Monday, January 28, 2008

Thumbs Up Web "大拇指"

Thumbs Up Web "大拇指"

http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/tu.html

Target audience: P3 to P6

独特的小学生华文报 · 适合小三至小六学生

Use the graphic links on the page to visit the followings, recommended links are highlighted in RED:

Care Corner
"抱抱熊"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/07tup38.html#teddy

Newspaper-in-Education [Recommended Chinese Supplementary Readers for Primary School]
NiE小学华文辅助读物推荐书目
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/tunie_booklist.html


"大拇指本期新闻指"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/07tup38.html

The Archive 2002 to 2007
"[2002 - 2007年] 第1期-第40期"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/tuparchive.html

Thumbs Up Product Catalog
"《大拇指产品一览》"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/tuproducts.html

Art Apple Trophy
"《美少年》艺术苹果奖座"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/tuproducts.html#apple

A Hand to Hold: Care and Counselling Series
"《牵手》关怀辅导系列"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/tuproducts.html#holdhand

Thumbs Up Chinese Character Dictionary
"《大拇指学生写字字典》"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/tuproducts.html#dictionary1

Thumbs Up Chinese-English Dictionary
"《大拇指汉英字典》"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/tuproducts.html#dictionary2

Thumbs Up Mascot
"大拇指满分娃娃"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/tuproducts.html#mascot

[Reading Wand]
"阅读棒"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/ydb.html

Thumbs Up Web "Newspaper-in-Education" "[Complete the Conversation]" Audio Version
《大拇指》NiE“完成对话”有声版
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/wcdh.html


NiE Audio Archive
"有声档案"
http://youth.zaobao.com/friday/pages/tunie_audio.html

Target audience: P3 to P6

独特的小学生华文报 · 适合小三至小六学生

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Online Dictionary: nciku: more than a dictionary

Free Online Dictionary: "nciku: more than a dictionary"

http://www.nciku.com/

An online dictionary that is still in Beta version.


What does nciku mean?
“n” stands for network
ci” stands for the sound of the Chinese character “词”, which means word in English.
ku” stands for the sound of the Chinese character “酷”, which means cool in English.
ciku” stands for the sound of the Chinese word “词库”, which means treasure house of words.


What is nciku?

http://www.nciku.com/blog/en/?page_id=339

To learn all about nciku, visit the FAQ page above. Here are some main points:
  • nciku is an English-Chinese/Chinese-English online dictionary. However, it includes more functions than a traditional paper dictionary.
  • You can also search or upload expressions used in different situations of your everyday life.
  • With the Study Note function you can save the words you want to memorize.

What I like best?

Handwriting Recognition Tool
Even without knowing the exact pronunciation of a word, you can still draw the Chinese character on our Handwriting Recognition Tool.

Just by using your mouse, you will be able to draw the character and find out what it means in Chinese, plus how to say the word in Pinyin.


An example of the search results on 何 [] Pinyin:

http://www.nciku.com/EntryDetailView.php?entry_id=15470&dictype=2

pronoun what; which; how; why
何人 : who
何时 : what time; when
何处 : what place; where
何往 : whither
从何而来? : Where from?
何济于事? : Of what avail is it?
有何不可? : Why not?
何故哭泣?
何事动怒?
你来自何方?
你住在何地?
你往何处去?
要做到清心寡欲,谈何容易?
何必钻牛角尖呢?退一步海阔天空。

Special features:

You can click the audio icon to listen to the pronunciation (human voice)!

You can also mouse over the example and read the mouse-over-text with Pinyin line by line!
e.g.,

Yào zuòdào qīngxīn guǎyùtán róngyì
要做到清心寡欲,谈何容易?

For more details, read the FAQ at
http://www.nciku.com/blog/en/?page_id=339

新生字典 [Campus Dictionary for New Overseas Students]

[Campus Dictionary for New Overseas Students] 新生字典 contains a list of English Terms commonly used in Singapore with definitions and annotations extracted from 《华新网》http://www.huasing.org (20/4/2001):

http://www.zaobao.com/edu/pages/campusdict200401.html

The list only have less than 30 entries. Even though it is not arranged in any order, it is easy to browse and use as a quick reference.

It serves as a handy page for new overseas students from China who like to learn the colloquial terms in English.

