Frequently Asked Questions

Two reasons can trigger this problem.

1. Your browser blocks our access to your microphone. Here is how you can grant us access to your microphone:

Chrome:

https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2693767?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en

Safari:

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/control-access-to-your-microphone-on-mac-mchla1b1e1fe/mac

Edge:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4468232/windows-10-camera-microphone-and-privacy

2. The microphone settings of your computer fail to meet our recording requirements. 

a. Check that the system volume is on by making sure the mute boxes are unchecked in the Volume Control Panel.

b. Check to see if you have a built-in microphone or test your new external microphone:
Go to "Start" -> "Programs" -> "Accessories" -> "Entertainment" -> "Sound Recorder"
Click the record button (red circle) and start speaking
If you see the green line move as you speak, then your microphone works


c. Clear cache in your Google Chrome browsers

Click the "Tools" menu (the wrench in the upper-right hand corner) -> Select "Options" -> Click the "Under the Hood" tab -> Click "Clear Browsing Data" -> Check "Empty the cache" box

d. Make sure Adobe Flash is up-to-date 

To access your Modern Chinese Teacher’s Guide, go to College.BetterChinese.com. Create a new account or log-in with your current online learning system login credentials. Go to the tab labeled “E-Books” and look for your digital copy of the Modern Chinese Teacher’s Guide.
Contact usa@betterchinese.com for more information.

Below is the English translation for the My First Chinese World 36 storybooks set and also the I Love Chinese 12 storybooks set:

My First Chinese Word (Letter Format)

My First Chinese Word (A4 Format)

I Love Chinese (letter Format)

I Love Chinese (A4 Format)

You can also requested a physical version (stickers) of the English version where you can place on each storybooks. Please send your request along with your shipping address to us here.

The Better Chinese online story library contains over 1400 stories categorized for beginner, intermediate and advanced Chinese readers. Access to our story collection is based on your language level interest and priced as an annual subscription:

1. Online story libraries for schools - (available at the beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels): 1 year subscription for a particular level is available for $89.95 per user.
2. Individual Online Story Collection: these are 1-year subscriptions and to see individual prices.

You can sign up for a free trial here.

The My First Chinese Words series usually takes approximately five 45-minute classes or two 90-minute classes for 1 lesson. For younger learners, we recommend supplementing with additional cultural modules and games for each lesson (you can find suggestions in our teacher's guide) which can take roughly 1 year to complete 12 to 18 storybooks.  

The My First Chinese Reader usually takes five 45-minute classes or two 90-minute classes for 1 lesson. However, for the younger learners, you would design additional cultural and language modules and games related to the lesson (you can find suggestions in our teacher's guide), which can take approximately 1 year to complete 1 volume. 

The Discovering Chinese Pro series usually takes five 45-minute classes or two 90- minute classes for each individual lesson. Middle school students usually take about 1 year to complete 1 volume while high school students typically spend about 1-2 semesters per volume. 

The Magical Tour of China series typically requires five 60-minute classes for each individual lesson. Middle school students usually take about 1 year to complete 1 volume while high school students typically spend about 1 semester per volume. 

The Modern Chinese series takes approximately four 60-minutes classes for each individual lesson. It is designed to be a 2 year program, where each volume will take about 1 year (Each volume has 2 parts A and B) to complete. Some school take a year to complete each part.

Yes, go to the page below:

https://www.betterchinese.com/pages/user-guides

You can also locate this page on the Home page under tab "Service & Resource "

Content can be perceived as challenging due to two reasons:

1. an increase of content specific vocabularies;
2. more themes that meet state mandate for subject curriculum to support content learning;

In the response to the challenges and the unique demands of the immersion education, for language support, teachers can find 4 levels of differentiated teaching strategies and instructional tips in our Teacher’s Guide to make complex texts accessible to students. 

Additionally, Better Immersion takes the spiral-up approach to build up the foundations progressively and reinforce the language knowledge constantly. In a broad sense, Better Immersion transits learners from one level to an upper level both in language foundations and academic knowledge. Specifically speaking,  Better Immersion achieves the transition from instructional focus on vocabulary texts to thematic texts, or that from conversational or foundational language to academic language.

