方法 Methods
What are TPRS© and CI?
TPRS© （Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling） was created by Blaine Ray, a Spanish teacher in the late 1980s. It is a language teaching method based on the idea that the brain needs enormous amounts of Comprehensible Input (CI) to acquire a new language. In addition, teachers and students interact and create opportunities for students to speak and try out their new language, resulting in rapid gains in fluency. In fact, some TPRS© online classes have students reaching the intermediate-mid level in just 60-100 hours where which usually takes from 400-600 hours. TPRS focuses on using storytelling, readings, and novels that contain the most commonly-used words and phrases to help students become familiar with a new language easily and quickly. When developing TPRS©, Ray was influenced by the work of Dr. Stephen Krashen and Dr. James Asher. Ray began by combining Dr. Asher’s teaching method (Total Physical Response) and Dr. Krashen’s CI-based language acquisition strategies. The result was a teaching method that focuses on the importance of teacher-student interaction, the use of CI and stories to keep the learner’s interest to become fluent in a new language.
I fell in love with TPRS© and CI because of facts based on research and students' outcome. I have been researching, developing, and implementing these strategies since 2012. I have found them to be unbelievably effective, and how relaxing and fun it is for my students to learn this difficult language. My students become highly motivated and engaged in learning Mandarin!
However, developing material from scratch to replace traditional textbooks has been a very long process. While I have been adding my own stories and material to my teaching I still wasn't able to replace traditional textbooks until completing "Awesome Mandarin". I have created this text based on the principles and methods of TPRS© and CI for teachers and learners to use as a core textbook and workbook, or as a self-study resource.
Why this text is awesome?
“Awesome Mandarin” is the only Mandarin text employing proven TPRS© methods. Over years, I have used various textbooks and teaching methods, and I have seen and experienced what works for my students, and what didn't. TPRS© works the best for my students. In addition, these books also include an additional special feature - humorous cartoon illustrations. The illustrations play a big role in engaging and reinforcing readers' attention and interest. Learning Mandarin is no longer hard and boring! Students' proficiency outcomes are much more advanced than using traditional teaching methods and traditional textbooks. Students have more interest in learning and are more excited, confident, and successful.
*Source: https://www.tprsbooks.com/what-is-tprs/; http://teachingcomprehensibly.com/why-ci/
什么是 TPRS© and CI？
TPRS©（通过阅读和故事的外语教学法） 是由 1980 年代后期的西班牙语教师 Blaine Ray 创建的。它是一种基于大脑需要大量可理解输入（CI）来获得新语言的思想的语言教学方法。此外，教师和学生互动并为学生创造机会自然地大量练习新语言，从而快速提高流利程度。事实证明，一些 TPRS 在线课程让学生在 60-100 小时内达到中级水平，而这通常需要 400-600 小时。 TPRS 专注于使用包含最常用单词和短语的故事、阅读和小说来帮助学生轻松快速地熟悉一门新语言。
在开发 TPRS© 时，Ray 受到了 Stephen Krashen 博士和 James Asher 博士的影响。 Ray 结合了 Asher 博士的教学方法（TPR）和 Krashen 博士的基于 CI 的语言习得策略。开发出这种教学方法。它侧重于师生互动的重要性，使用 CI 和故事来保持学习者的兴趣以流利地使用一门新语言。
事实和研究证明，TPRS© 和 CI 教学方法及其有效。自 2012 年以来我一直在探索、使用和改进这个方法在中文教学大运用。我的学生们轻松地学习这门困难的语言，感兴趣，而且学习效果非常出色。我的学生学中文非常积极并且投入！ 然而，从头开始开发教学材料以取代传统教科书是一个非常漫长的过程。虽然我一直在将自己的故事和材料添加到教学中，但直到完成《最酷中文》之前，我仍然无法完全脱离传统教科书。我根据 TPRS© 和 CI 的理念和方法编写了这套教程，供教师和学习者用作核心教科书和练习册，辅助或自学资源。
为什么这套教材很酷？
《最酷中文》是目前唯一采用经过验证的 TPRS© 方法的对外汉语教材。多年以来，我用过很多课本和教学法，我已经经历过什么对我的学生的学习有效，什么无效。TPRS© 确实是非常有效的。此外，这套教程还包括一个额外的特色 - 幽默的卡通插图。插图在吸引和增强读者的注意力和兴趣方面发挥了重要作用。学习汉语不再枯燥乏味！学生的熟练程度比使用传统的教学方法和传统的教科书要强得多。学生体会到学习的乐趣，更加自信且成效显著。
*来源: https://www.tprsbooks.com/what-is-tprs/; http://teachingcomprehensibly.com/why-ci/
《最酷中文》 “Awesome Chinese” units and lessons are designed based on CI and TPRS language acquisition approach adapted in Chinese teaching and learning, which is supported by Educational Neuroscience and proven by research and studies . Comprehensible input-based methods typically do not use traditional thematic units about topics such as weather, school, food, or clothing because they are usually very boring, predictable, mechanic, and lack creativity and natural repetitions. Traditional thematic units are more likely focused on low-frequency vocabulary, and against brain research.
