Where do you listen to ChinesePod?
kencarroll
October 09, 2008, 07:43 AM posted in General DiscussionOne principle of design behind the ChinesePod lessons is to design for the environment in which they will be consumed. I know that many of you like to listen in transit, for example, or while doing some chore or other. I'd like to know more about this. Where do you listen to ChinesePod? Does the format of the lessons suit that environment? Any suggestions?
mark
November 15, 2008, 06:06 AMMy routine is like this:
Every day when a new lesson comes out, I download it and the dialog to my computer. I listen once in a somewhat distracted environment at that time. For the elys and newbies, if there are no new words in the dialog I cut them off short, and look for an old advanced lesson to apply my routine to.
At the end of the week, I edit the previous week's recordings of the the I, UI and two advanced lessons. For the I and UI, I extract the dialong and insert silences every one to three seconds. For the advanced lessons, I just extract the dialog.
Now, I have four complete new lessons, and four lessons which I have editted, that I load onto my mp3 player. I listen to this set while I do things over the weekend (cook dinner, driver places, do yardwork ...)
During my moring commute on the weekdays, I listen to the most recent four weeks of editted I and UI recordings, and in the privacy of my car repeat each phrase word-for-word as loud and fast as I can. That is what the inserted silences are for.
I also listen to the two advanced lessons that I extracted the dialongs from without repeating. With the advanced lessons, I just make sure I can understand them as they are being spoken, after I have studied the transcripts. I don't try to speak every phrase myself. Finally, I listen and repeat a set of tone drills from sinosplice.
If traffic was particularly slow, and I haven't arrived to work, yet, I turn on the local Chinese radio station and try to understand the news, weather, stockmarket reports.
I could also explain what I do with the dialog transcritpts. They are also an important part of my study, but maybe I will leave that to a time when Ken asks about that aspect of CPod's service.
light487
October 09, 2008, 09:12 AMI, like rjberki, play the MP3's on my player (usually my phone) while I travel to and from work, as I also have a 1.5 hour commute each way.
Unfortunately my phone is not supported by the site even though I do have internet access.. but I don't really need the extra stuff I can get, while I am on the train at least. I usually print off the lessons if I think I need to study them more closely.
When I am at home, I generally do a lot of discussion stuff and tend not to listen to the lessons unless it is a brand new one that piques my interest. I do one-on-one spoken lessons every day over skype now as well, so it's a pretty busy schedule of learning and regular life.
I'd love to have the motivation to set aside 2 hours each night.. I'm sure I would benefit greatly from that.
joannah
October 09, 2008, 09:31 AMMost of the time on my computer so i can read along with the PDF file but when i'm travelling i take some on my ipod
pinkjeans
October 09, 2008, 11:44 AMI listen to Chinesepod on the computer. First I check out the new lessons, listening through the intro and dialogue once, then as Jenny is doing the explanation, I refer to the PDF vocab list. Then I listen through the dialogue again but this time with the PDF in sight. I pretty much go according to the format of the lesson. If the lesson is easy, I check out the community posts at the same time, if not I do it before or after the lesson. If I feel I need some more for the day (such as if the new lessons are easy), I try to catch up on old lessons which I haven't yet done.
tvan
October 09, 2008, 12:53 PMI do my heavy studying on my computer. Reflecting my descent into old fogey-dom, I'm not that comfortable shutting off outside noises; I like to listen for traffic during my bicycle commute, and I like to listen to my heart and the sounds around me during my run. Thus, I only do light reinforcement via my mobile phone.
I find the materials CPod provides have broadened both my exposure to the spoken language and my vocabulary. Occasionally, someone grouses that a topic is obscure, and why does CPod bother. At intermediate and above level, these lessons (e.g. Egypt, transverstites, aliens, etc.) aid immensely in broadening one's understanding of the language.
One last thing, CPod's facilitation of the Groups and its community discussion are invaluable. In particular, Goulniky's News group and Changye's astute language observations are great aids to me.
penben
October 09, 2008, 02:23 PMI too am in the computer crowd. I listen at home and at work while things are slow. I go through all the tabs and do all the excercises. That is never enough to get the words into my brain though, so I use the vocab export tool and put the vocab into my intelligent flashcard program to pound the words into my brain. Of course, I seem to be always behind on my vocab review... It is more fun to listen to the lessons..
andrew_c
October 09, 2008, 02:29 PMAfter a first listen to John & Jenny I spend 95% of my study time reviewing the expansion sentences. I never study at the computer. Since I don't have a fancy cell phone the format of the lessons as provided by CPod is not suited for my learning environment.
