So, how do *you* stop yourself developing bad habits?

[Elizabeth_rb]

Has anyone else noticed this, either with themselves or observing others that, when one gets to the advanced learning stages, it can be SO easy to forget the simple things. I think this can be especially problematic with something like Chinese, which can be a very 'simplistic' language, without all the complications of grammar and structure that we have to observe in European languages etc.  We can tend to over-complicate and forget the really simple, basic structures of Chinese.

 

So, how does everyone prevent this from happening to them?  DO they take any precautionary steps?

 

For me, both with an eye to teaching/advising beginning and elementary level learners as well as making sure I don't allow any mistakes to be ingrained, I spend a fair amount of my study time reviewing basic level textbooks and working through grammar and exercise books.  At the mo, I'm nearing the end of 'Schaum's Outline of Chinese Grammar' and am about a third of the way through 'Chinese Demystified', both by Claudia Ross (and if I had a secular ambition, it would be to be the UK version of her!! ), as well as ploughing my way through the 3rd book of the five 'Elementary Chinese Readers'.  These can be a complete scream when they tell of the wonders of the ideal communist society and how everyone is such a diligent student.

 

I do spend time with higher level stuff too, but this is my bad-habit prevention scheme.  I find it helps too as I've spotted a number of daft things I'd begun to say and have been able to iron out some creases.

 

你们呢？

[tysond]

I use spaced repetition systems (SRS) for this.  This is basically automated flashcards that are repeated at longer and longer intervals of time (if you get them right).

For example a little idiomatic expression such as "做梦去吧" which means much the same as the English "In your dreams!" will next be presented to me on March 1st, like this:

"___梦去吧    In your dreams!"   

And my job is to say/write "做".  If I do so correctly it would be scheduled in the future, at longer and longer intervals.

If I forget it will come back frequently until I re-learn it reliably. 

[abcdefg]

So, how does everyone prevent this from happening to them?

 

Not sure I do prevent it 100%, but I spend a lot of time conversing with native speakers and corresponding with them in writing. I pay attention to what they don't understand on first pass and then rephrase for me in a more natural (native speaker) way.

[ouyangjun]

Pretty similar to what abcdefg said.  Conversing with native speakers and paying attention to what they say (patterns)

[Hofmann]

Depends on the age level. At younger ages, bad habits are rarely retained, as younger students are usually better than adults at emulating an example. Therefore, at younger ages, it is most important to have a good example. One should avoid correcting young students' speech too often as this may cause stuttering.

 

Older students can avoid forming bad habits by getting feedback from someone who can observe their output, accurately identify problems, and accurately describe them to the student. With older students, feedback should be instant and relentless.

[Kelby]

I don't think you can prevent it so much as create a structure for correction.

It's a combination of always exploring new things and conversing as much as possible for me. Every so often when I read or learn new songs I'll find the phrasing odd and on investigation find it's an idiosyncrasy that has snuck into my usage which is the culprit.

It also often happens where I'll be talking to my girlfriend and have her say "why are you saying it like that?" For example, for the longest time I said "各风格样" instead of "各种各样" and although she got what I meant and let it slide for a while, she eventually set me straight.

That's the importance of checking your language by talking to plenty of people. My dear girlfriend has learned how to understand my 老外 Chinese and so will understand more mistaken language than new people I meet. So, regular conversations with new people gives that deer in the headlights style feedback that lets me know that what I'm saying is flawed. For example, on replying to a birthday invitation by saying "我兴趣" and not having my new buddy know whether I was going or not, I knew I was missing something when using the word 兴趣 properly.

[Baron]

How I do it...

 

I put myself in situations that will call my attention to any errors I've developed. Fortunately my Chinese friends are highly critical and point out mistakes, and often bring them up as a source of amusement for weeks.

 

Reading/listening to stuff helps, as a kind of passive review