Teacher’s guide to using MCSB in class

老师的课堂上使用MCSB指南 (繁體版本在這兒

The book can be used for in-class or online teaching and for self study also. Originally I made a series of materials based on the Michel Thomas method and when learners rated these materials higher than anything else we were doing in lessons I expanded on them and slowly the book naturally took shape. Over several years of teaching from the book I refined my method to what is shown below but feel free to adapt.

本书可用于课堂教学、在线教学,也适合学生自学。我最初创作了一套基于 Michel Thomas 方法的教材,后来学生给予这些教材的评价远高于其他课堂内容,于是我进一步扩展,慢慢地这本书自然而然地成形了。经过好几年用本书来教课,我就调整我教课的方法最终形成如下所示的方式。但您可以自行调整。

For each section there are two steps: spoken translation and character reading.

学每一段需要经过两个步骤:口译与认字。

Step 1: spoken translation (speaking practice)

第一个步骤:口译 (口语练习

Summary: Students learn the spoken pronunciations and practise saying the words out loud in sentences. Teacher says English and learners translate into Mandarin Chinese.

总结:学生学正确的发音也练习在句子中运用这些词汇。老师说英文,学生翻成中文。

There is a powerpoint for each section that you as teacher can use in class. New words are shown in a large font on screen as teacher models the correct pronunciations. These words stay on screen as they are used in sentences. Teacher picks up the paper book and says the English, then students translate into Mandarin Chinese. This can be done one word at a time or one sentence at a time.

每一个部分(单元)有配套的PowerPoint供老师授课用。生词在荧幕上,也用特别大的字体,同时老师提供正确的发音。这些生词用来造句时还在荧幕上。老师拿起印刷版的书把英文说出来,让学生翻成汉语。可以逐词翻译,也可以逐句翻译。

Each word or set of words appears in some sentences on that page of the book. The final sentence of each word set is shown on screen and learners translate the whole thing into Mandarin. Small sub-groups or pairs can work together when doing this. Learners can also write the pinyin phonetics and for this mini whiteboards are a fantastic formative assessment tool! Once learners say or show their Mandarin translations teacher shows the next slide with the Mandarin Chinese translation on. Allow learners to review and amend as need be.

本页的生词都会出现在本页的句子里,每组生词的最后一句英文翻译会出现在荧幕上,让学生把整个句子翻译成中文。这时,学生可以在小组或者两个人一组一起合作。学生也可以把拼音写下来,用小白板是个极好的形成性评量工具!当学生分享他们的中文翻译以后,老师给他们看下一个幻灯片包括正确的中文翻译。按照学生的需要让他们复习和修改。

Following this more new words are shown in a large font and the process repeats. In this way learners only learn new words once familiar with the previous ones. It’s a bit like only picking up new building blocks once familiar with the building blocks you already have, and you constantly keep playing with them, trying new combinations as you build.

接着有更多的生词然后重复上面的过程。 这样学生把以前的生词学好才会学到更多的生词。这就像先熟悉已有的积木,再去拿新的积木, 也不断地尝试不同的组合,边玩边建造。

Step 2: character reading

第二个步骤:认字

Summary: Learners go over the same section but this time they must read the characters.

总结:学生再学一次那个部分(单元)可这次要认字。

First let learners take a moment to learn the shape of the new character or the component radicals and link it to the meaning and sound which they learned earlier in step 1. Then they read the sentences composed of characters aloud and translate into English. Teacher can also provide 80 to 90% of the translation and learners complete the translation. Teacher reads out the Mandarin again and learners listen to help reinforce the spoken sounds. Think of RTL: Read, Translate, Listen.

首先让学生把字的形状或部首跟意思和发音连接在一起。第一步骤时他们已经学过意思和发音。 然后他们念句子,这些句子都是中文字。接着要翻译成英文。老师也可以提供百分之80或90的英文翻译,让学生说一两英文词就完成翻译。老师要再念一次,同时学生聆听加强/改善他们的发音。可以想RTL:  Read (念), Translate(翻译), Listen(听).

