FSI Standard Chinese: A modular Approach

As the first language of over 900 million people, Mandarin Chinese has by far the largest number of native speakers in the world. Standard Chinese, a variety of Mandarin that’s based on the Beijing dialect, serves as the lingua franca for mainland China, and Mandarin is also spoken in Taiwan as well as by many overseas Chinese communities around the world. Globally, around 1.2 billion people can speak it to some degree – which equates to around 16% of humanity!

With such a vast number of speakers, coupled with China’s recent rise as an economic superpower, it is not difficult to understand why this is a useful language to know. Chinese is the key to innumerable business opportunities in China, and if you travel there, with Standard Chinese, you will be able to communicate in every corner of the land.

Furthermore, China is a country with a history that stretches back for millennia, and for anyone interested in China’s rich cultural heritage, learning the language is the perfect introduction.

As a tonal language and one with a writing system based on characters rather than an alphabet, Chinese has a reputation as being a notoriously difficult tongue to master. However, many aspects of Chinese are actually extremely simple, and many students are pleasantly surprised to discover that learning it is not nearly as tough as they imagined.

Unsurprisingly, Chinese is among the most popular languages to learn, and as a result, there is no lack of study materials. However, this comprehensive free online Chinese course is a rich source of language input, making it a valuable addition to the learning tools of anyone who wants to try.

Course Details

What is the FSI Chinese modular course?

If you are familiar with FSI Basic courses, you will immediately notice that this FSI Chinese course is different. Although it follows the same basic methodology of other FSI courses, it is organized as a series of modules that can be studied in any order rather than as a linear series that builds on knowledge already acquired.

Before you begin, there is an in-depth introduction to Chinese pronunciation and the pinyin system of Romanization. You should then start with the first module, “Orientation” – but after this, you can study the modules in the order that seems most useful to you.

The course consists of 10 core modules as well as several optional modules, and each one is divided into 4-8 separate units. Each module includes audio recordings and is accompanied by a workbook for extra practice.

In each module, you acquire the language necessary to function confidently in specific situations, and by working through the course, you will gain a solid foundation in the Chinese language.

How can you use the FSI Chinese course?

This FSI Chinese course is well-suited to self-study, but the instructions are a little difficult to understand at first, so it’s worth taking a moment to discuss the best way to approach it.

As mentioned, each module is divided into several units, and each unit requires several hours of study. For each unit, there are three main activities, “Comprehension”, “Production” and “Drills”, and it would be beneficial to repeat each unit a couple of times for complete mastery.

After finishing the pronunciation section and Module 1, you can then work through the other modules in any order you choose, and here are the steps you should follow to study each unit:

1. Listen to the first “Comprehension” recording

When beginning a new unit, start by listening to the Comprehension audio. For Unit 1 of a module, the recording will be labeled Tape 1C-1. For Unit 2, it will be 2C-1, and so on.

For this part, you don’t need to read, write or repeat anything – you simply listen to the recording, take in what the speaker tells you and listen to the example Chinese sentences.

The Student Text includes reference notes on what you hear in the lesson, which you can review after listening. However, you shouldn’t look at it before listening or while the recording is playing.

2. Listen to the first “Production” recording

After listening to the Comprehension audio, you can then listen to the Production recording. For Unit 1 of a module, the recording will be labeled Tape 1P-1.

In this part, you will be given sentences to repeat. This is your chance to try pronouncing the language that was presented in the Comprehension section – although here you are only repeating. There is no manipulation of the language.

Again, this section is to be completed using only the audio recording. There is no accompanying text, and you don’t need to write anything – simply listen and repeat as required.

3. “Drills” section

After going through the first Production recording, you can then move onto the Drills section. For Unit 1 of a module, the recording will be labeled as 1D-1.

There are several different types of drills, but the instructions are usually clear and easy to understand. Simply listen to the recordings and give the required responses as you go through.

4. Workbook “Comprehension” section

After completing the drills, you then need to find the relevant page in the Student Workbook. The first part is a listening comprehension exercise, which you complete by listening to the relevant audio. If you are studying Unit 1 of a module, the audio will be labeled as 1C-2.

The instructions for these exercises are found in the Workbook and are usually simple to understand. These exercises are for listening comprehension only and you don’t need to speak.

