Get Talking Chinese (Mandarin Chinese for Beginners)

SKU
042250
ISBN
9780744040692
Grade 3-AD
Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Religious Content
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
Consumable
Consumable
Designed to be written in; not reusable.
Non-Consumable
Not designed to be written in; reusable.
Our Price
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Description

Mandarin Chinese is an intimidating language to learn, and materials that allow young beginners to simply "try it out" are few and far between. If you or one of your children is considering a serious study of Mandarin, but aren't sure you want to invest in a Rosetta Stone program yet, this little book and Audio App will provide you with a terrific introduction to Chinese characters, pinyin spellings of Chinese words (Chinese words written in our alphabet, like "māo"), and pronunciation of some basic Chinese words and phrases. For every word or phrase taught, you will find both the Chinese character(s) and the pinyin version. Every time you see a headphones symbol and a track number, you know you can turn to the Audio App to hear what you are reading. The first section of the book serves as a comprehensive introduction which includes general information about Mandarin Chinese, an explanation of pinyin, tables of initial and final Chinese sounds equated with similar sounds in English, the four "tones" of Mandarin, an explanation of Chinese characters, details on the strokes that make up the characters, memory tips to remember characters, and some very basic grammar pointers. The next eight chapters focus on teaching basic vocabulary, including greetings, Chinese names, words for family members, simple travel phrases, parts of the body, numbers 1-100, days of the week, names of months, years, seasons and weather words, transportation words and phrases, food-related vocabulary and phrases, tourism, and even some basic slang like "ok" and "bye-bye." Conversation Practice pages are scattered throughout the book, and offer the reader an opportunity to use the vocabulary they have learned in simple sentences which are also always located on the audio app. The layout is very exciting, with plenty of full-color photos, graphics and colorful charts, and details on the history and culture of China keep the language study relevant and fascinating. There's really nothing to not like about this book. If you are a complete beginner and unsure if you can tackle learning Chinese, this is a great place to start. You will be amazed at the amount of content that has been squeezed into only 128 pages! The Audio Learning App is free to download and install rom the App Store or Google Play. - Jess

Publisher's Description of Get Talking Chinese (Mandarin Chinese for Beginners)

This easy-to-use Chinese for beginners textbook and audio app includes all the essential everyday words and phrases you need to know to start speaking Mandarin in no time!

Learn how to read, write and speak Chinese step by step with this Mandarin learning book. Here's what's inside:

  • Content is suitable for beginners of all ages and covers basic grammar, tones, Pinyin and characters.
  • The accompanying audio app covers all the words and phrases taught in the book.
  • Bold illustrations and photos bring the text to life, and make the process of learning Mandarin fun and accessible.
  • Structured in short, manageable sections with practice exercises and useful tips.
  • Culture pages provide light relief from the language sections and cover such wide-ranging topics as etiquette, slang and the Chinese zodiac.

Category Description for Get Talking Chinese

Chinese is an intimidating language to learn. If you are considering studying Mandarin, this little book/CD and accompanying workbook will provide terrific introduction, pronunciation and the Pinyin of over 100 basic Chinese words and phrases.

The book's first section serves as a comprehensive introduction including general information about Mandarin Chinese, an explanation of pinyin, tables of initial and final sounds equated with similar sounds in English, the four "tones," an explanation of characters, details on characters' strokes, tips to remembering characters, and some very basic grammar pointers. The next eight chapters focus on teaching basic vocabulary: greetings, names, family members, simple travel phrases, body parts, numbers 1-100, week days, months, years, seasons and weather, food-related, tourism, and even some basic slang like "ok" and "bye-bye." Conversation Practice pages are scattered throughout, offering opportunities to use the vocabulary they have learned in simple sentences (also always located on the audio CD). A headphones symbol and track number identify where to listen on the enclosed audio CD.

Plenty of large format character drawings, full-color photos, colorful graphics and charts, and details on the history and culture of China keep the language study relevant and fascinating. The book can be used with or without the workbook. The workbook uses the same organization and vocabulary as the book and, like the book, shows the vocabulary in Chinese characters, Pinyin and English. The emphasis here is really on writing. Stroke order is shown and writing squares are provided so your strokes can be more square and uniform. If you are familiar with Pinyin pronunciation, you could use just this workbook on its own as a supplemental introduction (audio is available only with the book). Together, the workbook and book would be a great preliminary introduction before moving on to a more in-depth course. Each book is 128 pp, sc. ~ Ruth

Details
More Information
Product Format:Softcover Book
Brand:DK Children
Grades:3-AD
ISBN:9780744040692
Length in Inches:8.25
Width in Inches:5.875
Height in Inches:0.375
Weight in Pounds:0.6
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