COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Comprehensible input is the key component of a language-learning methodology called Language Acquisition.
Language Acquisition is understanding the overall meaning of a sentence without knowing the exact meaning of every single word. This allows one to recognize repeating patterns in speech and infer grammar rules intuitively. This is how we all learn our native language when we're babies.
It is a language learning technique popularized by Linguist Stephen Krashen and adopted by many well-known influencers in the language enthusiast space such as Matt vs Japan and Steve Kaufman.
HOW TO USE INPUT
The best way to experience Language Acquisition is through Comprehensible Input. Comprehensible input is any kind of media in one's target language that you can partially but not completely understand.
The goal here is to find content that is just above your level so that your brain will latch on to some portion of it that you understand, but still have tons of surface area to recognize patterns in the parts that you don't understand.
Your comprehension grows over time, so you'll eventually need to find harder content to keep a golden ratio of 30-60% comprehensibility on your input.
LISTEN AND LEARN CHINESE MANDARINCOMPREHENSIBLE INPUT SERIES
We've tried and tried to find Mandarin comprehensible input that works for the intermediate learner, but all we've found is input with 0% comprehensibility (too difficult) or grammar lessons and contrived dialogues (not really input). So, why not make our own?
We've learned enough basics to have some kind of comprehension base. So, now, we're taking interesting media from around the web and adding enough "training wheels" and sprinkling in some other learning methodology to make the pure-audio format of our podcast just comprehensible enough for you!
This method of learning, while effective, is one that doesn't make you feel like you've made progress right away. It will be weeks or months until you have one of those epiphanies where you realize how far you've come, but when those moments come, they feel amazing.
To learn more about language acquisition and comprehensible input, we highly suggest checking out the language learning Refold Roadmap.