[Teacher317]

I'm still learning on my own (few Chinese-speakers here in rural WV, LOL). Rosetta Stone is helping, but I'm actually having more success with simple flashcards. (Funny how easily we revert to 3rd-grade schemes in our advancing years!) I tested myself yesterday with an old newspaper article, and was pleased to recognize over 35% of the characters!

What methods are/were you two using?

[compound w]

Good for you for trying to learn to read! I’m not very good at that at all. Phonetic flash cards have worked good for me because I just have to force myself to memorize vocabulary. But I still screw up. Today I meant to ask for an English newspaper but slipped up and asked for an “England” paper.

If I were 20 years younger I’d work 80% harder on this!

[NewsJunqui]

Sounds like you can read a lot more characters than I can!

I was learning Japanese on my own for a while with a combination of Pimsleur and workbooks, and of course speaking practice in country. I learned the kana (Japanese phonetic alphabets) and can only recognize about 100 or so Kanji (Chinese characters). China mostly uses simplified so I can read the ones I know from Japanese once you know the simplification of the radicals. Pronounciation of course is another matter.

I started Mandarin the same way with Pimsleur, but my work assignment changed and no longer go to Asia.

Good Luck!