Since I started learning Chinese, I have known that speaking is my biggest weakness, not only because it was the skill that was worked on the least in class, but also the nerves that came along with trying to speak a different language. In my typical learning environment, I will maybe only say a handful of sentences in my hour-long daily Chinese class, so when looking at summer programs I knew I wanted a program that really emphasized the importance of practicing speaking and conversation. This program has allowed me to practice my speaking for hours (not minutes) every day due to the nature of classes either being one-on-one or incredibly small. While I find the program focuses on speaking, we also working on reading and writing, but because I find class focused more on speaking or answering questions, I wanted to utilize my free time to bring language learning outside the classroom.
One of the first ways I have tried to incorporate learning outside the classroom was through cooking. I have loved to cook and bake for as long as I can remember, and like most others have taken it up as a way to keep busy during quarantine. Trying not only to work on my language skills, but also trying to develop a connection with some of the things I may have tried had I been in Taiwan I have been finding and making traditional Taiwanese or Chinese recipes. Through YouTube, different food blogs, and books I have borrowed from the library, I have found delicious recipes like Beef Noodles (牛肉面), Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐), bubble tea (珍珠奶茶), and Pineapple buns (菠萝包). Not only have I found cooking a way to taste some of the dishes I could have tasted in Taiwan, but taking the time to read the recipe and translate it not only allowed me to practice different food and cooking vocabulary I knew, but also I was able to practice using my Chinese dictionary which forced me to identify radicals (character components) and add new vocabulary to my flashcards.
Another way I have incorporated learning outside was to make flashcards with not only vocabulary and grammar I have learned from classes I have taken, but also from bringing language learning outside the classroom. I find rewriting vocabulary words on flashcards useful because the more times I write the character I find it easier to recognize the character, the stroke order, or remember the meaning. So, not only do I think flashcards are great because the extra practice with writing the character, but because it is such a quick great way to study. I carry a little thing of some of my Chinese flashcards with me in my bag, so I can practice for a couple minutes whether it is waiting for the bus or waiting for my coffee to be ready. Carrying the flashcards gives me at least an extra couple minutes a day to review words of grammar structures we might not have touched on in class for a while.
The final way I like to study Chinese outside the classroom is through watching tv shows or movies. Whether it be on Netflix or YouTube there are plenty of options for Chinese shows. To practice my listing comprehension, I like to watch children’s shows in Chinese or watch more advanced shows with English subtitles. Additionally, another way of practicing I have found very useful is that on Netflix it allows you to change the language of certain shows, so for shows I have seen dozens of times I often turn the audio to Mandarin. That way, by watching shows I have seen dozens of times, I can more easily grasp concepts, phrases or vocabulary.
Program: Taiwan Intensive Summer Language Program (TISLP)
Term: Summer 2020