For self-study or small face-to-face private classes, learners can use the paper book reading the right hand pages of characters referring to the left pages to check.

为了自学或在小组面对面课程中,学生可以用本书印刷的版本朗读右边页的中文字,并参考左边页的内容进行对照。

In group classes or if doing online teaching then my favourite way of doing step 2 is using notability on the iPad. Notability allows the teacher to manipulate the PDF on screen easily adding marks and ticks and so on. For example, in the Notability file the last sentence in each set has phonetics above the characters but the phonetics are covered. The teacher can reveal the phonetics instantly by erasing the covering ink.

在团体班或在线课程中,我最喜欢的方法是用iPad的Notability. Notability 让老师很容易地操作荧幕上的PDF,画一些迹,勾等等。在Notability 的文件里,每一套最后一句上面有拼音,可拼音是盖起来的。老师就可以用橡皮立即擦掉上面的笔迹,显示正确的发音给学生看。

It’s often good to read aloud the first sentences together and translate together, then allocate the reading and translation of the final sentence in each set to a sub-group or learner. Or with the final sentence in the set learners can write down the phonetic sounds. They can work in cooperative learning sub-groups and use mini whiteboards when doing this.

常常可以把前面的句子一起念出来,一起翻译,然后把最后一句给小组或一位学生来念出来翻译。另外一个方法就是让学生把每组最后一句的拼音写下来。 学生可以在合作学习的小组中工作,并在此过程中使用小白板。

Review

复习

After completing a section, whether step 1 or 2, teacher may wish to review through workbook activities or Quizlet. My learners often adore the Quizlet match game for this!

无论是第一步骤还是第二步骤,单元完成了以后老师可以用练习本或Quizlet让学生复习。我学生特别喜欢用Quizlet Match game 复习!

Resources

资源

All the materials mentioned above are provided below for free download. If you need any help or would like to do a quick online workshop looking at how to use the resources in class then feel free to get in touch with me at [email protected] or via 07779130966 (on whatsapp).

上述所提到的数据都可以在下面免费下载。如果您需要任何什么帮助或想参加一堂很短的线上的练习班/工作坊,那就欢迎您用[email protected] 或者07779130966(在Whatsapp)和我联系!

PowerPoints for step 1(步骤1PowerPoint)MCSB PRESENTATIONS

The character reading documents for step 2(步骤2的认字文件): CHARACTER VERSIONS

The above presentations and reading documents contain some pictures not in the main book. Given copyright laws please do share these widely or publish in any way.

上述的演示文稿和阅读文件包含一些在主书中没有的图片。鉴于版权法,请勿广泛分享或以任何方式出版这些内容。

Teacher’s guide to using MCSB in class

老師的課堂上使用MCSB指南 (简体版本在这儿

The book can be used for in-class or online teaching and for self study also. Originally I made a series of materials based on the Michel Thomas method and when learners rated these materials higher than anything else we were doing in lessons I expanded on them and slowly the book naturally took shape. Over several years of teaching from the book I refined my method to what is shown below but feel free to adapt.

本書可用於課堂教學、線上教學,也適合學生自學。我最初創作了一套基於 Michel Thomas 方法的教材,後來學生給予這些教材的評價遠高於其他課堂內容,於是我進一步擴展,慢慢地這本書自然而然地成形了。經過好幾年用本書來教課,我就調整我教課的方法最終形成如下所示的方式。但您可以自行調整。

For each section there are two steps: spoken translation and character reading.

學每一段需要經過兩個步驟:口譯與認字。

Step 1: spoken translation (speaking practice)

第一個步驟:口譯 (口語練習)

Summary: Students learn the spoken pronunciations and practise saying the words out loud in sentences. Teacher says English and learners translate into Mandarin Chinese.

