Suggestions for How to Use This Program

Here are some suggestions for using these Lessons and Quizzes. Naturally, every student has different learning abilities, so the steps below will not all apply to all students. The basic steps (in bold) should all be repeated two or three times:
Remember – just because a student has done it once does not mean it is “known.” Frequency of encounter is more important than duration of study.

1. Do the Pronunciation and Spelling exercises first

2. Play each page for familiarization.

3. Listen, read and repeat

4. Listen only (eyes closed) and repeat aloud

5. Listen, read and repeat

6. Read and repeat (with sound off) then go back to 3 to check –

7. Practice spelling 8 – 12 words on each page (first from the visual, later from the audio only), then look up their meaning and use them in sentences if appropriate

8. When the page has finished playing, stop the action and say each word, exaggerating the length of time needed

9. When you (or the teacher) think you are ready to take the Quiz, print out the marking Blank and have it prepared to mark as you take each quiz

10. Record your Quiz performance and check it, or have your teacher check it. (I use Audacity, a free downloadable program, for this. Just start the recorder, then open the Quiz, record your work, close the Quiz, then stop the recording.)

11. Name each file and store it for later assessment of personal progress

12. Students with higher levels of English ability (but poor production abilities) might benefit from the inclusion of some vocabulary exercises

13. To do the Meaning exercises, have a dictionary handy, as there will be many other words you need to look up, and you will need to check your understanding of some of the target words

14. Write new sentences which demonstrate the correct usage of each word as an additional exercise

Page by Page Notes

Series # 1 – Short Vowel Sounds

All Series 1 lessons follow the usual color pattern: red = verb; blue = noun; and black = other; brackets in the Chinese translation ( ) mean plural; underline = 3rd person singular verb..

Lesson 1 – note the difference to the ‘a’ sound when followed by a ‘g’ (a higher sound).

Lesson 2 – note the difference to the ‘e’ sound when it is followed by voiced consonants, as compared with when it is followed by voiceless consonants.

Lesson 3 – note the ‘r’ influence on the ‘i’ sound.

Lesson 4 – note that the ‘g’ does not influence the ‘o’ sound – both are made at the back of the oral cavity.

Lesson 5 – note the extended voicing when the ‘u’ is followed by voiced consonants.