8 Useful Phrases for American Retailers

This is very clever.  I found it originally posted on Magnus and Mingxin's board on Pinterest.


It is the creation of Dim Sum Warriors who write a bilingual app. The aim of the app is to help English and Mandarin learners in a way that is innovative, effective and fun. Looks like an excellent idea. 

Read a Comic, Learn a Language

Teaching Chinese language through STARTALK

Meanwhile in America...

Teaching Chinese language through STARTALK program at IU School of Education

It would be good to have something like this in Oz. While we don't have summer schools it would be good to see something like this happening after school or on the weekend. 

Do they have America-Towns in China?

Would you take your child to China?

A recent fashion of some wealthy American families is to take their children to China to learn Mandarin. Curious to see the lengths some parents will go to for their offspring. American interest in Chinese language and culture has increased rapidly during the past years. There is an increase in Chinese language in schools and universities, after school classes, tutoring, hiring Mandarin speaking nannies, even enrolling their children in schools with partial Chinese immersion classes. Some parents seem to be doing all they can to encourage their children to learn Mandarin.



Watch this "Moving to China to Learn Mandarin"

In some ways it reminds me of Sushi on a Stick that I read for two years. An Australian family lived and worked for two years in Japan. The objectives were not exclusively for the children to learn Japanese. It seems that the parent’s had wanderlust (an affliction I suffer from too). I really enjoyed reading this adventure.
So Americans pack up and take their families to China. I would be interested to read or know of their experiences. I did find one example And Then We Slipped Away Into the Night… ends a family’s two months stay in Beijing. And Then We Found An Apartment is the beginning of the saga if you want to read more. A move like this has to be carefully planned it could all end in disappointment.

A close reading of the WSJ and BI article reveals that the American families heading to China are professional career people. These parents are very committed to letting their children become Mandarin speakers. Selling their house and taking a year off work. I wonder if Australian parents would do the same for their children.



To Improve Kids' Chinese, Parents Head to Asia

American Families Are Now Packing Up And Moving To China So Their Kids Can Learn To Speak Mandarin

Multimedia Chinese Teaching System

Found another Chinese language learning resource. The Rutgers Multimedia Chinese Teaching System has four levels of lessons for first year to fourth year students. It has plenty of content in simplified hanzi, pinyin, audio and English. There is also content in traditional characters.The scripts for learning are quite detailed. Accompanying these pages of scripts are grammar explanations.  There is plenty of content in this site.


However, despite the content navigation for the site is very poor. It is difficult to navigate around the site as menus are not consistent. Sometimes links at the bottom and sometimes the left side navigation changes from English to Chinese Hanzi.   I do not know if this is intentional (perhaps it is an attempt at partial immersion in Chinese). Definitely makes moving around the site challenging. Some of the pages are not set out well. It is difficult to find related content quickly. 


 If the site were redesigned with a consistent navigation it would be better. This site may be useful to supplement your main study. It is a pity that it is difficult to find specific information as the materials and grammar are detailed.

"The Rutgers Multimedia Chinese Teaching System (RMCTS). This is a computer based multimedia curriculum to supplement First year, Second year, and Advanced Chinese (Third and Fourth year) language instruction at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey."

Multimedia Chinese Teaching System 

Will Studying Mandarin Get Me A Job At The Goldman Sachs?

Will Studying Mandarin Get Me A Job At The Goldman Sachs?

Found this blog post from Wall Street Oasis offering advice for the serious Chinese language learner.  Definitely a study plan for the ambitious serious Mandarin learner.

"Opinions will vary on how to get this experience, but my advice is this:


Year 1: Home university


Summer: intensive language program at a well-known Chinese university


Year 2: Home university, take a “business in China” class/short study trip, if you university has one 


Summer: intern ship with a random mainland firm (likely a small one)


Year 3: Study at a well-known Chinese university, and ideally a part-time internship with a less random mainland firm


Summer: even less random full-time intern ship


Year 4: Home university


???


PROFIT"  from Olafenzer  at Wall Street Oasis

One would have to be very committed, dedicated and ambitious to be studying between your home country and a Chinese university for four years. 

Why You Should Learn Chinese

Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language

A two year old article from Time, yet it is still relevant today. The article is a question and answer interview about learning Mandarin and China.  It is worth reading.

  One book I will be adding to my reading list.

Q&A: Author Deborah Fallows on Learning Mandarin

Speak the Language fast track ways to become a Polyglot

Speak the Language


Here is something interesting from a polyglot called Andrew Eli. Speaks Russian, Kazakh, French and Chinese.  He has some sound advice for language learners.

"Follow these easy steps to get on the fast track to Polyglot City."

1. Make the commitment
2. Take a hard class with lots of grammar
3. Open your mouth
4. Buy a ticket
5. Go on a date
6. Get a job
7. Don't lose it

The author of the article goes into details on each of the points above. I agree with most of what is written. It does have some practical advice and good strategies for language learning. 

Speak the Language

Never too early to learn Chinese?

Meanwhile in Naselle, Washington...

