Pinyin Practice

iPhone Apps for Chinese

Pei — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:38:43 +0000

I don’t actually have an iPhone. Guess I am not quite that cool. I do have an iPod Touch though, so I must be kind of kù. And so with all of my coolness, I sometimes keep watch for apps that would help me or students or faculty. I’m a helpful person. Here are some [...]

3 Greate Ways to Create Flashcards

Pei — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:04:58 +0000

Flashcards are a staple for language learners. Carrying a flip book or rubberbanded stack of index cards with characters on one side and pronunciation and definition on the other is a great just-in-time study tool. But let’s get a bit more with the times and look to the web for help with creation – and [...]

Spell-checking for Chinese, Anyone?

Pei — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 08:00:31 +0000

On the drive home today we were chatting about rules for turning in assignments. My wife, a French teacher, said one of her new rules is that she will not grade anything which has not been spell-checked. Decent rule for French. And I explained how students were always turning in papers with cuò zì (incorrect [...]

Chinese Animations to Entertain and Motivate

Pei — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:00:12 +0000

Play is one of the most natural learning activities on the planet. The animator is playing with words and images in ways the real world cannot behave. Great animators have the largest blank-canvas playground in the universe. And the same playground is yours as a language learner – get out there and be creative with [...]

Practice Pronunciation (and writing) with VoiceThread #2

Pei — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:15:38 +0000

If you missed the first one. Take a look here for more information. Sign up and record your own reading.

12 Video Sites to Entertain and Practice Chinese

Pei — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:00:13 +0000

1. www.danwei.org – Ok, the first isn’t really a video site, but rather great video content. More than just videos, but truly insightful, entertaining and educational content. I’m not sure if they are still actively producing videos, but check out their archives. 2. www.asizia.com – movies for download. They also have a collection of Japanese [...]

Practice Pronunciation and Writing with VoiceThread

Pei — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:00:35 +0000

Voicethread.com offers a unique service for presentation and interaction with material and those interested in the material. Sign up on voicethread to participate in this activity (there is a free basic level). Once you are signed up, come back here and record yourself reading the slides. Or if you are at a more advanced level, [...]

5 Great Ways to Enter Pinyin on Your Blog

Pei — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:39:27 +0000

At some point, if you haven’t already, you will need to enter Pinyin on your blog or someone else’s blog. Here are some super sweet plugins and websites that will most certainly bāng your máng. 1. The Pinyin Tone Tool Visit this website to type pinyin into the textbox with numbers representing the tones 1-5 [...]

Language Teacher Types and Tips to Impress Them

Pei — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 01:27:11 +0000

Language teachers are a mixed breed for sure, and knowing what kind (or hodgepodge) of instructor you have is key to unlocking the mystery of language learning and super awesome grades. Test, Test and More Tests The testing teacher is one that relies on quizzes and exams to understand what it is you know and [...]

Popup Chinese

Pei — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:27:56 +0000

You’ve probably already discovered several Chinese learning websites. But do yourself a favor and be sure to check out Popup Chinese. This website is both elegantly designed and technologically savvy. The podcast recordings are high quality and engaging – the couple I listened to just now impressed me – the language is genuine and useful. [...]