總結:學生學正確的發音也練習在句子中運用這些詞彙。老師說英文,學生翻成中文。

There is a powerpoint for each section that you as teacher can use in class. New words are shown in a large font on screen as teacher models the correct pronunciations. These words stay on screen as they are used in sentences. Teacher picks up the paper book and says the English, then students translate into Mandarin Chinese. This can be done one word at a time or one sentence at a time.

每一個部分(單元)有配套的PowerPoint供老師授課用。生詞在熒幕上,也用特別大的字體,同時老師提供正確的發音。這些生詞用來造句時還在熒幕上。老師拿起印刷版的書把英文説出來,讓學生翻成漢語。可以逐詞翻譯,也可以逐句翻譯。

Each word or set of words appears in some sentences on that page of the book. The final sentence of each word set is shown on screen and learners translate the whole thing into Mandarin. Small sub-groups or pairs can work together when doing this. Learners can also write the pinyin phonetics and for this mini whiteboards are a fantastic formative assessment tool! Once learners say or show their Mandarin translations teacher shows the next slide with the Mandarin Chinese translation on. Allow learners to review and amend as need be.

本頁的生詞都會出現在本頁的句子裏,每組生詞的最後一句英文翻譯會出現在熒幕上,讓學生把整個句子翻譯成中文。這時,學生可以在小組或者兩個人一組一起合作。學生也可以把拼音寫下來,用小白板是個極好的形成性評量工具!當學生分享他們的中文翻譯以後,老師給他們看下一個幻燈片包括正確的中文翻譯。按照學生的需要讓他們復習和修改。

Following this more new words are shown in a large font and the process repeats. In this way learners only learn new words once familiar with the previous ones. It’s a bit like only picking up new building blocks once familiar with the building blocks you already have, and you constantly keep playing with them, trying new combinations as you build.

接著有更多的生詞然後重複上面的過程。 這樣學生把以前的生詞學好才會學到更多的生詞。這就像先熟悉已有的積木,再去拿新的積木, 也不斷地嘗試不同的組合,邊玩邊建造。

Step 2: character reading

第二個步驟:認字

Summary: Learners go over the same section but this time they must read the characters.

總結:學生再學一次那個部分(單元)可這次要認字。

First let learners take a moment to learn the shape of the new character or the component radicals and link it to the meaning and sound which they learned earlier in step 1. Then they read the sentences composed of characters aloud and translate into English. Teacher can also provide 80 to 90% of the translation and learners complete the translation. Teacher reads out the Mandarin again and learners listen to help reinforce the spoken sounds. Think of RTL: Read, Translate, Listen.

首先讓學生把字的形狀或部首跟意思和發音連接在一起。第一步驟時他們已經學過意思和發音。 然後他們念句子,這些句子都是中文字。接著要翻譯成英文。老師也可以提供百分之80或90的英文翻譯,讓學生說一兩英文詞就完成翻譯。老師要再念一次,同時學生聆聽加强/改善他們的發音。可以想RTL:  Read (念), Translate(翻譯), Listen(聼).

For self-study or small face-to-face private classes, learners can use the paper book reading the right hand pages of characters referring to the left pages to check.

爲了自學或在小組面對面課程中,學生可以用本書印刷的版本朗讀右邊頁的中文字,並參考左邊頁的內容進行對照。

In group classes or if doing online teaching then my favourite way of doing step 2 is using notability on the iPad. Notability allows the teacher to manipulate the PDF on screen easily adding marks and ticks and so on. For example, in the Notability file the last sentence in each set has phonetics above the characters but the phonetics are covered. The teacher can reveal the phonetics instantly by erasing the covering ink.

