours.

Stage 4. Test listening skills by watching Chinese content online.

Stage 5. Test conversation skills by going to a Chinese restaurant and striking a real life conversation.

Stage 6. Come back. Take note of gaps. Improve. Rinse and Repeat until fluent.

So, wish me luck guys. I will let you know how things go.

[linguaholic]

On 13.9.2016 at 8:07 AM, djlearns said:

So, I recently started learning Chinese for work. Since, I have to do it in a short time, I want to document my journey and perhaps obtain a learning framework for learning languages. Hopefully, my journey will help everyone else as well. I generally am able to learn things within 24 hours (if you count the actual hours). And so I have a bunch of techniques I use to learn things. I am not sure if they'll work for Mandarin, but I will try them nonetheless. Also, I would like to mention that speed learning is a real thing. If you want to learn the framework, look up the video or book "How to Get Good At Anything in 20 Hours".

Learning objective: I should be able to converse in Mandarin fluently so as to conduct business meetings and communicate with people from the mainland.

Scouting learning resources

So, I went through a bunch of resources to see which one fits the bill. My goal was to find something that

A) I am comfortable yet fast. 

Is easily accessible for continuous learning. 

C) Is free.

So, with Mr. Google by my side, I started searching. I went to the bbc learning center online. I went through various other websites that claimed to teach Chinese. But, when I tried them out, I found them to be either too academic or too detailed (remember, I just want to converse and people will understand if I can't read literature). Finally, I googled "learn mandarin for business" and found this article and many like it about Zuckerberg. He's been learning Mandarin for 5 years now and he practices it everyday! Then, I went through a bunch of forums and reddits about it. Finally, I found a list of good android apps for learning Chinese. And I downloaded all the apps on the list and gave them a try. Out of all of those, I found Hello Chinese to be really helpful.

So, that is the app that I am using right now.

Low-Hanging Learning Objective: Learn Mandarin within 24 hours and then converse with someone in a real setting.

Yesterday, I met someone who's agreed to show me how to learn Mandarin within 24 hours, which as you know is what I like to do when it comes to learning something. So, I may be letting go of the aforementioned app or using it simultaneously. I have already ordered a fresh batch of index/flash cards numbering about 300. Hopefully, they'll help me learn faster.

I also read this article in the Guardian about this journalist learning Mandarin in 2 days and testing himself in an actual setting. So, I know it can be done.

Here's the plan for the next few days:

Stage 1. Find resources that claim to teach Chinese in 24 hours or less. Already found this site and this app.

Stage 2. Try them out one by one. Create flashcards for memorizing things. Practice speaking and reading the language for about 10 hours.

Stage 3. Practice listening to the language for 10 hours.

Stage 4. Test listening skills by watching Chinese content online.

Stage 5. Test conversation skills by going to a Chinese restaurant and striking a real life conversation.

Stage 6. Come back. Take note of gaps. Improve. Rinse and Repeat until fluent.

So, wish me luck guys. I will let you know how things go.

Learning anything but the absolute basics about Mandarin in 24 hours sounds absolutely impossible to me. After 24 hours you will barely be able to speak a few words, if any (with the right tones). However, I am curious about your progress. Please let me know how it works out for you. 

PS: I have been studying Chinese myself for many years.

[djlearns]

Update:

I have bought a bunch of index cards. I have signed up for the 24 hour session online. I would have done this earlier, but life happened. Basically, right now I am immersing myself in Chinese - I have an app that works, lessons that are good, and I have learning tools that I am using to learn the language. The time starts now- just fyi, this only includes learning time which means the whole thing could be completed in 24 hours or a week or 24 days even. However, since I need to learn quickly, and that was the whole point, I will be doing it asap.