As anyone who has ever studied Chinese knows, it is not an easy language to learn. Chinese is a tonal language full of sounds that are difficult to master. Add to the equation thousands of pictographic characters that cannot be deciphered phonetically and you have a recipe for frustration. So maybe that is why most Chinese programs in China prefer to focus only on what students need to pass the HSK test, namely, reading and writing.  Though reading and writing Chinese are important, we’ve found that westerners, at least in the beginning, often prefer a more natural study path that focuses on listening and speaking so that they can learn to communicate as quickly as possible. Of course, as you get further in your studies writing and reading become much more important as you wish to be well-rounded and fully functional in Mandarin.

Chinese Made Easier

 At Langston we use Chinese Made Easier as one of our core texts for foundation-level to intermediate level students. Chinese Made Easier was written specifically for western learners and it introduces Chinese characters at a much more manageable rate than other Chinese language text books. The focus of Chinese Made Easier is to get you understanding and speaking Chinese as quickly as possible. Chinese Characters are not left out; however, they are introduced more slowly so you can spend your time mastering your listening and speaking skills.

Another benefit of using Chinese Made Easier is that the grammar explanations are written in simple, non-linguistic terms that are easy to understand. Also, the text is intensely practical for those studying in China. The topics and vocabulary covered can be applied immediately to everyday life in China. Chinese Made Easier includes audio support, and several levels also have workbooks.

New Practical Chinese Reader

A New Practical Chinese Reader is a core text that we will use for students planning to come to Langston who have already studied Chinese language in an academic setting and wish to take a more rigorous approach to learning to read and write. A New Practical Chinese Reader was co-written by a group of professors from China and Canada. Therefore, it was also written with western, English-speaking learners in mind. The grammar points are explained in clear and simple English. And though not as practical in its focus on day-to-day life in China as Chinese Made Easier, its dialogues and short articles tend to delve deeper into Chinese culture and can be wittier and more fun to read especially as you move beyond the beginner levels. Students at the pre-intermediate to advanced levels will all use A New Practical Chinese Reader. All of the New Practical Chinese Reader textbooks include audio support, and several of them offer workbooks, DVDs, and computer software as well.

Supplemental Materials

Not only will you get to use unique textbooks in our core classes, but in our listening, salon, movie, culture, and activity classes you will be exposed to updated and diverse materials, including discussion books, TV shows, movies, games, and group activities. As a student at Langston your course topics will be relevant, interactive, and fresh every class. Langston also offers many additional resources for students studying Chinese outside of class. We have available Mandarin dictionaries, software, flash cards, audio and video files, and Chinese TV shows and movies.