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New Concept Mandarin developed this mixed code method
based on their many years academic research and teaching
practice in Australia and Asia. Although the mixed code method is not as effective as and even contradictory to Immersion Concept, this method will help those who are not able to come to our Immersion Program in China.
New Concept Mandarin applies the mixed code method to
the flash movie and provides a unique online Mandarin
learning experience. Each unit has five sections: I) new
characters; II) new words; III) key sentences; IV) story or
play (flash movie); V) tests.
Section I lists the characters introduced in the unit.
When a learner clicks on the character, the English meaning
is translated. The learner can hear the pronunciation and see
how the character is formed by strokes. (Knowing the stroke order
is the key for native Chinese to acquire Chinese characters).
Section II provides all of new words in the unit.
(Most of modern Chinese words are composed of two characters.
It is important to divide the vocabulary study into two sections).
This section provides English meaning of the Chinese words and
their pronunciation. It prepares the learner for reading and
listening the Chinese components in the flash movie. When clicking
on the new words, the learner will either see a picture or an
unusual interpretation of the word to enrich their learning experience.
Section III lists the key sentences in the unit. The sentences are
translated, and you can compare the difference between the structure of the Chinese and English. Learners can find the pronunciation
of both words and sentences.
Section IV is a story or a play in flash movie. The setting of the
story is a hotel called Cleverhotel. All tasks, activities are
organized around this hotel for learning language structures and
functions. The characters, plot, and cartoon pictures create
interesting and stimulation environments. The Mandarin words and
sentences in the play are carefully selected and pronounced at a
slow pace while the English remains at a more normal speed. Learners
can click on the Mandarin components to listen to them as many times
as they like. English translation is provided for comprehension.
In this section Mandarin is studied in a meaningful context, which
is essential in effective second language acquisition. This is the
key component of the mixed method and also the core of each unit.
Section V provides interactive tests for the contents in each unit.
10 tests are designed to test the learning outcomes. The learner can
move to a more advanced unit after he successfully completed the tests.
New Concept Mandarin has developed this mixed code method as a
tool to help learners to start a beginner's Mandarin course in a
friendly and meaningful environment.
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