Instead, I primarily listen to the WLCP-provided expansion sentences while looking at the WLCP-provided XML/HTML document, which puts the focus on the characters while also providing literal translations.
I study primarily while:
- Waiting for and riding the bus to school. (Audio + XML/HTML document)
- Doing chores around the apartment. Putting dishes away, cleaning, vacuuming, etc. (Mostly audio)
- At the gym on the treadmill or elliptical. (Mostly audio)
- Laying in bed before going to sleep. (Audio + XML/HTML document)
Suggestion: Provide the material directly that WLCP has to jump through hoops to provide imperfectly.
arei
October 09, 2008, 02:33 PM
Hi !
I am coming to exchange in Shanghai next semester, and REALLY want to meet the ChinesePod team if at all possible. I am from the University of Sydney (Australia), I think Jenny came to uni here (as she said from podcasts).
下个学期我打算在上海师范大学学中文. 要见你们一面就发生在我的梦里! [using some patterns I learnt today form your podcasts]
I listen in a quiet place because I can't get as much as I want out of it while doing something else. I usually repeat the dialogue a couple of times as well at the beginning, before I hear the explanations.
Andrew
chillosk
October 10, 2008, 12:02 AMI listen to Chinesepod (and Spod, when i have time) while driving to school. And it really beats the boredom out of traffic, the lessons are quick and easy-to-digest. :)
RJ
October 09, 2008, 08:20 AMOne thing I would like to see, would be translated transcritps of Jenny's side of the lesson banter for intermediate lessons. I know this would be a lot of work and someday I plan to start translating them myself. A more user-friendly flash card function would also be welcome. I sometimes use printed flash cards during my walks as well. I am interested to hear what others may suggest in the way of format improvements.
RJ
calkins
October 10, 2008, 02:05 AMIn addition to my normal routine using the computer and iPod, I recently added something a little different.
I imported all of the Fixes (still can't call them the Audio Review!) to my Palm TX. For about 2 weeks I have been plugging my earphones into my Palm when I go to bed and letting the Fixes run all night long while I sleep.
I'm not completely sure it's working, but I swear my vocabulary has improved dramatically since then. I'll sometimes listen to the Fixes during the day, and somehow I know words that I don't ever recall studying or hearing.
Maybe CPod could make one of those subliminal bedtime CD's. Call it the Subliminal Fix!
azerdocmom
October 10, 2008, 02:15 AMBC, that's awesome! "Sublminal Fix" Hahahaha! Soaking your brain in spoken Mandarin while you are asleep?! You are really addicted! Let us know if works.
xiaohu
October 10, 2008, 02:27 AMMost of the time I listen to the podcasts on the drive to and from work. I'm like rjberki in that I have about a one hour commute each way so I get a full two hours of Chinesepod each day.
I'd definitely love to see the podcasts being more of a mini classroom in and of itself. What I mean is, to introduce a theme, a set of words, repetition of the important new words several times in the lesson, one or more grammar patterns, at least one idiom per lesson (intermediate level and up) and exercises all in one lesson.
Actually I really like a show on 北京卫视 called 学汉语到北京. This show builds one episode around a complex idea like an idiom or grammatical pattern and the entire lesson supports learning that one thing, and in the meantime you pick up many new words and grammatical patterns.
Recent lessons have taught things like:
一见钟情
从...入手
I know there is a fundamental format difference, in that Chinesepod's lessons are built around a subject, while 学汉语到北京 is built around one specific idiom, phrase or grammatical patter, however I thought it would be beneficial to incorporate that repetition, much like today's lesson, "Public Speaking Tips" repeats several key words throughout the dialogue, helping to drill key points home.
I've noticed that it takes significantly more work to be able to have words and phrases readily available to use, as opposed to simply understanding them when they come at you. This is where the constant reinforcement comes into play.
Also having a mini-audio review built into each lesson, and exercises interjected into key points throughout the lesson. This will prompt the listener / learner to actively engage his Chinese, instead of simply passively listening.
Just introducing a set of new words in each podcast and telling us what they mean is a bit incomplete.
