Unhappy with "Integrated Chinese" - better/exercise-intensive textbooks?

[ChrisWindsor]

Hi everyone, thanks for creating this forum which looks like a very useful resource

 

I'm a Mainland European who recently started self-studying Mandarin Chinese because I will start working in Taiwan next year. I am generally fine with new language acquisition (3-lingual upbringing as a child, 7 languages spoken now) and had some "passive" exposure to Mandarin through travel and trade.

 

I picked up "Integrated Chinese 1.1.", Traditional Characters version, after reading about it on a few language blogs and have worked through a few chapters of the book. Alas, I feel that it's a bit slow-paced and it seems to have too few grammar exercises. After reading further online reviews (Amazon, Goodreads, etc.), the sentiment seems that it's a good textbook for university/teacher-assisted learning but less so for individual study, and that the rest of the series is also quite poor in exercises (and even lacks a proper Answer Key!).

 

When I get into the flow, I usually work through textbooks/exercises really fast, but now I'm a bit unsure whether to continue with Integrated Chinese or change to something else - especially considering that each volume (textbook/workbook) of Integrated Chinese is pretty expensive!

 

Any ideas on something more intensive and comprehensive? My only big requirement is that it's in Traditional Characters since I will be staying only in Taiwan.

 

Appreciate your help/opinions

[Shelley]

Hello and welcome, have you seen the website companion to the book? It is here http://ic.cheng-tsui.com/

 

You need to input some details to show you have paid for the book, then you have access to more exercises, flashcards and some more paid digital things. Also do you have the workbook? This has more grammar exercises and other exercises.

 

I tried Integrated Chinese and I liked it but I have always been a big fan of New Practical Chinese Reader. This has workbooks and an answer key (instructors manual)

 

I have written a blog about NPCR and how I use it. My blog is here http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/blog/108/entry-602-learning-schedule-for-npcr/

 

There are a few blog entries which may be of interest, this one might be useful http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/blog/108/entry-605-my-learning-materials-and-resources/

 

Hope this helps and remember finding chinese forums is a big advantage in your chinese language learning journey.

 

 

[ChrisWindsor]

Thank you very much for your reply Shelley!

 

I did access the companion website, but found no exercises except for people who have bought a Teacher's Workbook. I'm a bit unwilling to spend more for every additional volume/book (and thought there might be something really more comprehensive?).

 

Thanks for suggesting NCPR. But does it use Traditional Characters?

[Geiko]

I really liked the book Taiwan today (https://www.cheng-tsui.com/browse/textbooks-language-learning/taiwan-today). It has an answer key for the exercises, so it's great for self study, and there's a couple of chapters dedicated to the differences of Taiwanese Mandarin compared to the Chinese standard. I don't know you level of Chinese, Taiwan today is around the intermediate level (in the link above you'll find a sample of the book, you can have a look at it and see how difficult it seems to you!).

[Shelley]

Yes there is a Traditional version if you search your favourite online book store they are available, sometimes they are labelled as Taiwanese versions.

 

I have the ISBN for level 2.

 

Textbook 7561921071

 

Workbook 756192108x

 

Instructors Book 7561911467

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Practical-Chinese-Reader-Textbook/dp/B001FABCNS

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/New-Practical-Chinese-Reader-Workbook-v-2/B001DUFS62/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483009359&sr=1-2&keywords=756192108x

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Practical-Chinese-Reader-Instructors/dp/7561911467/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483009450&sr=1-1&keywords=7561911467

 

I could only find a simplified version of the Instructors book but I figure its better than nothing.

[snowflake]

Another approach would be to look for AP Chinese textbooks.  Good luck!

[etm001]

You may want to check out "A Contemporary Course in Chinese". This textbook series was developed in by the Mandarin Training Center (MTC) at ShiDa University in Taipei. It replaces the well established, but outdated "Practical Audio Visual Chinese" textbook series (also written by the MTC). The first book in the series starts at the beginner level, and the last book in the series ends at an advanced-intermediate level (or possibly early-advanced level, I don't recall).