Comments on: Learning how to fish: Or, why it’s essential to know how to learn https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-how-to-fish-or-why-knowing-how-to-learn-chinese-is-essential/ A better way of learning Mandarin Sat, 26 Mar 2016 19:14:53 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Olle Linge https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-how-to-fish-or-why-knowing-how-to-learn-chinese-is-essential/#comment-2910 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 09:36:12 +0000 http://www.hackingchinese.com/?p=4684#comment-2910 In reply to Daqian.

Thank you for highlighting these mistakes, I have corrected the article accordingly! πŸ™‚

]]> By: Daqian https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-how-to-fish-or-why-knowing-how-to-learn-chinese-is-essential/#comment-2909 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 03:01:38 +0000 http://www.hackingchinese.com/?p=4684#comment-2909 In this paragraph, there are 2 typos. “likes” should be “like”, and “is” should be “are”. πŸ™‚

“This is partly why I think learning how to learn is essential for all adult students, not only those that are ambitious and likes experimentation. Even though I realise that you as a reader of Hacking Chinese is probably more motivated and ambitious than the average learner, I do think and hope that what I write will spread to all students eventually.”

]]> By: george https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-how-to-fish-or-why-knowing-how-to-learn-chinese-is-essential/#comment-2908 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 09:08:56 +0000 http://www.hackingchinese.com/?p=4684#comment-2908 Of course there is the alternative. If you give a man a fish, he may be back tomorrow willing to work for another. If you teach a man to fish, you lost the customer and now have a competion.

Either way, I don’t think fish have much to do with language learning. Teaching a man to communicate will not fill his belly or take away from your livelihood. And likely as not, the learner might actually learn faster on one’s own. Second language teaching can be pedantic and limiting.

So much for all the fishy-ness. Language learning is endless and endlessly rewarding. One never stops acquiring more knowledge of their native language or any 2nd language. Enjoy the ride… insights abound.

]]> By: Olle Linge https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-how-to-fish-or-why-knowing-how-to-learn-chinese-is-essential/#comment-2907 Fri, 28 Feb 2014 12:20:38 +0000 http://www.hackingchinese.com/?p=4684#comment-2907 In reply to Hugh.

It seems to be one of these that are attributed to 老子 but (as far as I can tell) doesn’t actually appear in 道德碓. There also seems to be Western versions of the same saying (quite likely to pop up, it’s not very far fetched), see here. The saying is pretty common in Chinese anyway. If you find anything else about its origins, do let me know!

]]> By: Hugh https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-how-to-fish-or-why-knowing-how-to-learn-chinese-is-essential/#comment-2906 Fri, 28 Feb 2014 10:57:40 +0000 http://www.hackingchinese.com/?p=4684#comment-2906 Totally agreed on this one, Olle. I also like the ‘sharpening the saw’ analogy for this idea.

Was that saying about the fish originally Chinese, or is that a Chinese translation of it from another language? I hadn’t realised it was originally Chinese.

]]> By: Olle Linge https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-how-to-fish-or-why-knowing-how-to-learn-chinese-is-essential/#comment-2905 Fri, 28 Feb 2014 07:44:43 +0000 http://www.hackingchinese.com/?p=4684#comment-2905 In reply to David Feigelson.

Yes, I agree! I tend to include this in “how to study”. I.e., it’s not just about methodology, but what you’re after and how you go about it, too.

]]> By: David Feigelson https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-how-to-fish-or-why-knowing-how-to-learn-chinese-is-essential/#comment-2904 Fri, 28 Feb 2014 05:56:09 +0000 http://www.hackingchinese.com/?p=4684#comment-2904 I think it’s not just learning how to learn, but also learning what is best suited to your own mind. Some people think that they need to focus on all four skills equally. Other people find if they focus on one thing (usually listening or speaking) they make much faster improvement than trying to do four skills equally.

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