Practicing your tones online

As I was searching online for teaching materials for my lesson plans, I found a website where anyone can exercise and practice Mandarin tones as many times as desired. I think it is a very good tool even you don't know any Mandarin. This tool can give you a good idea of the 4 tones in speaking Mandarin, and show you how Chinese people SING their language so beautifully.

• The 1st tone is marked with a line ("a" + "^-" = "ā"). This is a high, even, and constant tone.
• The 2nd tone is marked with a rising line ("a" + "´" = "á"). This is a rising tone that grows stronger.
• The 3rd tone is marked with a hook ("a" + "^v" = "ă"). This tone is first falling and fading, then rising and growing strong.
• The 4th tone is marked with a falling line ("a" + "`" = "à"). This is a quickly falling and fading tone. Try to make it strong, hard, and fast.

Tone drill: http://www.shufawest.us/language/tonedrill.html

If you are interested in learning pinyin, Wikipedia online has a lot of information for you.

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin

2008 Beijing Olympics Official Theme Song Lyrics

我和你 （中文歌詞）
wǒ hé nǐ

我和你，心連心，

wǒ hé nǐ ，xīn lián xīn ，

同住地球村。

tóng zhù dìqiú cūn 。

為夢想，千里行，

wèi mèngxiǎng ，qiān lǐ xíng

相會在北京。

xiāng huì zài Běijīng 。

來吧，朋友，伸出你的手。

lái ba ，péngyou ，shēnchū nǐ de shǒu 。

我和你，心連心，永遠是一家人。

wǒ hé nǐ ，xīn lián xīn ，yǒngyuǎn shì yī jiārén 。

You and me （English Lyrics）
From one world, We are family
Travel dreams, thouands miles, meeting in Beijing
Come together,Put your hand in mine
You and me From one world, we are family

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLIpcNhmPWQ&feature=related

Welcome to my blog!

歡迎大家來到我的部落格!

This is the site where I will communicate with my students, exchange information with parents and teachers, share my teaching experiences and thoughts, and hopefully provide Mandarin Chinese language learning resources for everyone.

Mandarin Chinese is getting really popular lately due to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, as well as other reasons like the blooming economy in China, increasing number of adopted children from China, second and third generation Chinese Americans, and, of course, the many other people who have become interested in Chinese culture. No matter the reason, it is clear that learning Mandarin Chinese has become the trend for people around the world now.

I am glad that I am riding the train of Mandarin fever! So let's work together to discover this beautiful language with its rich and ancient history and culture.

For those who recognize Chinese characters, you can learn a bit about the written and spoken Mandarin language on MTV, from the 2008 Beijing Olympics Official Theme Song performed by Liu Huan & Sarah Brightman.