5. Workbook “Production” section

The next part is the Production section of the Workbook. You should work through in the same manner as in the Comprehension section, but this time, you are also required to give spoken responses.

If you are doing Unit 1 of a module, the audio for this will be labeled as 1P-2.

6. Communication games

The last part of each Workbook consists of communication games. These were originally designed for use in a classroom where you could interact with other students. However, even if you are studying alone, you can still adapt these activities by taking the role of more than one person.

This is similar to adapting some of the drills from the FSI Basic courses – check out my post on making the most of FSI drills for suggestions on how to do this through the use of props.

Taking it further

This free Chinese course will give you a solid basis in the language, especially if you use these materials in tandem with any other study resources you have.

However, you can’t learn a language through books alone, and as soon as possible, I urge you to start looking for opportunities to take your Chinese and try it out “in the wild”.

This is a language with no shortage of native speakers, and you should make an effort to find people to practice with so that using Chinese becomes a part of your daily routine. Then, when you start doing this, you will see how quickly you are progressing in this challenging but rewarding language.

Resource Module

Structure Text

Introduction Text

Unit	Audio
Pronunciation and Romanization	Tape 1 · Tape 2 · Tape 3 · Tape 4 · Tape 5 · Tape 6 · Tape 1 · Tape 2 · Tape 3 · Tape 4 · Tape 5 · Tape 6 · Tape 1 · Tape 2 · Tape 1 · Tape 2 · Tape 3 · Tape 4

Module 1: Orientation

Student Text

Student Workbook

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape 1C-1 · Tape 1D-1 · Tape 1P-1
Unit 02	Tape 2C-1 · Tape 2D-1 · Tape 2P-1
Unit 03	Tape 3C-1 · Tape 3C-2 · Tape 3D-1 · Tape 3P-1 · Tape 3P-2
Unit 04	Tape 4C-1 · Tape 4C-2 · Tape 4D-1 · Tape 4P-1 · Tape 4P-2 · Tape

Module 2: Biographic Information

Student Text

Student Workbook

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape 1C-1 · Tape 1C-2 · Tape 1D-1 · Tape 1P-1 · Tape 1P-2
Unit 02	Tape 2C-1 · Tape 2C-2 · Tape 2D-1 · Tape 2P-1 · Tape 2P-2
Unit 03	Tape 3C-1 · Tape 3C-2 · Tape 3D-1 · Tape 3P-1 · Tape 3P-2
Unit 04	Tape 4C-1 · Tape 4C-2 · Tape 4D-1 · Tape 4P-1 · Tape 4P-2
Unit 05	Tape 5C-1 · Tape 5C-2 · Tape 5D-1 · Tape 5P-1 · Tape 5P-2
Unit 06	Tape 6C-1 · Tape 6C-2 · Tape 6D-1 · Tape 6P-1 · Tape 6P-2
Unit 07	Tape 7C-1 · Tape 7C-2 · Tape 7D-1 · Tape 7P-1 · Tape 7P-2
Unit 08	Tape 8C-1 · Tape 8C-2 · Tape 8D-1 · Tape 8P-1 · Tape 8P-2
Review	Tape

Module 3: Money

Student Text

Student Workbook

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape 1C-1 · Tape 1C-2 · Tape 1D-1 · Tape 1P-1 · Tape 1P-2
Unit 02	Tape 2C-1 · Tape 2C-2 · Tape 2D-1 · Tape 2P-1 · Tape 2P-2
Unit 03	Tape 3C-1 · Tape 3C-2 · Tape 3D-1 · Tape 3P-1 · Tape 3P-2
Unit 04	Tape 4C-1 · Tape 4C-2 · Tape 4D-1 · Tape 4P-1 · Tape 4P-2
Unit 05	Tape 5C-1 · Tape 5C-2 · Tape 5D-1 · Tape 5P-1 · Tape 5P-2
Unit 06	Tape 6C-1 · Tape 6C-2 · Tape 6D-1 · Tape 6P-1 · Tape 6P-2
Review	Tape

