logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2022
44m 18s

#84 Dr. Gu on Co-Writing ‘Language Hacki...

FLUENT IN 3 MONTHS
About this episode

Northwestern University Professor and author, Dr. LiCheng Gu, has a conversation with Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy about co-authoring Language Hacking Mandarin, how language education has changed over the last 30 years, and why Chinese is easier than you think.

Language Hacking Mandarin is available now. You can order it from your preferred retailer, online or in stores.

Featured Resources

Mentioned in this Episode

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

  • Teaching foreign languages at the university level
  • How language education has changed over the last 30 years
  • Learning Chinese characters
  • Why Chinese is easier than you think
  • Common challenges Chinese learners face and how to overcome them
  • Creating language courses and books
  • Working on the Language Hacking Mandarin book, and how its approach to language teaching is vastly different from traditional language learning
  • The conversational approach to language learning and how it “sits” in academia
  • Advice for getting started with Chinese
  • Using pinyin when learning Chinese
  • How languages are taught and learned in China versus the US

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

Up next
Aug 19
Which Operating System is best for language learners?
In this episode, I want to share a tip you might not have considered for language learning: your operating system. On phones, I’ve gone from iOS to Android, and Android wins hands down because it supports far more languages, including underrepresented ones like Irish and Esperant ... Show More
8m 57s
Aug 12
Travel update: 4 new US states
Over the past month, I reached my 44th state, Colorado, which I’d been looking forward to visiting for a long time. I gave myself a whole month there to truly experience it—running races, hiking in the mountains, exploring towns like Boulder and Denver, and meeting many wonderful ... Show More
5m 57s
Jul 31
Comparison is your enemy in a big project
In this episode, I talk about something that keeps coming up in my own projects: the trap of comparing yourself to others. When I first started learning Spanish, I’d constantly compare myself to other learners and beat myself up over not being as good. That kind of mindset really ... Show More
11m 30s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
#356: 生活小秘訣 Shenghuo mijue | Chinese Learning Podcast | Boost Your Daily Chinese Conversation Skills
Join us in this exciting episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, your go-to Chinese learning podcast, as we uncover 20 essential life hacks that will not only improve your daily life but also enhance your Chinese speaking and listening practice. Tom and Ula, a dynamic mixed coupl ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2021
#255 - LEARNING SPANISH | MANDARIN LEARNING & FUN PODCAST | CHINGLISH
We are learning Spanish, before bed we both are having a ten minute study session of another language. In this story you will learn the Mandarin words for path, progression, level, learning, enough, application and much more. As this is a story episode we try and keep the chat do ... Show More
34m 43s
Dec 2020
#169 - Double Entendre 雙關語 | Chinglish | Mandarin Monkey Podcast | Learn Chinese
We discuss euphemisms/雙關語/Shuāngguān yǔ in this one for probably longer than we should have. There are so many things that can mean genitals in English its a little upsetting really. We also discuss Christmas. Lot's of Chinese and some English to keep you on track with the conver ... Show More
1h 3m
Jun 2023
#331 - MENTORS | Mandarin & English Podcast
On this exciting episode of the Mandarin Monkey podcast, we delve deep into the world of mentorship, in both life and business, bringing the experience closer to you in English and Mandarin Chinese. This rich and practical exploration offers you the chance to enhance your Mandari ... Show More
1 h
Sep 2020
#142 - Consistancy & Grit | Chinglish Podcast| Mandarin Monkey Podcast
We discuss the true grit and determination you need to learn and being fascinated by peoples struggles and how they overcome adversity. In particular the learning Chinese or learning a language element of it. Also targets in general both with Mandarin and with life.If you enjoy w ... Show More
58m 52s
Oct 2021
#242 - I WISH STORY | Learn to use I wish in Mandarin and make that birthday more magical
Make your birthday amazing by knowing how to wish for something in Mandarin Chinese when you blow out the candles. We don't chat much in this one as we wanted to get straight to the story and vocabulary review.Choose your monkey power. Come and get a free lesson. Enjoy extra audi ... Show More
39m 47s
May 2024
Conversation with Robin: Honest 🇹🇼 Mandarin Learning Journey︱Trust the process
Check out Robin’s foreign-language journaling platform and practice writing in Mandarin with other learners and native speakers! https://journaly.comRobin's YouTube channel: @RobinMacPhersonFilms Instagram. YouTube playlist documenting his journey learning Mandarin♡ My Resources ... Show More
1 h
Nov 2021
#250 - 我們去滑草 | STORY | MANDARIN CHINESE LEARNING PODCAST
Todays story is based off our weekend activity this past weekend. Grass sledding. We found a big ol hill and took a plastic sled and our three children and attempoted a good old fashioned slide down it. You will learn lots of useful words around travel and sledding. Including how ... Show More
36m 30s
Jul 2020
#134 - Shuang Yu & Hua Mulan | Chinglish Podcast | Mandarin Monkey
Shuang Yu and Hua Mulan are on the menu for today's discussion. We digress a wee bit into ABCs, ABT, EBTs, EBCs and Nationality. We also talk about raising bilingual children after a question from a hangouteer.If you enjoy what we do, we have been helpful or at least entertaining ... Show More
1h 22m
Jul 2021
#223 - LEARNING STORY | INTERMEDIATE CHINESE | MANDARIN MONKEY PODCAST
You will learn about learning words in this episode as the story centers around speaking skill, listening skill, tones, verbs, nouns, adjectives and sentence structure in Mandarin Chinese. We also discuss Ula's birth circumstances and Tom's dad crazy girlfriend.Choose your monkey ... Show More
55m 57s