For English speaker readers who like to pick up some Chinese terms, just look up the English terms and read the definition(s) in Chinese. You will learn a lot of commonly used Singapore terms in Chinese. For examples:

MOE 教育部 Ministry of Education
NUS 新加坡国立大学 National University of Singapore
NTU 南洋理工大学 Nanyang Technological University
NIE 国立教育学院 National Institute of Education (属于NTU

Monday, January 21, 2008

Chinese Comics: the fun way to learn Chinese

For upper secondary school, JC and Poly/Uni students, if you find it too taxing to learn Chinese the traditional way, just start with comics.

Here is a link on comics with political theme by Mr Heng from Zaobao
早报特约:王锦松 时事漫画 :

http://www.zaobao.com/pictorial/comics/comics.html

Reading the comics will keep you uptodate on current affair with internative perspective.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Reading skills

Improve and enhance your reading skills

If you were to visit http://www.gistxl.com/baomihua/ you can click the icon "Romanise the whole article".

Print the whole article with Hanyu Pinyin and read on your own, repeat listening the areas (especially the difficult phrases and words) until you finally confirm you have caught them.



Read aloud and look at the Hanyu Pinyin to help you pronounce the words. Underline or highlight the words or phrases that you have difficulty. Practise as many time as you wish until you are able to read aloud without looking at the romanised text.



Print another copy of the whole article without Hanyu Pinyin and read aloud.

(If you have problem printing the page using Web Browser's Print command, just try to use "Print Screen" (Prt Scr) button on your key board to capture the screen and paste individual screen pages on MsWord, then print it out in Doc format.)


As reading Chinese means understanding and pronouncing the words by looking at the characters, so if you are able to read the text without the help of Hanyu Pinyi, you have improved and enhanced your reading skills through practice.

Listening skills

Improve and enhance your listening skills

If you were to visit http://www.gistxl.com/baomihua/

you can click the icon "Listen to whole article" and try your best to listen and read the whole article for the first round.

If you find it too difficult to listen and read the whole article, you can click on the icon on top of each paragraph and just listen to that paragraph. While listening, try to catch phrase by phrase, not word by word except some places where you failed even after several attempts.

After using these two methods, you will make big improvement on your listening skills.

Print the article and read on your own, repeat your reading by listening to the paragraphs or phrases until you finally confirm you have caught them.

(If you have problem printing the page using Web Browser's Print command, just try to use "Print Screen" (Prt Scr) button on your key board to capture the screen and paste individual screen pages on MsWord, then print it out in Doc format.)

While reading aloud, try your best to catch phrase by phrase, not word by word except some places where you failed even after several attempts.

Wish to improve and enhance your listening skills, just try

http://www.gistxl.com/baomihua/



It is the same for any listening exercise. Try your best to listen to any reading thoroughly for the first time. On your second attempt, read phrase by phrase or sentence by sentence according to your current listening level, you will notice and discover many interesting expressions you miss your first attempt.

Choose materials no longer than 5 minutes, listen to it thoroughly for the first time, the second time phrase by phrase or sentence by sentence according to your current listening level. You may underline or highlight difficult words/ phrases and listen to it again to have a double check.

Print the article and read on your own, repeat listening the areas until you finally confirm you have caught them. Try your best to catch phrase by phrase, not word by word except some places where you failed even after several attempts.

Comprehension Skills

Improve and enhance your comprehension skills

If you were to visit
http://www.gistxl.com/baomihua/

you can click the icon "Translate Whole Article" and read the whole article in English for the first round.

Look at the "Word List" at the bottom of the page and use the translation to enhance your vocabulary.

After that, you can click on the icon on top of each paragraph and just read the translation to that paragraph.

While reading the translation, try to catch the meaning phrase by phrase, not word by word except some places where you failed even after several attempts.




After using these methods, you will make big improvement on your comprehension skills.


Print the article and read on your own, repeat your reading by listening to the paragraphs or phrases until you finally confirm you have caught them.

(If you have problem printing the page using Web Browser's Print command, just try to use "Print Screen" (Prt Scr) button on your key board to capture the screen and paste individual screen pages on MsWord, then print it out in Doc format.)


Wish to improve and enhance your comprehension skills, just try

http://www.gistxl.com/baomihua/

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Drama in Education: Turning classroom to "ZOO" makes Chinese Learning Interesting and fun!

Drama in Education:

Turning classroom to "ZOO" makes Chinese Learning Interesting and fun!