Module 4: Directions

Student Text

Student Workbook

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape 1C-1 · Tape 1C-2 · Tape 1D-1 · Tape 1P-1 · Tape 1P-2
Unit 02	Tape 2C-1 · Tape 2C-2 · Tape 2D-1 · Tape 2P-1 · Tape 2P-2
Unit 03	Tape 3C-1 · Tape 3C-2 · Tape 3D-1 · Tape 3P-1 · Tape 3P-2
Unit 04	Tape 4C-1 · Tape 4C-2 · Tape 4D-1 · Tape 4P-1 · Tape 4P-2
Unit 05	Tape 5C-1 · Tape 5C-2 · Tape 5D-1 · Tape 5P-1 · Tape 5P-2
Review	Tape

Module 5: Transportation

Student Text

Student Workbook

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape 1C-1 · Tape 1C-2 · Tape 1D-1 · Tape 1P-1 · Tape 1P-2
Unit 02	Tape 2C-1 · Tape 2C-2 · Tape 2D-1 · Tape 2P-1 · Tape 2P-2
Unit 03	Tape 3C-1 · Tape 3C-2 · Tape 3D-1 · Tape 3P-1 · Tape 3P-2
Unit 04	Tape 4C-1 · Tape 4C-2 · Tape 4D-1 · Tape 4P-1 · Tape 4P-2
Unit 05	Tape 5C-1 · Tape 5C-2 · Tape 5D-1 · Tape 5P-1 · Tape 5P-2
Unit 06	Tape 6C-1 · Tape 6C-2 · Tape 6D-1 · Tape 6P-1 · Tape 6P-2
Unit 07	Tape 7C-1 · Tape 7C-2 · Tape 7D-1 · Tape 7P-1 · Tape 7P-2
Unit 08	Tape 8C-1 · Tape 8C-2 · Tape 8D-1 · Tape 8P-1 · Tape 8P-2
Review	Tape

Module 6: Arranging a Meeting

Student Text

Student Workbook

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape 1C-1 · Tape 1C-2 · Tape 1D-1 · Tape 1P-1 · Tape 1P-2
Unit 02	Tape 2C-1 · Tape 2C-2 · Tape 2D-1 · Tape 2P-1 · Tape 2P-2
Unit 03	Tape 3C-1 · Tape 3C-2 · Tape 3D-1 · Tape 3P-1 · Tape 3P-2
Unit 04	Tape 4C-1 · Tape 4C-2 · Tape 4D-1 · Tape 4P-1 · Tape 4P-2
Unit 05	Tape 5C-1 · Tape 5C-2 · Tape 5D-1 · Tape 5P-1 · Tape 5P-2
Unit 06	Tape 6C-1 · Tape 6C-2 · Tape 6D-1 · Tape 6P-1 · Tape 6P-2
Unit 07	Tape 7C-1 · Tape 7C-2 · Tape 7D-1 · Tape 7P-1 · Tape 7P-2
Unit 08	Tape 8C-1 · Tape 8C-2 · Tape 8D-1 · Tape 8P-1 · Tape 8P-2
Review	Tape

Module 7: Society

Student Text and Workbook

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 02	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 03	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 04	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 05	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 06	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 07	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 08	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Review Units 1-4	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Review Units 5-8	Tape 1 · Tape 2

Module 8: Travelling in China

Student Text and Workbook

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 02	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 03	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 04	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 05	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 06	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 07	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 08	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Review Units 1-4	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Review Units 5-8	Tape 1 · Tape 2

Module 9: Life in China

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 02	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 03	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 04	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 05	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 06	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 07	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 08	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Review Units 1-3	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Review Units 4-6	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Review Units 7-8	Tape 1 · Tape 2

Optional Module: Car

Student Text

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape
Unit 02	Tape

Optional Module: Hotel

Student Text

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape
Unit 02	Tape

Optional Module: Marriage, Birth, and Death

Student Text

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape
Unit 02	Tape
Unit 03	Tape
Unit 04	Tape
Unit 05	Tape
Unit 06	Tape

Optional Module: Personal Welfare

Student Text

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape
Unit 02	Tape
Unit 03	Tape
Unit 04	Tape
Unit 05	Tape
Unit 06	Tape

Optional Module: Post Office and Telephone

Student Text

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape
Unit 02	Tape

Optional Module: Restaurant

Student Text

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape
Unit 02	Tape
Unit 03	Tape
Unit 04	Tape