Developing conversation skills in the first year of study

[fulgentius]

I've heard stories about people who've taken years of Mandarin classes and still can't really speak it. This has me worried because I'm in my second semester and the classes so far in my program are pretty weak on listening and especially conversation practice. At this point I can translate fairly complicated sentences but feel like my spontaneous speaking ability is still barely above introducing myself and saying that I like studying chinese.

On the one hand, I was thinking that finding a tutor or a perhaps a mandarin speaker who'd like to improve their English would be good, but then I feel like my ability is way too rudimentary for that right now... I just don't have the vocabulary to talk about much so it would probably be frustrating.

What should I do? Maybe I'm just impatient to become more fluent and I'll just have to wait, but if anyone has any suggestions for ways that I can improve my listening and speaking (for someone who knows about 300 words) I'd really appreciate the advice. Should I just do a lot of extra listening practice for now? Or just jump in and try to communicate with a native speaker? Or just stick with the vocab and grammar and leave fluency for later? I'm working pretty hard and I just want to make sure I'm using my time as efficiently as possible.

Thanks!

[hughitt1]

It could never hurt to try. A Language exchange would probably be helpful- even if you couldn't talk about the current conditions of the market in beijing or what not, you will at least learn some new things, and get in used to listening and speaking. Also check out chinesepod.com, or any other podcast sites (better if there is a transcript to go with it).. first make sure you understand the transcript, then go back and listen to it several times (or more) eventually without the transcript. If you are feeling really adventurous. Try reading out loud the transcript along with the podcast.. this is one of the best way to improve your speaking abilities. I didn't do any of this really till about my 6th year hehe, but then again i wasn't the model student during those first years either

goodluck!

Keith

[Gulao]

Get a language exchange partner. It will not hurt to start as early as you can, and your language partner will probably be patient with you, as they likely went/are going through the same process that you are going through now. It's actually very helpful. You'll develop oral and listening confidence, and you'll learn conversational vocabulary faster than your classes will be able to teach you.

[Strawberries513]

Thanks for answering this question guys because I have been wondering the same thing about myself. But lucky for me Im dating a Beijing-er

rock on.

But yes, just get a language exchange parter and hold very simple conversations with them and slowly progress to more complex conversation as you learn more words. Oh, if you are really looking to learn more vocabulary, the best way to go is "Shaum's Outline of Chinese Vocabulary" search for it on amazon.