"Instead of “Dick and Jane” and “See Spot Run,” the morning curriculum at Naselle for kindergartners next fall will be entirely in Mandarin Chinese ..."

"The district is considering implementation of dual-immersion education to kindergarten students whose parents choose to participate in the Mandarin Chinese program next year."

"If adopted by the school board, the program will be taught by a teacher from China and the students who voluntarily enroll will speak nothing but that language exclusively during their morning classes..."

I find "the sooner the better" trend being reported often across the globe. It is interesting that our opposition government in Oz has seized on this and made an election promise  Preschoolers to learn a second language .  While many places are implementing it is schools immediately.

In my humble opinion it is never too early or too late to learn Chinese Mandarin.

Never too early to learn Chinese?

Unemployed American Airline Workers Should Learn Chinese

This is bound to cause some controversy with airline workers in America. This is a controversial idea from an article in Forbes.

"Unemployed American Airline Workers Should Learn Chinese"

"To the hundreds of young and unattached American Airlines workers threatened with lay offs: consider taking some classes in basic Mandarin Chinese."


Unemployed American Airline Workers Should Learn Chinese 

Chinese course to be offered at JWCC

Chinese course to be offered at JWCC

Meanwhile in Illinois...

A community college in Quincy, Illinois, USA is to begin offering Mandarin Chinese classes. Sounds like a very serious course of study.

"By the end of the course, students are expected to have the elementary ability to converse, read and write on selected topics of daily life, know the differences between the two Chinese writing systems, recognize 200 simplified Chinese characters, master Chinese phonics and tones of the language and build knowledge of traditional and modern Chinese culture, including proper Chinese business etiquette."

"The benefits of learning Mandarin Chinese are significant, especially in the increasingly competitive business world," JWCC instructor Cindy Wu Williams said.  "At this time, there is perhaps no other more important or complex relationship in the world than that between the United States and China. A second language can open up additional career options in a variety of industries."

U.S. - China People-To-People Exchange

Meanwhile in America...

"The United States government is now sending more students to study in China than to any other country and welcomes more Chinese students who want to study in the United States."

"...enhancing ties between American and Chinese people at the annual U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, which focuses on exchanges in education, science and technology, sports, culture and women’s issues."

"The 100,000 Strong Initiative, which seeks to increase the number and diversity of Americans studying in China, has received pledges of over $15 million from private donors since its inception in 2010."

U.S. - China People-To-People Exchange

U.S. - China People-To-People Exchange

Bilingualism Across the U.S. - Best Colleges Online

Bilingualism Across the U.S. - Best Colleges Online

This was recently sent to me by a blog reader.

I like this infographic. The overall benefits of bilingualism is interesting.


Via: BestCollegesOnline.com

Why Languages Can Make Us Smarter, Safer, and Better Looking - Global Learning - Education Week

Some important issues are discussed in the Why Languages Can Make Us Smarter, Safer, and Better Looking  from Global Learning blog.

There are two basic arguments for second language learning;


One; learning a language is good for national security and economic competitiveness (this argument is a good one for politicians and business leaders)

"this can make our nation stronger"

Two; learning a language  is good for cognitive and cultural benefits (good for those in the arts and education business and parents)

"this can make my kid smarter"

Both arguments have received media attention in the USA. There seems to be much recent research about learning the language in the early years of school (the earlier the better). It is believed that starting language learning in middle school and high school is too late and not so beneficial. 

Read more details here;  Why Languages Can Make Us Smarter, Safer, and Better Looking 

Why immersing HISD pupils in Mandarin Chinese will enhance learning

Houston public schoolchildren will have the opportunity to learn the world's most spoken language in a new school that opens in August 2012.

Why immersing HISD pupils in Mandarin Chinese will enhance learning

Project rallies for China-US friendship Society

"The US State Department says 600 times more Chinese study the English language than Americans study Mandarin."

Project rallies for China-US friendship Society

Free Resource - Read Chinese!

Found this free resource for learning Chinese.

"Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, these Read Chinese! materials were developed to provide online e-learning reading lessons aimed at beginning and intermediate students of the language."

Read Chinese!

Deer Valley schools embrace Mandarin Chinese instruction

Deer Valley Mandarin Chinese Project

"The students spend only half of their school day speaking English and are the driving force behind Arizona's first-ever partial immersion program for Mandarin in a public school."

Deer Valley schools embrace Mandarin Chinese instruction

Deer Valley Mandarin Chinese Project

10 Lessons American Schools Can Learn from China

 Quite an interesting article on the different ways America and China are approaching education.

 

10 Lessons American Schools Can Learn from China | Online Universities

Mandarin Chinese and marine biology among the 'atypical' classes on tap at B-R - Taunton, MA - The Taunton Gazette

Found another very positive article about students who study Mandarin in an American high school in Raynham, Massachusetts, America. I like students who are willing and interested in learning languages. We need more of these type of students in Australia.

Mandarin Chinese and marine biology among the 'atypical' classes on tap at B-R - Taunton, MA - The Taunton Gazette