ChinesePod booklet: Release candidate 1

Okay so the booklet is now out of beta and into Release candidate!
I've made a much nicer version using PDF.

If you’re printing this PDF with Windows, make sure to select “Page Scaling = None” on the print options when you print.

This format has 8 pages.

Page one: Dialogue in Chinese characters only.
To be used for those who want full proficiency with their character reading.
Page two: Pinyin and English translation.
The flip side to page one if you need a quick reminder.
Page three: All the main dialogue vocabulary.
Try and make your own sentences using the the vocabulary.
Page four: Translation and pinyin for above.
The flip side providing you with a bit of extra help, or for those with no interest in characters.
Page five: Dialogue with characters and pinyin.
For beginners to get used to seeing characters while being able to read the pinyin.
Page six: The additional vocabulary from the website (thanks Connie!)
Page seven and eight are left blank for you to write notes or new sentences. You may want to make a new dialogue using Connie's vocabulary.

Folding instructions:
1. Fold page in half short edge to short edge.
2. Cut along the dotted line.
3. Fold page in half a second time, short edge to short edge.
4. Unfold completely and fold long edge to long edge.
5. squash the open diamond formed by the cut together making your booklet.
6. Fix any folds to make your booklet nice and flat.

Release Candidate 1 can be downloaded here.
**UPDATE** Release Candidate 2 can be downloaded here. Fixes orientation of text on pages.
Review version of the Newbie lesson can be found here.

Technology as a learning tool:

First an admission. I am addicted to technology! From where I am sitting there are 3 computers including one laptop (all on and doing various things), A Nintendo DS, A MP3 player, a VOIP phone, a mobile phone, a digital camera and HardDrive video camera. Looking at that list I'm quite disappointed that it is so short, as it's only the things I could bring with me to China and a few things I bought here.

With my love of technology I of course actively seek out ways to learn that make the most of it. I read books on my Nintendo DS and could also run flashcards on it though I haven't tried it yet. Of course I listen to lessons and books on the mp3 player. I take pictures of menus and signs so that I can learn the words. I video some of the strange variety shows, though I admit that It is rare that I understand anything of what is said. Of course the two phones are used to communicate in Chinese. The list of things I do on my computers in regard to Chinese learning would be far too long for this post!

So has all this technology helped me learn. Of course! Has it given me a complete solution to learn Chinese? That would be a no. I love going out and walking around it's about the only thing that makes me forget my addiction. Put me in a house with a computer and it's inevitable that I will gravitate towards it unless alcohol is on offer. So what's missing with all this technology? in a word Portability. Even my Nintendo DS isn't as portable as I would like. In my mind the most portable thing has been around for thousands of year. A piece of paper. The problem with paper is the time trade-off, anything to do with paper takes a bit of time to prepare. Space efficiency when you use hand writing is also a drawback. So we come in a circle. All my modern technology has it's draw backs but so does my piece of paper. Combining the two you can reduce the impact these drawbacks have on your learning. I've uploaded a example of my solution (as is the modern fad I'm releasing it while in beta) here. Hope you like it there are 2 formats. I've just applied this to the newbie lesson My keys are missing so give me some feedback on what you think.

Instructions are:
1. Print.
2. Cut around the thick outside border .
3. Cut along the dotted line.
4. fold in half lengthways then fold in half again.

For this to work you need to know ahead of time which lessons you want to do. You could easily carry several of these in your pocket to reduce that problem. The format could also be expanded to larger lessons either by making a 6 or 8 section booklet or duplex printing (double sided).

One note Is that I am never going to try and make this using MS Word ever again! but I think for the beta it will be the easiest to print out for people.

Big Review Lesson Update

Okay well I signed up to a new school for my visa and spent this week settling in and getting everything sorted out. Unfortunately all this bother means I didn't get time to do the things I wanted with my review lessons. Sorry to anyone who actually uses them. They are now up-to date.

A few extra things changed as well:
Review lessons now all have fixed ID3 tag info so you should now see the word (review) after the name so you can tell what it is. Any other problems with these please tell me

Changed the format around as some of the lesson names were to long to have download review link on the right. This will also be good when I get around to putting those dialogue only files up as well (googlepages only gives me so much space).

The front page will change soon as well as it's pretty ugly right now. What I mainly wanted to do is people to be able to quickly see what has been uploaded since their last visit.

I've got one extra idea that I'm working on. Old school portability. You'll see what I mean when I get the formatting sorted out but it's all about taking your Lessons on the road with as little inconvenience as possible. If anyone from ChinesePod actually watches this space I think this might be something that you'll want to look into.

The most depressing film clip I have ever watched.

Yes this post is learning Chinese related. Recently I've been going to KTV's for a bit of fun. I get the lyrics off Bidu and convert them into pinyin and give it a bit of a shot. This is one song my friends like to sing and for some reason I find this so depressing that it's hard for me to stay in the room.

It's from Taiwan. The song itself wouldn't be particularly depressing but the realness of film clip is. It doesn't just seem to be a storey outside of the song as most film clips are. Anyway watch it and see.

youtube here

and youtube that has been subbed into English here


Lyrics:

歌曲：童话
歌手：光良
专辑：童话

歌词：

忘了有多久
再没听到你
对我说你最爱的故事
我想了很久
我开始慌了
是不是我又做错什么
你哭着对我说
童话里都是骗人的
我不可能是你的王子
也许你不会懂
从你说爱我以后
我的天空星星都亮了
我愿变成童话里
我要变成童话里
我会变成童话里
你爱的那个天使
张开双手
变成翅膀守护你
你要相信
相信我们会像童话故事里
幸福和快乐是结局
一起写我们的结局