Tips for language learning with an italki teacher: 1) Use the 50/50 rule: For every 1 hour of language learning with an italki teacher spend equally one hour doing self-study. This will speed up your learning process and help you will save money because you will not need as much classes to improve tremendously. Moreover, you remember longer, the things you understand yourself than the things you are told. 2) Preview or Review your lessons with your teacher: Ideally, it is best if you can do both. If not, then focus on previewing. Before your class with your teacher, either 1 hour or even one day before, study what you did in the previous class or what you are going to do in your next class. This will help you have less difficulties during the class and will make you learn more. 3) Get some material from your teacher: If it is ok with your teacher, ask them for the powerpoint slides, exercices or book pages they have used to teach you a particular lesson. As a result, even a year later, if you are no longer taking classes, you can still review the stuff you learned, which will be easier for you to remember, since you have learned them before. What do you usually focus on with your italki teacher (grammar, speaking, writing etc)? What could you do to get more out of your classes with your italki teacher?

Learning new words through writing Do you find it difficult to remember new words? Here is a technique that might help: 1) Write down new words you would like to learn. (Don’t overdo it. Just a few important words per session or you will get overwhelmed) 2) During your study session, select about three to five of these words and write a short text with them. 3) Find someone to correct it. (e.g post it on italki) This will not only help you to learn new vocabulary, but it will also help you improve your grammar and even your ability to speak. I used this technique as a pillar of my strategy to learn German and I use it today to improve my Mandarin level. I hope it will help you too. Have you ever tried writing regularly in your target language? If yes, how was it? If not, why haven’t you tried?

Can anyone help me correct what I wrote? 我要去中国学中文。但是我没有钱。如果我要去那么我需要一个奖学金。如果我要有那个奖学金那么我需要一个语言证书应为他们要知道我的中文水平很好。我现在没有钱应为我有钱的时候我投资那个钱。我不要从我的生活开始的天到我最后的天在工作。为了这个我喜欢投资我的钱。我的爸爸也觉得这个很重要。我认为我的中文很好。如果我跟普通话会说的人在说话那么我可以明白他么说的东西。但是我已经遇到方言说的中国人。我觉得那个一点儿难。

Can someone help me correct this? 如果你在找一个丈夫还是一个太太，你应该看他的行。他是什么样的人。如果她很漂亮那么很好。但是你不应该只看他的脸。如果你是这样的人那么你太肤浅了。你的太太可以是你认识的最漂亮的人但是在你的生活你会有很多的问题。你觉得那个时候你的太太会支持你吗？

Hi guys, Does anybody have a recommendation for nice channels to watch on bilibili to improve my Chinese?

Have you really tried everything you can to learn your target language? If only I could travel to _____ (fill in the country where your target language is spoken) then I would be able to learn _____ (your target language) If only I had more time then I would be able to learn _____ (your target language) If only I could afford more classes on italki then I would reach my language learning goals. Do some of the sentences above echo your thinking. Do these phrases describe your predicament? Well let me ask you this. Have you really tried everything you can? Have you tried going up to your Spanish colleague and asking them if they would be willing to practice Spanish with you once in a while? Or have you checked out foreign social media Apps like “Bibili”, “Kakao Talk” etc. to practice the Asian language you want to learn? Or have you even tried incorporating a few minutes of Duolingo into your daily routine (even if you don’t feel like it would help much) to provide some few minutes of language exposure which can make a difference in the long-run? Please think about all the things in your power to take control of your learning experience instead of being a victim of the circumstances you are in. This recently hit home for me when I was complaining because I wanted to take more italki classes but couldn’t afford it. The idea then came to me of making maximum use of the free resources I had and it worked. I have been able to learn more on the same budget and I think you can too. Hope this message encouraged you. What do you think about free language learning resources? How can you become more creative in your language learning?

Hello! Does anyone have a recommendation on how I can use the Tandem App to improve my Chinese/Mandarin skills? Any other tips are also welcome thanks.