在團體班或線上課程中,我最喜歡的方法是用iPad的Notability. Notability 讓老師很容易地操作熒幕上的PDF,畫一些跡,勾等等。在Notability 的文件裏,每一套最後一句上面有拼音,可拼音是蓋起來的。老師就可以用橡皮立即擦掉上面的筆跡,顯示正確的發音給學生看。

It’s often good to read aloud the first sentences together and translate together, then allocate the reading and translation of the final sentence in each set to a sub-group or learner. Or with the final sentence in the set learners can write down the phonetic sounds. They can work in cooperative learning sub-groups and use mini whiteboards when doing this.

常常可以把前面的句子一起念出來,一起翻譯,然後把最後一句給小組或一位學生來念出來翻譯。另外一個方法就是讓學生把每組最後一句的拼音寫下來。 學生可以在合作學習的小組中工作,並在此過程中使用小白板。

Review

復習

After completing a section, whether step 1 or 2, teacher may wish to review through workbook activities or Quizlet. My learners often adore the Quizlet match game for this!

無論是第一步驟還是第二步驟,單元完成了以後老師可以用練習本或Quizlet讓學生復習。我學生特別喜歡用Quizlet Match game 復習!

Resources

資源

All the materials mentioned above are provided below for free download. If you need any help or would like to do a quick online workshop looking at how to use the resources in class then feel free to get in touch with me at [email protected] or via 07779130966 (on whatsapp).

上述所提到的資料都可以在下面免費下載。如果您需要任何什麽幫助或想參加一堂很短的綫上的練習班/工作坊,那就歡迎您用[email protected] 或者07779130966(在Whatsapp)和我聯係!

PowerPoints for step 1(步驟1的PowerPoint): MCSB PRESENTATIONS

The character reading documents for step 2(步驟2的認字文件): CHARACTER VERSIONS

The above presentations and reading documents contain some pictures not in the main book. Given copyright laws please do share these widely or publish in any way.

上述的演示文稿和閱讀文件包含一些在主書中沒有的圖片。鑑於版權法,請勿廣泛分享或以任何方式出版這些內容。

Mandarin Chinese Sentence Building Books

Mandarin Chinese Sentence Building Textbook

The Mandarin Chinese Sentence Building textbook enables rapid progress in listening, speaking and reading. It is based on some of the same principles as the famous Michel Thomas method in that new words and characters are learned one-by-one and are incorporated into meaningful sentences with optimal repetition for memory. In addition, we keep our focus on phrases, words and characters which are the most commonly used (high frequency) or most useful for language learners. The language items and sentences have been arranged into topics and systematically laid out based on frequency, usefulness and interest, enabling rapid yet sure progress early on while covering the most meaningful language. Along the way, you’ll also pick up vital knowledge about Chinese culture, etiquette, philosophies, history, traditions and the language as well as how to learn it. This is a complete resource for learners from beginner to intermediate levels aged 10 or over. The sentences incorporate previously learned words only so it’s essential that you do not skip any sections.

The textbook is designed to be printed out. Order a high-quality printed paper copy by clicking the link below:

MCSB Textbook: https://mixam.co.uk/print-on-demand/676df6ea8d2d2b026055f421

Reader & workbook

There is also a related workbook (in progress) and a reader story book (completed). The reader uses meaningful texts and stories to help reinforce the words and characters learned in the MCSB textbook. The reader can be read on screen or on paper.

Download the reader book (simplified & traditional characters) for just £10: https://waylink.co.uk/downloads/mandarin-chinese-sentence-building-reader-book-simplified-and-traditional-combined/.

Order a printed paper copy of the reader book (simplified characters) for £27: https://mixam.co.uk/print-on-demand/67708f7a8d2d2b0260560e57

Mandarin Building flashcards on Quizlet

Quizlet is a digital flashcards app and website (quizlet.com). Quizlet doesn’t include all the cultural knowledge and notes from the book but all of the words and most of the sentences in the textbook are online on the Quizlet website and app as flashcards. Quizlet gives learners the chance to play games and reinforce their learning from the book or if you don’t yet have the paper book then for now you can just use Quizlet alone.