My suggestion would be the following format:
- Lesson Intro
- Introduction and explanation of new words (with cues for us to repeat after Jenny and pronunciation tips)
- Introduction and explanation of new grammatical patterns (with cues for the listener to repeat, again including pronunciation tips)
- Dialogue
- Short exercises for the listener
- Deeper explanation of new words and grammatical patterns
- Deeper probing into new words and grammatical patterns with short exercises for the listener
- Lesson outro
- Final set of exercises (encompassing all key vocabulary and key grammatical patterns, repeating pronunciation tips)
The exercises won't replace the "Audio Review" portion as the Audio Review will be an expansion of what was introduced in the lesson body.
Hopefully with a format similar to what I've outlined, each podcast can enable those of us with busy lives to get the most out of our daily, audio-only Chinesepod fix.
bababardwan
October 10, 2008, 10:28 AMI always listen to the podcasts first and like the format as it allows me at the start of the podcast to try and work out as much as I can by myself.If I am listening on my computer I will usually then follow the pdf dialogue once it comes to the translation part,and after the podcast go on to do the expansion and exercises.Most of the time I download the podcasts to my mp3 player and listen to the podcasts first on that [and do the follow up on the computer at some later point].I listen to the podcasts on my mp3 whenever I can;doing chores around the house,shopping,travelling to and from work,while driving,and in bed late at night.I have often late at night started falling asleep while listening but fight it for some time and drift in and out for some time.So hopefully some subliminal as well.I have heard of people listening to mp3 while swimming but I haven't got that gagetry at this stage.While I have listened while going on walks,the only time I haven't contemplated listening is while jogging.Just not sure whether I could concentrate/hear well enough.I usually listen to music then.If there were simple repetitious songs in Chinese then maybe I would give it a go.Not sure;just a thought.I think there is a lesson on colours set to music.Maybe I'll check that out.
wunjo
October 11, 2008, 03:15 AMI listen to Chinese pod (and French pod) when I am walking to school. I am a graduate student and I work in the lab long hours, looking through the microscope etc... So I listen to these podcasts almost whever possible, while making an experiment, analyzing slides etc... :)
I sometimes wish there could be mp3 files of just the dialogues to review. Because I listen to these files over and over, and sometimes I just need to hear the dialogue.
You guys are doing a great job by the way! :)
bababardwan
October 11, 2008, 03:36 AMwunjo,
There are mp3 files of just the dialogues [the 3rd download option ]
calkins
October 11, 2008, 03:36 AMwunjo, you're in luck! There is an dialogue only mp3. You can find it in the Lesson Review Downloads box, with the rest of the mp3's.
Lesson Dialogue MP3
___________________
bababardwan, get out of my head again ;)
leafn4give
November 14, 2008, 11:05 PMHi Ken
I live and work in Halifax in West Yorkshire (UK). It takes me 20 minutes to walk to work and I have recently discovered ChinesePod.com. I listen on my walk to/from work and sometimes when I am taking our dog for a walk. I am using ChinesePod as a refresher for the classroom learning I did a few years ago. Without the good grounding I gained then in pinyin, I would need to visit your transcripts to be able to be able to grasp what words are being said. I find your dismembering of phrases and origins of words very useful. You are helping me make linkages. Once I have caught up on the free lessons, I intend to pay. My regards to you all. Funny if I see you as I am passing through Shanghai in December but I am only there for a day. Robert
jamestheron
October 10, 2008, 01:13 AMI listen to the podcasts while I drive to and from work. The format works well for this, but I can't concentrate too much on the lesson at that time.
I occasionally listen to the pod casts on the web site or from iTunes.
RJ
October 09, 2008, 08:01 AMI have a long commute. One hour each way. I use this time to listen to cpod lessons and/or the review files. Sometimes I also do the expansion sentences thanks to Mr. Corrigan's program. At lunch I try to walk for an hour each day. Where I work there is a campus environment so this works out unless it rains and I use this time to do expansion sentences along with a print out of the corresponding pinyin with tone markers. I find the expansion sentences extremely valuable. This is all part of what I consider "low effort studying". In addition, I do my 2 hours per day of more formal study after dinner, using the computer, a pencil, paper, and lesson print outs. I get up early so in the mornings I usually listen to new lessons for the first time (including Dear Amber and Qing Wen) and make sure the ipod is loaded. Personally, I am very happy with the format. Just keep them coming.
RJ