课室变“动物园” 学习华文乐趣多

Reported by Lianhe Zaobao 蔡慧玲(2007-04-03)

Click the following link for the full report or read Lianhe Zaobao (2007-04-03):

http://www.zaobao.com/edu/pages3/edulive070403.html

An extracted version is appended for your quick reference:

老虎、大象、狮子、袋鼠、松鼠……

  布兰雅坡小学的一个课室昨天变成了万“兽”齐聚的动物园,由学生扮演的动物在里面对话交流。

  ...教育戏剧(Drama in Education)课程。学生首先围成一个圈,坐在地板上聆听教师的指示,然后再参与教师设计的活动游戏。

  ...的复习活动主题定为“动物园”,再把学生组分为两组,其中一组通过肢体表达扮演动物让另一组猜。

  看似简单的游戏却有着华文教学的作用。先是听教师说:

“我要你们在猜的时候用 ‘我想他是’ 作为句子的开始。

”学生在解答时也必须以完整句子:“我是某某某”来回答。

如果学生单单猜是“狮子”、“老虎”,教师是不接受为答案的。

这样一来,教师就能巩固学生对华文句式的概念。

  活动过程中,教师也可以趁这个机会复习动物量词并介绍新的动物名词。

如果回答的学生不知道正确答案,身边的同学还会帮忙提示。

你一言、我一语,20多个学生在没有压力的游戏环境下,上完一堂华文课。

8岁的林志杰认为华文难学,所以只是“一点点”喜欢上华文课,但是他却非常向往到教育戏剧实验室来上课。

他说:“因为这里很好玩,可以做很多东西,可以一边表演一边学很多东西,跟在教室不一样。”

  ...

  在校本单元的框架里,学校可以按照各自学生的需要,设计适合他们的课程活动,巩固学生在课程单元里学习的知识。布兰雅坡小学小学的教师就决定采用教育戏剧的模式。

  负责为学校设计校本课程的陈翡翠老师认为,教育戏剧在鼓励学生使用华文这方面相当有效。

  她说:“教育戏剧的研究显示,这种教育方式会对学生的口语表达能力有所帮助。

而且它是活动式的,所以学生都很喜欢,争着表达。

这种表达能力如果没有趁学生年纪小时就开始培养,

到了高年龄就会慢慢不想表达了
……

(通过新的教育戏剧模式)学生可以即兴地进行对话并创造情境。另一方面,戏剧里也可以融入很多冲突和不同的情境,学生可以根据这些情境的变化,学习如何解决问题。”

  一些学校因为意识到校本课程华文学习的好处而把课程推广到其他年级...

《联合早报》
(编辑:黄秀茱)

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Lianhe Zaobao: Singapore's Chinese Daily Newspaper

Lianhe Zaobao "联合早报": Singapore's Chinese Daily Newspaper

For Adult Learner, the best way to learn Chinese is to read Chinese newspaper daily. I would like to recommend Singapore Learners/Readers to start with "联合早报" Lianhe Zaobao: Singapore's Chinese Daily Newspaper. The printed copy cost $0.75 per copy. If you like to read the printed version, it is better to subscribe it and have it delivery to your doorstep.

Online version is free via

http://www.zaobao.com/

Here is some informatation on Lianhe Zaobao "联合早报"
The Name "联合早报" Lianhe Zaobao, literally means United Morning Paper.
i.e.,
"联合" Lianhe = United
"早" Zao = Morning
"报" Bao = Paper or Newspaper

All the text are in simplified Chinese.

It is the largest Singapore-based Chinese newspaper with a daily circulation of about 200,000 copies on weekdays and 220,000 on Sundays.

Lianhe Zaobao "联合早报" belongs to the Chinese Newspapers Division of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). Besides Zaobao, the division has three other newspapers -- Lianhe Wanbao, Shin Min Daily News and Friday Weekly -- and a women's magazine, Citta Bella.

Besides being a major source of news and information for Chinese Singaporeans, the newspaper also has subscribers in Southeast Asia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and even in the United Nations. It is a reputable and authoritative newspaper that caters to readers of all levels.

Lianhe Zaobao "联合早报" was formed on 16 March 1983 as a result of a merger between the Nanyang Siang Pau (Singapore) and the Sin Chew Jit Poh (Singapore), two of Singapore's oldest Chinese newspapers. The paper establishes itself as a serious broadsheet with extensive local news coverage, while international news tend to be largely centered on the East Asian region.

