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 FSI Language Courses Forum : Learning Languages : Chinese (Standard)
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Thomas
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Quote Thomas Replybullet Topic: FSI vs. ChinesePod
    Posted: 03 November 2006 at 7:39pm
Anyone have any experience with both FSI Mandarin and ChinesePod (www.chinesepod.com)? I'd like to hear your thoughts on strengths/weaknesses of both and how or whether they should be used together to improve the learning experience.
Tom
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Thomas
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Quote Thomas Replybullet Posted: 02 January 2007 at 5:05pm
Wow, I thought I'd get at least one response to my question. Anyone out there using both FSI and www.chinesepod.com to learn Mandarin? I'd be very interested in sharing experiences and tips.

Cheers, Tom
Tom
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daristani
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Quote daristani Replybullet Posted: 02 January 2007 at 7:55pm
Thomas, I'm sorry I can't answer your question, and that no one else seems to have responded either.  I suspect one reason may be that, while there are a number of people who check this site regularly and look at the forums, and try to respond when possible to questions if they think they have useful input, this is not a large crowd, and a fair number of users of the site simply come and download the materials for the language(s) that they are interested in.  They can do so without registering, but you have to register to participate in the forum, so I suspect a fair number of people working on Mandarin, who might have been able to respond to your question, just haven't registered. (The number of visitors on the site at any one time usually exceeds the number of members.)

I'm just guessing, but I suspect you may get a better response at the "How to Learn Any Language" forum, or perhaps at a specifically Chinese forum such as http://www.chinese-forums.com/
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jimbro
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Quote jimbro Replybullet Posted: 05 January 2007 at 10:45am
I have used both, but my comments reflect my experience with the elementary level since that's all the further I've gotten.

ChinesePod is excellent, but assumes you have had some (small bit of ) background already.

FSI's training in the tones is superior to anything else I've used.

Penton Oversea's Learn In Your Car Chinese: series by Eric Raymond.
is also excellent.

For best results use all three.
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lostidentity
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Quote lostidentity Replybullet Posted: 25 January 2007 at 11:11am

I'm sorry I can't compare the difference between the FSI courses and Chinesepod.  I am a fairly regular user of Chinesepod (it sounds like a drug) and I can definitely say that I find it useful. 

Again, I can't definitively speak for the FSI courses, but I think the Chinesepod stuff is probably more useful because it is the up-to-date the language you'll hear on the street (at least in Shanghai).  The topics are also a little more relevant and contemporary.  From the colloquialisms to the broader intonation, I think listening to Chinesepod will probably prepare you the best for coming to at least Shanghai.
 
To give some background, I studied Chinese in Shanghai at Jiaotong University.  While I was there, we had materials from the Beijing Language and Culture Institute.  The books and CDs / MP3s that we had were absolutely awful.  They were bordering on useless.  I had maybe fifty lessons and I never had the desire to listen to them again.  From the trite and pseudo-folksy moral lessons to the lame attempts at propaganda (the policeman is your friend), the subject matter and even the vocabulary was a real waste of time. 
 
Mandarin has differences between the south and the north in both vocabulary and accent (probably more than the differences between British and American English). 
 
Anyway, the only way I'd really say you can get better is by talking with people.  I'll plug a site:
because I think speaking with actual Chinese is really the best (and maybe only) way to really learn the language.  Podcasts are a good supplement, especially if you only have time to learn in the car. 
 
Richard Brubaker, a blogger and consultant in China, lists a few things that he thinks are pretty useful.  There are also some good sites in his comments.
 
 
 
 
 


Edited by lostidentity - 25 January 2007 at 11:14am
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paulwong
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Quote paulwong Replybullet Posted: 21 August 2008 at 6:34pm
That is easy.
 
FSI is great for beginners to begin in a formal way and have a good foundation.
 
ChinesePod is great for easy entry and it is a new and natural way to learn a new language! Their forum is more interactive and supportive.
 
For serious learners of Chinese, both are very useful and we should all make full use of them.
 
It's just like comparing FSI vs Cantonese:
 
Short lessons like CantonesePod are easily to follow and you can find fun in learning a difficult language.
Paul Wong
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