BI的内容之所以被认为有挑战性，主要有两个原因：

1.  学科词汇不断增多；
2.  为了支持学科内容的学习，符合各州学科课程标准的相关的主题也不断增多；

而这两个层面恰恰是沉浸式教育需要面对并做好的。

正是因为上述沉浸式教育的挑战性和特殊性，在语言教学方面，我们在教师手册中增添了针对四种语言水平的差异化教学策略和指导内容，从而使学生更有效的学习《中文游》中文体丰富、学科知识充实的主题文。

另外，《中文游》采用螺旋上升的教学模式从而不断构建学生的语言基础并一次次地强化学生的语言知识。从广义来说，《中文游》使学生在语言和学科能力上都不断有所提升。具体来说，它实现了从生字文到主题文的教学核心过渡，即实现了从发展基本交流的语言能力到培养综合的语言、学科素质的学习目标过渡。

We do provide professional development training for three categories: Best Practices, Leveraging Technology and Immersion Training.

Please visit Professional Development for detailed information.
Or email usa@betterchinese.com for more information

The My First Chinese Words series usually takes approximately five 45-minute classes or two 90-minute classes for 1 lesson. For younger learners, we recommend supplementing with additional cultural modules and games for each lesson (you can find suggestions in our teacher's guide) which can take roughly 1 year to complete 12 to 18 storybooks.  

The My First Chinese Reader usually takes five 45-minute classes or two 90-minute classes for 1 lesson. However, for the younger learners, you would design additional cultural and language modules and games related to the lesson (you can find suggestions in our teacher's guide), which can take approximately 1 year to complete 1 volume. 

The Discovering Chinese series usually takes five 45-minute classes or two 90- minute classes for each individual lesson. Middle school students usually take about 1 year to complete 1 volume while high school students typically spend about 1 semester per volume. 

The Magical Tour of China series typically requires five 60-minute classes for each individual lesson. Middle school students usually take about 1 year to complete 1 volume while high school students typically spend about 1 semester per volume. 

The Modern Chinese series takes approximately four 60-minutes classes for each individual lesson. It is designed to be a 2 year program, where each volume will take about 1 year (Each volume has 2 parts A and B) to complete. Some school take a year to complete each part.

Better Chinese has been working with schools teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language since 1997 and understands the importance of engaging students with context-rich materials, facilitating teachers’ lesson planning process, and getting parents’ involvement to extend learning beyond the classroom. 

Since 2008, nine U.S. states have conducted formal reviews for Chinese language materials that must align and correlate to their state standards. We are happy to announce that Better Chinese's curricular materials have been adopted and approved by all nine states: Georgia, Idaho, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. 

State-Adopted status is an additional recognition and a testament of the quality and appropriateness of our materials for students learning Chinese as a foreign language. Currently, we have over 1400 schools (link to customer list) around the world using our materials. From large state-wide adoption such as Utah to world renowned independent school, Punahou School (President Obama's and Dr. Sun Yet-Sen's alma mater) in Hawaii, to progressive school districts such as South Washington County Schools and San Francisco Unified School District, we strive to better serve students, educators, and teachers.

You can download the Better Chinese product catalog to view Better Chinese’s complete curricular offerings. Our products are broken into 5 main series that teach students Chinese from the preschool through college level. For an overview of each of our series, go to: 

Preschool through 1st grade (Introductory Level): My First Chinese Words

2nd grade through 5th grade (Introductory to Intermediate Level): My First Chinese Reader

Middle/High School curriculum (Introductory to Intermediate Level): Discovering Chinese Pro

High School curriculum (Intermediate to Advanced Level): Magical Tour of China

College Curriculum (Introductory to intermediate Level): Modern Chinese

For the program series, My First Chinese Reader, Discovering Chinese Pro, and Magical Tour of China, and Modern Chinese, they are each divided into 4 volumes/books. As student’s progress through each book, the language level progresses in difficulty. Each volume is also accompanied by a workbook, Teacher' Guide, Worksheets and Writing Exercise Sheets, Assessment Pack, audio-CD, animated lesson CD-ROMs, and online modules. Download a sampler pack to see examples of each of these products for 3 lessons.

My First Chinese Words Sampler Pack

My First Chinese Reader Sampler Pack

Magical Tour of China Sampler Pack

Modern Chinese Sampler Pack

If you are with a school and would like to preview our online materials, please sign-up for a free trial of our online learning system, story library and lesson planner Register a new account.

We also offer a variety of supplementary materials on Chinese idioms, cultural stories, fables, DVDs and more. 

We have a special examination deal for schools who are interested in reviewing our products in any of the series. If you are interested in taking advantage of this offer, please Contact Us!