Use this join link: https://quizlet.com/join/8E4qsKPDu Alternatively on the Quizlet website enter ‘Mandarin Chinese Sentence Building’ in the search box, click ‘classes’, select the class and then click ‘request to join’.
The Quizlet sets are numbered in the recommended order of learning – start from the first set at the bottom and work your way up. Some flashcard sets are to practice listening and speaking (step 1), and some are to practice character reading (step 2).
Step 1: Listening & speaking
Sets are named: Mandarin Building, section number & letter, En – (pr)ch
Side 1 English
Side 2 (pronunciation) characters
Suggested use
Flashcards mode: with audio on and shuffle off, show English first, recall the Mandarin pronunciations, then flip card to see and listen (perhaps repeat out loud). Link English meanings to Mandarin pronunciation sounds. Star any cards you wish to review later or swipe left (not recalled) to make it
reappear later on. Swipe right (recalled) to make it disappear.
Follow with passive learning: in flashcards mode in the app play the whole set in the background while you do other things, listen again and again to absorb the sounds.
Step 2: Reading characters
Sets are named: Mandarin Building, section number & letter, characters
Side 1 characters
Side 2 (pronunciations) English
Suggested use
Flashcards mode: with both audio and shuffle turned off show the characters, recall the pronunciations, click audio symbol to listen & repeat out loud. Flip card to see the phonetics (pinyin). Star or swipe left any cards for later review.
WORDS ONLY SETS
Any sets with (WORDS ONLY) in the title do not include sentences. Use these in the same way as full sentence sets. The match game is particularly fun and effective!

The story behind the book

Many years ago when I was teaching Mandarin in Birmingham’s prestigious Brasshouse language institute, my colleague Bernard Grosz handed me a Michel Thomas method language course CD and recommended having a listen. The Michel Thomas method is to introduce new words slowly or one at a time, rather than in huge lists, and to allow learners to repeatedly make sentences combining the new word with previously acquired words before learning any more. At that time I was very interested in collecting learners’ feedback and collected hundreds of numerical ratings for various activities and resources we used in class. I began to use a version of the Michel Thomas technique and it rapidly became the most highly rated activity of all. Therefore I used the method more, refined it, combined it with the most commonly used characters and words, added more materials and visuals and slowly but surely the Mandarin Chinese Sentence Building textbook naturally took shape and eventually we began to use it as a main resource in Brasshouse.

The huge advantage of this textbook is that it was born out of learner’s actual preferences in real life language learning settings and has been tried, tested and refined over many years as it was used in classrooms. Further numerical ratings objectively testify to its popularity among learners and overall Mandarin Chinese Sentence Building was rated by learners far more highly than any other book we used, including BBC’s Talk Chinese, Easy Peasy Chinese, New Practical Chinese Reader and even resources such as Rosetta Stone.

About myself (the author)

A number of factors have put me in the lucky position of being able to create a logical, coherent textbook enriched with various helpful advice and guidance for learners along the way. My own experience in learning Mandarin as a second language, experimentation and research into learning methods, over 20 years of teaching experience and various related qualifications such as a Masters degree in Applied Linguistics and a level 5 PCET teaching qualification have all helped hugely. Also my knowledge and respect with regards to Eastern traditions has enabled me to put into the book those things which I feel are especially helpful for learners thereby forming a complete resource that goes well beyond just the language. Through the book students can learn key rules of etiquette, gain knowledge of aspects of Chinese philosophy and much more. I also have an art background which enabled me to do almost all of the artwork including the covers.

More information

For a teacher’s guide to using the books in class please see HERE

[email protected]

07779130966 (UK mobile and whatsapp number)

If you’d like to learn Mandarin with teacher Luc then you’ll get a free online PDF version of the whole book. See Teacher adverts for information!

Thank you for reading and please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or ideas!

Random pages from the book shown below and in other posts in the Mandarin section: