My 90 Day Mandarin Challenge

[Flickserve]

Power Chats have been a life saver. At the moment I am averaging 2 a day but I keep trying to add more people. Because it is just a short time people are far more keen to give up 10 mins and jump on Line or Skype.

I usually use the content of the Chinese Pod Lessons or Glossika sentences to guide the Power Chat. But in general its daily stuff like what they have been doing, movies they saw, business etc. All very simple subjects but due to my limited vocabulary we take a lot longer as we stay in the language as best we can.

Like for example last week my friend had gone rock climbing and had to explain the next 10 minutes how it wasn't hiking. We got there in the end with lots of back and forth questioning. Because it 10 minutes it is over before it gets too boring or weird.

Thanks all.

I have been quite intrigued by this idea for ten minute slots. I tried it out a couple of times after reading this thread and the conversation actually goes on for a bit longer. It is a good idea that puts less pressure on people to teach and less imposing on time. After all, many people have the idea that language exchange is about teaching and feel intimidated by that. I tried a few exchanges but those people were attempting the IELTS. After a while, I realised it was too large a mismatch. I haven't tried much conversation as I dont have much depth to my vocabulary. By keeping a conversation to ten minutes, I haven't been made too tired or overstressed at the increasing amounts of unknown vocabulary - speaking not listening, though it is early stages.

[simon taiwan]

 

I have been quite intrigued by this idea for ten minute slots. I tried it out a couple of times after reading this thread and the conversation actually goes on for a bit longer. It is a good idea that puts less pressure on people to teach and less imposing on time. After all, many people have the idea that language exchange is about teaching and feel intimidated by that. I tried a few exchanges but those people were attempting the IELTS. After a while, I realised it was too large a mismatch. I haven't tried much conversation as I dont have much depth to my vocabulary. By keeping a conversation to ten minutes, I haven't been made too tired or overstressed at the increasing amounts of unknown vocabulary - speaking not listening, though it is early stages.

 

Hey yes one of the reasons I think it works better is there is less pressure on both sides and can be treated as a testing ground for the solo practice we do rather than a teaching session.

 

I think exchanges/ power chats can have some explanations but 99% should be on conversing no matter how basic it is. Finding a way to say what we want in the language.

For sure also it depends on the partner. Some no matter how I explain what I would like to do still want to try and teach a class. I simply don't practice again with these.

 

Using an app like Hello Talk you can find an endless amount of partners ready to chat.

 

Also I think you need at least 1 partner everyday,even better 2-3  for the chats to start making an impact on our confidence and ability to express and understand.

 

Where are you based?

[Flickserve]

I am based in HK. Time difference with the majority of mandarin speakers is not an issue.

Are you only speaking to people once or twice and then moving on to the next person?. BTW, another kindred Londoner.

[Flickserve]

Any updates?

[simon taiwan]

Hello all.

 

Sorry for the delay.

 

I have an update with video. Go easy on me!

 

http://www.dawnoftruth.com/speak-chinese-update/

[simon taiwan]

In reply to whether I am only speaking with people once or twice..it depends. Some people have been great to work with early on but now I need more challenge and I have found some others who stretch me a bit, more helpful right now.

 

Also some want to teach no matter how many times I say this is conversation opportunity for me not a lesson, so as week intentioned as they are I don’t go back to them as a conversation partner.

[陳德聰]

I know you don't have time, but I think that often laying more groundwork on pronunciation and tones can help you skip over the "everyone wants to teach me things" phase.

[abcdefg]

Agree with 陈德聪。Back when I said nearly everything wrong, anyone who cared at all became an impromptu teacher. They were trying to assist where they saw dire need, when they witnessed a disaster. They couldn't *not help* in good conscience. It was human nature at its noblest; like a car crash bystander feeling compelled to try and stop the bleeding until the ambulance arrives.

 

Also some want to teach no matter how many times I say this is conversation opportunity for me not a lesson, so as week intentioned as they are I don’t go back to them as a conversation partner.

 

By this method you are selecting sparring partners who don't give a damn. You are weeding out people with  normal reflex compassion.

