I agree that characters learning are also very very valuable! But I am talking about strategies that a foreigner, particularly a westerner whose native languages are further from Chinese language.

Characters learning are not a “backseat”, but it is much easier if a foreigner starts the speaking learning around 150 hours ahead before the characters learning. And then follow up by the characters learning on the content that the learner can already speak.

“wen 2 zi 4” translated as “writing” in English, is a very good translation. The reason that “writing ” appears is for writing or for reading. Actually, it is the method to note down the content of speaking or thoughts.

But what is the fact of the Chinese learning for most of westerners? (Asian learners are in the characters cultural circle, are not in the discussion range)

They are lead to learn characters same time with their speaking learning. Watch the text, all most all beginners’ texts are dialogues in characters. But how are foreigners going to the content of the text in the daily life? Will teachers expect them to speak Chinese using the content learned in class or expect them to write down these dialogues? Who will write dialogues in daily life? Novel writers or dramatists?

So,
1. Key factor in speaking is sound(pronunciation), or we can say: the verbal
activities, of course listening and speaking are always linked.
2. Key factor in reading and writing are characters. Of course first reading, second
writing. (Here means composition)

Details:
Sound or specifically, the pronunciation: tones and changing rules of tones(eg:third tone must be changed into falt tone when it meets a non-third tone sysllable), stresses, initials and finals. Among them the tones and changing rules of tones occupy largely in the recognition of native Chinese listeners, about 70%. Stresses are also very important, but very few teachers or schools realize this point. Recognition proportion is about 20%, even bigger than initials and finals. The least factor is initials and finals which only occupy around 10%. This is for most of westerners, not absolutely. The pronunciation is the only way of the speaking and listening. Unfortunately many westerners’ pronunciation is not well corrected and they should have chance to be corrected. Teachers have the ponsibility to teach learners instead of letting them to learn by them-selves. In my school, we achieved much progress in this field.

Why? Because Chinese language has much fewer syllables and this language requires that speakers pronounce much more precisely. Western languages has more syllables compare with Chinese, the learners of western languages don’t have to pronounce so precisely and listeners still have more reference to recognize the meaning, therefore when westerns use the same strategy in learning Chinese, and this makes problem.

(not reached yet to characters issue and reading stage, probably next time… to be continued)

General manager of Sinoland, which is a professional oral Chinese Language School based on American method
website: www.sinolandchinese.com
mail: mail@sinolandchinese.com
reception tel: 62800077