Zaobao.com, was launched on August 1995 under the name of "Lianhe Zaobao Online". Today, it serves as a news portal drawing news not just from the Lianhe Zaobao, but also from other Chinese newspapers in the region, numbering as much as 100 sources in total.

Zaobao's editorial policy lies in protecting national interests, providing fast, objective and accurate news and promoting traditional Chinese culture and values under a multi-racial social framework.

With 800,000 people reading its print edition, and many millions more online, the paper is considered to be an objective, credible newspaper, enjoying a high reputation among the regional Chinese community. However, some readers have also regarded it as displaying a tendency to show greater sympathy towards mainland China's position over the political status of Taiwan. Indeed, its sister English language paper, The Straits Times, has also faced similar criticisms.

Source of reference:

About Lianhe Zaobao
http://www.zaobao.com/pages/lianhe.html

Lianhe Zaobao
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lianhe_Zaobao

Use Free Online Resources from Lianhe Zaobao

Use Free Online Resources from Lianhe Zaobao: zbpopcorn 爆米花 page

For students in secondary school or adults who like to learn Chinese on their own, Singapore's Chinese Newspaper "Lianhe Zaobao" zbpopcorn 爆米花 page is very useful.

visit: http://www.gistxl.com/baomihua/ to view the page direct
or
visit: http://youth.zaobao.com/zbpopcorn.html and click on the graphic link

什么是爆米花?

·中三至高中的益友

·2004年1月7日诞生

·每星期三在《早报·现在》推出的教育专刊

·内容针对中学生的口味而设计,让青少年读者容易消化

·分青少年动态、流行文化和学习三部分

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Kevin Rudd Speaking Mandarin 陸克文 普通話

Get inspired by Kevin Rudd Speaking Mandarin!

You may get some good tips on learning Chinese from his language learning experience!

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on China Central TV陸克文中央台訪問 陆克文中央台访问
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN42pk7eozk

This is an interesting interview. On the one hand the Australia speaks good Mandarin and the Chinese interviewer speaks perfect English.
November 24, 2007

Kevin Rudd speaking Mandarin 陸克文 普通話
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seJ_gcsOscM&NR=1

Kevin Rudd talked to Wu JinTao in Mandarin
11月24日舉行大選. 陸克文,一口流利普通話的澳洲工黨領導人
September 14, 2007

APEC: Opp Leader Mr Rudd confides to President Hu Jintao
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wakXttJVdbw&feature=related
Australian Opposition leader Mr Kevin Rudd confides to Chinese President Hu Jintao
September 06, 2007

Thursday, January 3, 2008

"Analects of Confucius" and Fu Peirong ( 傅佩荣:《论语》心得)

If you are interested in Analects of Confucius《论语》, you may like to read or view 傅佩荣 (Fu, Peirong, 1950- )'s books or video besides that of Yu Dan 于丹.

Phoenix Television (鳳凰衛星電視), Singapore StarHub Cable TV Channel 50, had interviewed him in October 2007 in one of the series《锵锵三人行》.

The main focus of Fu Peirong 傅佩荣 is on his understanding of "Analects of Confucius"《论语》心得:

http://www.findinternettv.com/Video,item,2787044136.aspx




Last but not least, view the blog by 傅佩荣(Fu, Peirong, 1950- ) and learn more about "Analects of Confucius" and Fu Peirong.

http://blog.sina.com.cn/fupeirong

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Free Online Library: ShuKu 亦凡公益图书馆

Free Online Library: ShuKu 亦凡公益图书馆

Launch in 1997, ShuKu collected over 150,000 volumes of e-books in Chinese in various categories!

http://www.shuku.net/

亦凡公益图书馆始建于一九九七年,是网上成立的第一家在线中文文学网站,经过多年的发展,目前已成为全球最大的在线中文图书馆,藏书超过十五万本,每天访问人数二十余 .
武侠小说
当代文学
网上书店
儿童文学

If you prefer to read books in print, you may like to visit the online bookstore at

亦凡公益图书馆- 网上书店

http://bookstore.shuku.net/exec/book/home

This website does not have an English version, yet they are lot of bilingual books on Sale!

古代经典类 小说 诗词曲赋 哲学/历史 文集 历史 美术鉴赏 现代文学类 流行作品 武侠/历史小说 小说 文集 期刊合订本 外国文学 杂文/诗歌 经济商务类 理财投资 创业经营 ...