 

The situation gets better as you arrive at a level of Chines that doesn't cause pain to the ears of the native speaker who is forced to listen. Professional teachers such as those you have found from Chinesepod don't count. They are so tough that they can stand anything; thick callouses.

[simon taiwan]

Fair point on more preparation etc, but I do think its a fine line, I know people here at university and they do so much prep and perfecting that they still cant speak or order mutiple things in a cafe.

 

Plus for some I could be a 10 year veteran and they would still want to sit me down go through my tones. So I think its just the way some people are here and also depends on the area.

 

I did some filming down in Hualien and everyone was pronouncing things differently and i was told yes pronounce this with an 'a' sound etc. But people thee would still want to correct  you to their way.

 

So yes for sure I am very guilty of not doing enough ground work and rushing into speaking but sometimes for good reason

[simon taiwan]

hahah love this forum.

 

Realise each person is different and of course I will ask what I need to work on from these people. But the point is for the conversation practice to be just that. With those I am seeing often I might book another time to go through that specific problem.

 

But if I let every correction take over over my talking time I wont get anywhere.

 

I think I still have some time of dong damage to the ears of locals.

[Flickserve]

Fair point on more preparation etc, but I do think its a fine line, I know people here at university and they do so much prep and perfecting that they still cant speak or order mutiple things in a cafe

which is why I try not to stare at pinyin or characters too much.

Plus for some I could be a 10 year veteran and they would still want to sit me down go through my tones. So I think its just the way some people are here and also depends on the area.

I did some filming down in Hualien and everyone was pronouncing things differently and i was told yes pronounce this with an 'a' sound etc. But people thee would still want to correct you to their way.

When I went to Manchester for the first time as a kid, they 'taught' me how to say 'bus' and 'bath' their way instead of the 'southerners' way.

[imron]

Plus for some I could be a 10 year veteran and they would still want to sit me down go through my tones

As someone who made a point to work on tones from the beginning, and who is now a 15 year veteran, I never come across this issue in interactions with Chinese speakers (either from the mainland or Taiwan).

 

There is a Chinese phrase that sums up the point 陳德聰 is making: 欲速則不達 - More haste, less speed.

 

Not trying to convince you to change your study plan, just providing a datapoint.

 

[roddy]

"Plus for some I could be a 10 year veteran and they would still want to sit me down go through my tones"

I was that veteran. It was because my tones were rubbish. You've got your goals and that's fine, but what's justified expedience for a 90 day challenge is a false economy for a 90 month sustained effort. 

[Flickserve]

The background noise in your update is rather distracting.

One thing very obvious is the English style of speaking coming across in your Mandarin.

[Flickserve]

@Roddy, given that you are a ten year veteran, do you find your accuracy of tones decaying quickly?

[Lu]

Plus for some I could be a 10 year veteran and they would still want to sit me down go through my tones.

Cherish the people who correct you when you're a ten-year veteran. Most people stop correcting you far earlier, as soon as they can reasonably understand you.

 

For what it's worth, I am a veteran and I rarely get corrected on my tones. I'm happy when someone does it though, it's always when I'm doing it wrong and it helps me get it right.

[Flickserve]

What was the end result?

[abcdefg]

I am currently doing a mandarin Challenge and part of that is making this very public so that I am accountable and need to progress and put the work in regardless of how motivated I feel.

 

Given the bold start back in July, several of us are wondering how it worked out. Hope you have succeeded in meeting your conversational goals.

 

But even more than that, I hope you have formed some habits and patterns that will help you continue the project beyond its original scope so that you can eventually become fluent in Chinese and reap the benefits of that in daily life.

[simon taiwan]

Its been slow and steady...nothing too much to report other than the 3rd month being a lot less focused due to other work commitments. A new video coming up after the 15th.

 

But yes main thing is I have my study pattern sorted and its now a habit for the mornings.

 

More soon on my final blog post summing it all up.

 

Cheers all.

[imron]

Developing strong habits is the key to making progress in the long term :-)