Please Note: This review was produced independently of Rocket Chinese but does contain affiliate links.
There are loads of Chinese learning textbooks, materials and online websites. How to choose the one that works for you?
First you have to check that the resource fits your goals. If you are trying to learn Chinese from zero to an elementary level, then Rocket Chinese Premium is just for you! (There is also Rocket Chinese Premium Plus for more advanced students.)
When you have confirmed that the resource fits your goals, then you have to make sure that it also fits your learning style. Would you like to learn Chinese by listening to audio lessons when driving to work, taking the bus to school or while cleaning the house?
There are two big advantages in learning with audio lessons:
Firstly, it allows you to study while doing monotonous tasks or even on your daily commute. This will increase your efficiency and allow you to learn Chinese in your busy schedule.
Secondly, the key to learning a language is to start from listening. You will have to understand what others are saying! Listening also will help your own pronunciation as you will develop a mental model of the correct way to speak Chinese. Just listen and imitate the best you can!
In truth, Rocket Chinese isn’t just a podcast series, it’s a learning platform full of resources. Besides learning to listen and speak, you will also learn how to read and write Chinese. You will learn, review and test everything along the way. When you are feeling tired, play a few games in Chinese!
Rocket Chinese is a very complete package and it’s easy to get started with. Of course no learning website is perfect, for example Rocket Chinese should teach us how to write characters, not how to draw them! There could also be more fun games to play, as making learning fun helps you to keep on going towards mastering Chinese.
But all in all Rocket Chinese is a very good choice for someone wanting to start learning Chinese. Try it for 6 days and see yourself!