The topics in 《最酷中文》 “Awesome Chinese” are creative, meaningful and relevant. The text content emphasizes practical and high frequency words and interesting life relevant story line, which are highly engaging and can be highly comprehensible. This text book series make teaching and learning easy to apply CI and TPRS strategies in daily learning, as well as make learning fun, efficient and fruitful.
The commonly practiced strategies* can be used to teach and learn this textbook materials are:
1. Establish Meanings
2. Story Asking
3. Circling
4. Personalized Questions and Answers
5. Pause and Point
6. Stay in Bounds
7. Pop-Up Grammar, Pop-Up Radicals
8. Story Retelling
* TPRS/CI Basics: teachingcomprehensibly.com
《最酷中文》单元和课程是基于适用于汉语教学的 CI (理解输入） 和 TPRS （故事教学）语言习得方法而设计的，该方法结合教育神经科学研究成果。 CI (理解输入） 和 TPRS （故事教学）的方法通常不使用传统主题单元，比如：关于天气、学校、食物或服装等主题，因为这种单元设计一般非常无聊，可预测，机械化，并且缺乏创意及语言自然性的重复。 传统的主题单元更注重低频词汇，不遵循大脑研究成果和语言学习的特点。
《最酷中文》的主题富有创意、有意义、相关性强。 故事内容设计注重实用的高频词和有趣的生活情节，引人入胜，易懂。 该系列教材使汉语教学和学习轻松地应用CI和TPRS策略到日常学习中，让学习汉语变得有趣、高效、富有成效。
可用于教学和学习本教科书材料的常用策略*有： 1. 建立主题
2. 故事提问
3. 循环提问
4. 个性化问答
5. 暂停和指出要点
6. 保持界限
7. 弹出语法/部首
8. 故事复述
* TPRS/CI Basics: teachingcomprehensibly.com
A collection of Chinese learning methods 学习方法 and tips to learn Pronunciation, Characters, Grammar, etc. is in the Mandarin and Beyond Language Learning playlist. These are useful for the learners to find and master unique methods that make the study easier and faster. Still don't forget to apply CI to the methods, Input is everything or almost everything to build a strong foundation and improve proficiency to upper levels. Teachers can play some of the videos in class or assign some as homework for students to reflect on their learning methods. The videos are very motivating and engaging with valuable takeaways and tips from other learners or teachers.
TPRS Concept by Blain Ray
This video gives an introduction to the awesome CI/TPRS methods. It is not new for teaching Spanish and French, it is newly adopted by more and more Chinese teachers.
"This is Blaine Ray. He was a Spanish teacher that struggled to get students to show progress with their learning. He started using comprehensible input based methods in the1980's after reading about the second language acquisition theories of Dr. Stephen Krashen. Blaine was also influenced by the work of Dr. James Asher, who focused on learning language through actions. Blaine went to work experimenting in his own classroom for many years until arriving upon what is now know as Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling."
中文学习方法 Study Methods
Chris's website and Youtube channel "Fluent in Mandarin" have been inspiring to my teaching and my students' learning for over 10 years. He was an excellent example and a role model for learners to know that "You Can Do It Too", my TA translated his two videos to English for my Youtube playlist to inspire more beginners. His pronunciation is perfect, and his methods make sense and are easy to understand. His website has been one of my go-to places since I started teaching, and when there were almost no good Chinese teaching materials.
中文学习方法 Study Methods
A collection of general Chinese learning methods 学习方法 is in the Mandarin and Beyond Youtube playlist. These are useful for the learners to find and master unique methods that make the study easier and faster. Still don't forget to apply CI to the methods, Input is everything or almost everything to build a strong foundation and improve proficiency to upper levels. Teachers can play some of the videos in class or assign some as homework for students to reflect on their learning methods. The videos are very motivating and engaging with valuable takeaways and tips from other learners or teachers.
汉字学习方法 Character Study
Chinese characters are cool for most learners 汉字非常酷! Learning 汉字 has effective shortcuts and is fun, and doesn't need lots of clueless memorization. Logic and common sense apply to characters or words. A collection of general Chinese Character learning methods 汉字学习方法 is in the Mandarin and Beyond Youtube playlist 汉字. These videos help students understand the importance of the radical 部首 and the stroke orders 笔顺, and identify the highly repetitive substructures, to make character learning more fun and efficient. Teachers can play some of the videos in class or assign some as homework for students to reflect on their learning methods. The videos are motivating and engaging with valuable takeaways and tips from other learners or teachers.